Fostering
Creativity
CEI NEWSLETTER / ISSUE 2 / January 2024
Contents
01 - Collective Vision: Unfolding Perspectives on Education
02 - Introduction: Fostering Creativity
03 - Empowering Students through Creative Assessments
04 - Unleashing Creativity in the Metaverse
05 - AEE Fellowship Spotlight
06 - Announcements
Collective Vision: Unfolding Perspectives on Education
Welcome to "Collective Vision," where your voice plays a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of education's evolving landscape. Your contributions are a cornerstone in our journey to grasp the needs and aspirations of our learning community at HKUST.
In our last issue, we turned the spotlight to you and invited you to share your insights on what defines the educational needs of our time. Your responses provided not just answers, but a mirror reflecting our collective ambitions and a window into the future we are striving to shape.
A heartfelt thanks to all who participated. Your engagement not only adds interactivity to our newsletter but shapes a forward-thinking educational ethos.
In this issue, we now invite you to delve into an essential skill for our times: creativity. How do you perceive it in the context of education and beyond? We ask you to ponder and share: "What does creativity mean to you?". Your answers will illuminate the diverse perspectives and values our community holds regarding this pivotal skill.
Introduction: Fostering Creativity
by Dr Sean McMINN, Director of CEI
It has become increasingly evident that fostering creativity among our students is not merely a desirable trait but a necessity for their future success.
The potential impact of AI disruption on the workforce and the shift toward soft skills as a core competency, nurturing creativity stands out as a fundamental component of our educational mission. And it’s not only AI. Demographic shifts, environmental and sustainability concerns, healthcare, to name a few, also have the potential to disrupt the future of work. It is imperative that we equip our students with the ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and envision innovative solutions.
This emphasis on creativity transcends disciplinary boundaries and extends to lifelong learning skills, aligning with our commitment to preparing students for a dynamic and uncertain future. To achieve this goal, we must continue to explore innovative pedagogies, embrace new technologies, and provide our students with a holistic education that not only imparts knowledge but also cultivates their capacity for imaginative and innovative thinking. In doing so, we empower our students to thrive in a workforce shaped by AI disruption and driven by the demand for creative problem solvers.
In this edition, we interview students and faculty members to explore ways we can foster students’ creativity. Enjoy.
Empowering Students through Creative Assessments
In COMP1943 Creative Sound Design, Professor Andrew Horner sets a creative final assignment for his students – apply all the technical skills learned on the course (e.g. sound design, green screen editing) to a project of their choice. Jenny Ding, a 3rd year Marketing student, and Vickie Pang, a 4th year Marketing and Information Systems student chose to create a satirical diss track about student life at HKUST.
We sat down with Jenny and Vickie to talk about their time on the course and the process for creating their final project. Our discussion with them gave us great insight into the power of providing students with the opportunity to be creative and the vital skills they feel they gained from this endeavor.
Taking this class really changed our entire perspectives on how university classes can function. It really brought the fun and learning and pushed us to completely think outside the box. And this has made the entire learning process really interactive. We are actually more motivated to learn in comparison to a usual university class where we're pushed to learn.
Unleashing Creativity in the Metaverse
Contrary to the common belief that creativity is a burst of inspiration accessible only to the talented few, Prof. Ben Chan, Associate Dean of Students and Associate Director of Center for Engineering Education Innovation(E2I), contends otherwise. As a dedicated educator who is unbound by traditions, he views creativity as a skill that can be gradually developed in anyone through a structured process.
Creativity is not about how good that idea is actually,
it's about the process, how you craft the idea.
Prof. Ben Chan
In his common core course, 'Engineering Team Design Experience' (CORE 1200/Spring 2023), students were encouraged to apply engineering design skills to envision bold concepts for the future of HKUST in the metaverse. Please watch Prof. Chan's interview to learn more about his beliefs in creativity and engineering education. In the video, you will also see HKUST in 2050 as imagined by the students, where the HKUST MTR station is already in service.
If the interview with Professor Chan sparked your interest in discovering the extent of students’ imagination, don’ t stop there! Feel free to take a look at these additional student works created in the course's metaverse in the summer semester 2023. In the project 'Reimagining World Cultures,' students were tasked with a mission: to reimagine cultures from around the world using their 3D modeling skills. This is their creative interpretation of Italy, Egypt and Japan!
Prof. Chan's course reveals how students' creative potential can be unleashed when given the right conditions. His approach serves as an encouraging example for educators from across disciplines to cultivate spaces that foster students' creativity.
AEE Fellowship Spotlight
Unleashing Student Potential: Prof. Desmond Tsoi's Visionary Approach to Education and Empowerment
The Academy of Education Excellence (AEE) has been established under the Center for Education Innovation (CEI) to promote good teaching practices at HKUST.
It will be opened to all faculty members who are committed to improving their teaching skills and contributing to the development of good teaching practices. Those with a proven track record in teaching can apply to become a fellow and receive professional development opportunities and recognition for teaching excellence.
By supporting faculty development, teaching innovations, and quality assurance of teaching and learning, the AEE fellowship is expected to enhance educational outcomes and student engagement at HKUST.
Prof. Desmond Tsoi is one of our esteemed fellows. With HKUST since 2016, he is currently an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). He at various universities in Singapore and Hong Kong before joining HKUST. His research interests lie in multimedia technology, computer vision, web technologies and engineering.
As a catalyst for change who prioritizes student engagement and empowers them through diverse projects, Dr. Tsoi advocates for personalized pathways, meaningful feedback, and the creation of enriching learning environments.
You can read the full article here.
Announcements
HKUST x EdUHK Joint Conference on AI and Education: Leveraging AI for Change in Education
On January 30th, 2024, the CEI hosted the inaugural HKUST x EdUHK Joint Conference on AI and Education: Leveraging AI for Change in Education. This exciting one-day event brought together stakeholders to explore new opportunities and understandings of this emerging domain.
Our esteemed keynote speakers included Prof. Rose Luckin from University College London (top left), Prof. Aimin Zhou from East China Normal University (top right), Prof. Maarten de Laat from University of South Australia (bottom left), and Prof. Jason Lodge from The University of Queensland (bottom right). They delivered visionary talks on topics such as maximining human-AI collaboration, personalized learning with interpretable models, ensuring AI empower communities, and understanding ourselves as learners with machines.
In addition to these enlightening keynote speakers, we hosted concurrent sessions which allowed participants to roam and dive deeply into topics ranging from AI in higher education and K-12, reframing assessment, and innovating curriculum. We furthermore facilitated an open forum with different educational stakeholders to consider the realities, potentials, and ethical dimensions of AI-enhanced education.
Through presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops over the day, we jointly examined open questions and laid down a foundation to guide responsible development and implementation of AI in the service of learning. We would like to thank our esteemed speakers and our guests for their valuable contributions. We also thank the organizing committee for their hard work and dedication in ensuring the conference's success. The next joint conference will be held at The Education University of Hong Kong in 2025.
Announcements
Calling for Teaching and Learning
Innovation Project Proposals
The CEI is inviting faculty and teaching staff to propose Teaching and Learning Innovation Projects (TLIP) under the theme ‘Harnessing the power of active learning: Exploring innovative pathways for student engagement and participation.’ Any innovative ideas that can enhance active learning and student experience are welcome! Initiatives that utilize AR, MR & VR, gamified & game-based learning, experiential learning, and innovative assessment design are particularly welcome!
Learn more here.
Contact us
CEI | Center for Education Innovation
(Rm 6401) (Lift 25-26)
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
2358 6811
