Our students’ expectations of online teaching are increasing. Courses offered in semester 1 next year must make materials available online for the first 3 weeks. And it’s possible that a local resurgence of coronavirus cases might result in classrooms again being closed.

So, as announced at our School meeting of 17 June, SoH is launching a new scheme to support online teaching and learning. The aim of this scheme is to make the process of innovation less laborious and to facilitate the organization and delivery of effective online learning.

To flexibly support enhanced delivery of online teaching and learning the School will set aside up to approx. 62k of funding for each programme unit. Programme leaders are invited to discuss with colleagues and put forward proposals for the use of funding to enhance online teaching and learning.

One suggested use of the scheme is to hire a TA who would then serve as a dedicated point of contact for each unit, coordinating the upload of teaching materials, assisting in the delivery of interactive online teaching and learning, and handling the extra work that this creates.

Programme teams are invited to complete and submit the application form to the School office via Kitty (kittymak@hku.hk) for processing. There is no deadline. Funds will remain available throughout 2020/21. Early applications are welcome and the School is glad to try to help units to locate TAs.