Chapter 10 Academic Support Services

1. Centre for Learning, Teaching and Technology

The Centre is an academic and professional supporting unit at the University. It aims to enhance student learning outcomes by applying digital technology to support the development of e-Learning and digital competency, innovation of learning and teaching, and the improvement and innovation of assessment at the University.

The Centre provides a range of services for students, including:

1	E-Learning and Digital Competency Development LTTC offers a variety of workshops on e-Learning and digital competency development for students. The Centre also co-organises workshops with faculties, departments and industrial partners on the use of e-Learning tools and related pedagogical strategies in support of the University’s implementation of E-Learning and Digital Competency Strategy. Additionally, the Centre conducts workshops on the use of innovative technology in education, including topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), metaverse, STEM/STEAM education, robotics education, 3D modeling and printing, educational animation, etc. To provide a quality and creative learning environment, the Centre’s laboratories are well-equipped with high-performance computers, various mobile digital devices, and 3D printers. Students are welcome to register for these workshops through the LTTC website.
2	Digital Competency Digital competency is now a prerequisite for many jobs. To enhance students’ employability and familiarity with digital skills, the LTTC offers credit-bearing courses in digital competency, including AI Literacy, Digital Literacy, Exploring Real-Life AI Application Development, Capstone Project Pathway on AI and Emerging Technologies, and Learning Experience Outside the Classroom (CLOC) Course titled “Self-Regulated Learning in Artificial Intelligence with Chatbot”. Students are expected to attend the relevant courses based on their programme requirements and personal interests. The LTTC will issue e-badges to recognise students’ achievements in digital competency.
3	User Guides and Workshops on e-Learning and ePortfolio LTTC has developed various online user guides for Moodle, Sway and Google Sites to support students. Students are welcome to register for the related workshops and get the related self-learning materials from the LTTC website.
4	Generic Intended Learning Outcomes (GILOs) LTTC administers a self-assessment questionnaire for measuring students’ self-perceived achievement on GILOs. Students will receive an individual report which helps them to write reflection and set learning goals through ePortfolios. LTTC also provides workshops for students to connect GILOs to their learning and teaching.

For details, please refer to the LTTC website (https://www.eduhk.hk/lttc).

2. Library

The EdUHK Library comprises Mong Man Wai Library (MMW Library) on Tai Po Campus and Tseung Kwan O Study Centre Library (TKOSC Library) in Tseung Kwan O, offering a full range of information resources and services in various formats. State-of-the-art facilities are provided by the Library, including over 420 public PCs, Mini Theatre, EI Hub, 3D and large format printers, professional and consumer level 360 cameras, laser cutting and engraving machines, 3D/HD/4K video viewing and production equipment, VR and AR production facilities, high speed Wi-Fi, notebook computers, e-book readers, Octopus-operated photocopiers and laser printers, language learning stations, as well as group and individual study spaces. Eight Future Classrooms inside MMW Library, namely Creative Lab, Creative Arts Room, Future Early Childhood & Primary Classroom, Future Primary & Secondary Classroom, Special Education Room, e-Learning Studio, Extended Reality Room and STEM Room are also set up and tailored for future pedagogical models and needs, as well as developments in the IT industry. MMW Library is fully integrated with the University's Learning Commons, providing a comfortable and inviting environment which is conducive to both individual and collaborative learning on a 24-hour basis. In addition to library resources provided on campus, members of the University can also access other university libraries as well as their resources through the library's various collaboration programmes, including JULAC Library Cards, HKALL, Inter-library Loans and Document Delivery service.

The University Library is IT-based, providing members of the University 24-hour access to various electronic collections on the World Wide Web via either desktop or mobile platforms. All library activities and operations, including library catalogue, renewal and reservation of library materials etc. are available to users via the Library System. The Library has developed the EdUHK Research Repository which indexes and provides full-text access, if available, to the research outputs of our academic staff and postgraduate students. Another two databases, Hong Kong Education Bibliographic Database and Hong Kong Education Image Database (in collaboration with Hong Kong Museum of Education), have been developed by the Library to allow the public to access bibliographic information on research of education in Hong Kong as well as images of artefacts from the collections of Hong Kong Education Museum respectively. With permissions from major local TV stations, the Library has also digitized selected TV programmes in its EdVideo system, which is accessible by all staff and students via the Internet.

All functions of the library catalogue, EdUHK Research Repository, Hong Kong Education Bibliographic Database, Hong Kong Education Image Database, EdVideo, major library full-text and citation databases, e-books and e-journals, as well as essential and latest library information are available to staff and students of the University on the Library Website (https://www.lib.eduhk.hk). The Library Website also provides a detailed description of library services and the most updated Library Regulations (see also Chapter 4.3 of this Handbook). It is essential for all users of library to follow these regulations.

You are also reminded that unauthorized copying in any way of any materials or data constitutes infringements of intellectual property rights. Copying done on the self-operated photocopiers should be in conformity with the Copyright Ordinance. The University will not be responsible for any legal consequences arising from the breach of copyright made by individuals. The updated full-text of the Copyright Ordinance (Chapter 528, Laws of Hong Kong) is available at the HKSAR Government's Hong Kong e-Legislation (HKeL) (https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/).

For details of opening hours of the libraries, please refer to the Library Website at (https://www.lib.eduhk.hk).

3. Office of the Chief Information Officer

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is dedicated to delivering high-quality ICT services and solutions that bolster and advance learning, teaching, research, and administrative functions within the University community. This commitment is in line with the University's IT service strategies, which encompass infrastructure, data management, application development, user experience, security, and governance.

Most of the University’s ICT services are provided in conjunction with the high-speed campus network with Gigabit links to endpoints in all classrooms and offices. In addition, ubiquitous Wi-Fi access points are provided to cover all classrooms, public areas on campus, department offices and student hostels. Users can join free Wi-Fi access off-campus via CSL Wi-Fi hotspots in town, and at other local and overseas universities using "eduroam". The University is also a member of the Hong Kong Academic and Research NETwork (HARNET), which is shared by eight local universities via high-speed connectivity to the rest of the world. This membership enables all participating institutions to leverage the network for collaborative research, resource sharing, and resilience support.

As a central service hub, The Portal serves as a one-stop shop for self-service information and 7x24 support for students of the University community. Additionally, professional support and administration for the University website, departmental websites, and various content management systems are offered. OCIO also oversees the University’s generative AI platform and high-performance computing (HPC) facilities, catering to the increasing demands in research and education.

OCIO collaborates with relevant learning and teaching departments to provide and maintain applications for both end-to-end administrative solutions and academic support. The e-student information system (e-SIS) manages the entire student administration lifecycle, from admission, programme registration, course registration, academic advising, and assessment, to graduation and student records. Additionally, students have access to various online services such as hostel applications, education job recruitment, and sports facilities booking.

OCIO supports the online Learning Management System (LMS) for e-Learning and oversees the University’s learning environment which comprises classrooms, lecture theatres, computer laboratories and a Photo and Video Studio at the Learning Commons. Furthermore, OCIO provides printing services, student email (protected by two-factor authentication), the campus unified communication and collaboration system and the MyEdUHK mobile app.

At the IT Help Desk located in the Learning Commons, a number of notebooks and a wide range of audio-visual equipment are available for loan. OCIO also offers a good collection of software packages, including Office suite, creative design suite, cloud-based conferencing and collaboration tools, courseware development applications, statistical analysis software, and other discipline-specific applications for students and staff.

While we treasure the privacy and rights of individuals, all students are obliged to adhere to the acceptable standards of computer user behaviour as outlined in Computing Policies and Regulations on the OCIO website (https://www.eduhk.hk/ocio/).

OCIO is dedicated to continuously exploring and providing new initiatives and innovative services for our users. Students can email us at helpdesk@ocio.eduhk.hk or call our hotline, 2948 6601, for suggestions or assistance. There is a 24-hour voice recording system available for users to leave messages after office hours or when the line is busy. Our colleagues will respond as soon as possible. Additionally, students can report IT-related problems or incidents online using the LANDesk self-service platform (https://landesk.eduhk.hk) from anywhere and at any time.

For more information, please visit the OCIO website (https://www.eduhk.hk/ocio/).

4. School Partnership and Field Experience Office

The School Partnership and Field Experience Office (SPFEO) is to support, coordinate and strengthen the policies and practices in school partnership, mentorship and field experience at the University level. The Office establishes and maintains mutually beneficial partnership with schools through actively supporting them in building a mentoring force and enhancing teachers' professional development.

The major roles and responsibilities of the Office are as follows:

1	to establish partnership with a network of schools and related organisations (such as School Sponsoring Bodies, universities) both locally and internationally to support student teachers in their field experience;
2	to work with teaching staff of the University, and principals and supporting teachers in the partnership schools to provide an environment conducive to learning for both student teachers and supporting teachers;
3	to support and coordinate the ongoing work in the University related to partnership, mentoring and field experience;
4	to undertake and support research and development related to partnership, mentoring and field experience;
5	to develop resources and activities designed to support the work of field experience supervisors and supporting teachers;
6	to assist in both the development and implementation of policies related to field experience and partnership; and
7	to contribute to teaching and support student teachers in formal and non-formal field experience learning.

For details, please refer to the website (https://www.eduhk.hk/spfeo).