Keynote Speakers

 

CHENG, May Hung May, The Education University of Hong Kong, China

Vice President (Academic), Chair Professor of Teacher Education

鄭美紅教授，副校長（學術）、教師教育講座教授，香港教育大学

 

Professor May Cheng May-hung is currently Vice President (Academic) and Chair Professor of Teacher Education of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). 

Professor Cheng began her teacher education work at the Sir Robert Black College of Education in 1990. As a long-serving member of EdUHK and the former Hong Kong Institute of Education, she has taken up academic leadership positions at different stages, such as Associate Vice President (Academic Affairs), Registrar, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Associate Dean (Programmes), and Programme Director. Between 2010 and the end of 2011, Professor Cheng was a Reader in Professional Education in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, and a fellow of the Governing Body at Kellogg College. 

Professor Cheng graduated from The University of Hong Kong with a BSc (First-class Honours) degree, a Certificate in Education (Distinction) and a Master’s in Education. She obtained a PhD at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. She served as President of the East Asian Association for Science Education (EASE) from 2016 to 2019. Professor Cheng has actively participated in and made contributions to the international teacher education and science education arena. 

She has been an International Committee member of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching in the US, and has chartered status as a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology in the UK. She is on the editorial boards of various international journals, such as Cogent Education, Teaching and Teacher Education, Teachers and Teaching, and Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. She has obtained various research and project grants from the General Research Fund, the Quality Education Fund and the Education Bureau. She is also a prolific writer, having edited and written more than 13 books and published over 140 journal articles and book chapters. 

Professor Cheng has actively participated in education services in Hong Kong. She was appointed a registered auditor of the Quality Audit Committee under the University Grants Committee (UGC), a specialist and member for institutional review by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications, a member of the Council of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) and to the Curriculum Development Council. She has also served on various subject committees at the HKEAA, the Curriculum Development Committee of the Curriculum Development Institute, and the Education Committee at the Maritime Museum. Professor Cheng is also an elected Academic Board representative on the Council of EdUHK. 

In her role as Associate Vice President cum Registrar, Professor Cheng led the Registry in various tasks, including meeting the challenges of the double cohort due to the New Senior Secondary reforms, preparation for the second QAC, and development of the Key Performance Indicators. She has coordinated the secretariat team and completed various exercises and reviews with successful results, including programme validations and revalidations, programme area accreditation, the UGC review exercise for the University title, the second QAC Review, the development of the 10-year strategic plan for the University, preparation for the sub-degree QAC, and the submission for the Triennial Planning Exercises.

She has been one of the key drivers in upgrading Registry functions through the development of the Academic Management Information System, developing software systems for student assessment, upgrading the student information management system, and devising the admissions strategy.

 

(Onsite Talk) Speech Title: STEAM EDUCATION IN HONG KONG – Progress and Challenges  
Abstract: STEAM education—an interdisciplinary learning approach that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics—has become a cornerstone of educational reform worldwide. In Hong Kong, it is a critical component of the government’s strategy to foster creativity, innovation, and talent development, aligning with the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the Chief Executive’s Policy Address. This presentation explores the development, challenges, and future directions of STEAM education in Hong Kong, providing a comprehensive overview of government policies, school-based support, professional development, and student engagement. The presentation concludes with a summary of the progress and challenges in promoting STEAM education in Hong Kong. It highlights the need for continued collaboration among schools, government, and professional organizations to address systemic barriers and ensure the sustainable development of STEAM education.

 

 

 

Yan Li, Zhejiang University, China

李艳教授， 浙江大学

副院长、课程与学习科学系系主任、智能教育研究中心主任

 

Yan Li got her Ph. D from Department of Agricultural Education at Texas A&M University   in August, 2004. Since September 2004, Dr. Li has been working in College of Education, Zhejiang University. She is the Director of Research Center for AI in Education and Director of Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences,   Zhejiang University. Her research interests include distance education, ICT education, media education, AI in education, diffusion of educational innovations, and etc. 

During April-July, 2009, she visited University of Florence, doing research work in area of media education and digital literacy improvement for the youth generation. During June 2014 and June 2015, supported by Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC), Dr. Li visited Indiana University-Bloomington as a visiting scholar, doing Open Educational Resources and MOOCs-related research work with Dr. Curtis Bonk.

In recent decades, she has presided several international-, national- and provincial-level research projects and has published series of academic papers or books in area of educational technology. You may find her papers in journals such as Computers & Education (CAE), British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET), Educational Technology Research & Development (ETR&D), Asia Pacific Journal of Education (APJE), Social Behavior and Personality (SBP), International Journal on Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education (JIAEE), and etc.

In 2011, Dr. Li was awarded as "Distinguished Young Scholar" of Zhejiang University. In 2013, Dr. Li was awarded as "Distinguished Young Social Scholar" of Zhejiang Province. In 2014, Dr. Li was enrolled in Zhejiang Province 151 Talent Project "Second Level" Training Personnel. In 2018, Dr. Li won the First Prize of Excellent Teaching Award of Zhejiang University. In the same year, she was awarded as National Excellent Mentor of Master of Education (M. Ed.).

 

(Onsite Talk) Speech Title: Practice and Studies on AI-assisted Writing Instruction
Abstract: The presentation will focus on the practice and studies related to AI-assisted writing instruction. It includes four parts of contents: (1) current status of writing instruction practice and studies; (2) possibility of AI-assisted writing instruction innovation in the age of AI; (3) introduction of main contents of several studies related to AI-assisted writing instruction practice carried out in China; and (4) Implications and suggestions for AI-assisted writing instruction practice and studies in future.

 

 

 

Zhongling Pi, Shaanxi Normal University, China

皮宗玲教授，陕西师范大学

 

Zhongling Pi is a full professor in the Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education at Shaanxi Normal University. Her research interests include video lectures design and learning strategies, learning science, educational psychology, and collaborative learning. Her research work is supported by numerous grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, MOE, and Shaanxi province. She has published over 60 journal papers and two academic monographs, of which 26 are top 10% of journal papers. Her research work has been awarded by Shaanxi province.

 

(Onsite) Speech Title: Interaction Matters: Co-viewing Facilitates Learning from Video Lectures

Abstract: When students engage in learning through synchronous video lectures, they often participate in co-viewing sessions with remote peers online. This online learning approach entails students watching the same video lecture simultaneously, engaging in interpersonal communication, and subsequently collaborating through online platforms to complete tasks associated with the course content. Therefore, student learning processes, including accessing resources, interpersonal communication, as well as execution and regulation, might be influenced by others, which in turn can affect their learning performance. Despite the popularity of co-viewing video lectures, most studies consider viewing video lectures as an individual process. We conducted a series of eye-tracking and fNIRS studies to examine the effects of others' presence and interpersonal communication on co-viewing video lectures. We discovered that interpersonal communication, encompassing both nonverbal and verbal interactions, was essential for co-viewing video lectures. These benefits were influenced by individual differences, the behaviors of others, and task difficulty, as supported by both behavioral and neural evidence. Our research suggests important strategies for students during the co-viewing of video lectures.