ISSUE

109

1. PolyU CPCE and Microsoft Hong Kong Launch Virtual Labs for Limitless Learning

ITU has created virtual lab classes in collaboration with Microsoft for as many as 19 subject areas, from IT, programming, engineering, to design and languages, serving approximately 2,000 students. Yet it has found an even broader application in online language examinations – with around 5,100 students logging in to use the service.

As Dr. Jason Chan, JP said in Microsoft News Center “Azure Lab Services provides more flexibility in classes and allows the faculty to engage better with students. We spoke to students and found they enjoyed their freedom to access hands-on practical experiences more frequently, and they value the time they save by not needing to visit the campus to test or finish their homework. Overall, our students and faculty members are happy with this seamless transition between the physical and virtual learning environments provided by Azure Lab Services.”

Dr. Jason also added “We are looking ahead to a future of the lab learning environment that is a hybrid of two worlds, where the best teaching and learning can happen no matter where or when. We are excited to be able to provide ubiquitous access to different applications and unified user experiences anytime, anywhere for our students with Microsoft’s continued support. By turning this crisis into an opportunity, we can empower our students to continue their lab classes anywhere under the new normal.”

Details of report can be found at:

PolyU CPCE and Microsoft Hong Kong Launch Virtual Labs for Limitless Learning – Microsoft News Center Hong Kong

香港理工大學專業及持續教育學院與 Microsoft 香港攜手合作　利用虛擬實驗室實踐混合學習模式 – Microsoft 香港新聞中心

2. Update on Big Data Lab

Since the launch of Big Data Lab in December 2020, ITU has provided BDLaaS (Big Data Lab as a Service) by making use of cloud computing, machine learning and AI technologies to facilitate colleagues to apply for research grants using big data approach.

Apart from research purposes, ITU is strengthening Big Data Lab services for learning and teaching. One of our IT Labs (HHB-1208) has been rebranded to serve as part of Big Data Lab with higher hardware standard and more software for data science and big data analytics. We are looking forward to serving more and more courses and students to learn big data analytics.

Depending on data size and computing power required, research colleagues, who are using data-driven approach without a huge data set in their research, can conduct data analytics or pilot study there.

3. Innovation and Technology: Turning an Idea into a Startup

It is time to think innovatively and turn our brilliant ideas into a startup. ITU will deliver two seminars for staff and students respectively on 10 May 2021. The seminars will cover the following:

• How to start a startup?
• How to protect ideas and intellectual property?
• How to pitch to Angel Investors, Venture Capital and Family Office?
• Pre-series-A, series-A-B-C-Z, IPO, RTO, and SPAC
• Different types of government funds available for application
• How to help entrepreneurs build successful startups via innovation and technology?

Having great ideas but not sure how to proceed? If you would like us to incorporate your concerns into our seminars, you are most welcome to email Dr. Jason Chan ( pfjason@cpce-polyu.edu.hk).

About the speaker:

Dr. Jason Chan, JP, CPCE Head of IT, is actively engaged in public services related to innovation and technology.

• Member of Advisory Committee, Information and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF), Innovation and Technology Bureau (ITB) (2017- )
• Member of Assessment Panel, Enterprise Support Scheme (ESS), Information and Technology Fund (ITF), Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) (2017-2019)
• Member of Entrepreneurship Committee Advisory Group, Cyberport (2020- )
• Mentor, Cyberport Mentorship Services, Cyberport (2020- )
• Mentor, Mentorship Programme, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (2018- )
• Member of Digital Economy and Information Technology Advisory Group, Consumer Council (2018- )
• Assessor, The Hong Kong Awards for Industries (HKAI): Technological Achievement (2013-2019)
• More can be found at https://itu.cpce-polyu.edu.hk/about-itu/team-members/JasonChan

Registration for Briefing Sessions:

Venue: Online
Time: Please register one of the following sessions:

• For Staff: 11am-12pm, 10 May 2021
• For Students: 2pm-3pm, 10 May 2021

Please enroll the above briefing sessions via “IT Training Registration” under CPCE Portal (https://portal.cpce-polyu.edu.hk).

4. Update and Tips in Online Teaching

Microsoft Teams

Meeting recordings saved to OneDrive and SharePoint Online (Status Update)

As previously communicated on the Dec 2020 newsletter, Microsoft had postponed the captioned deployment from Jan 2021 to Jul 2021. In order to minimize the interruption of the teaching and learning activities, the captioned changes will be deployed in the 1st week of Jun 2021. Notification will be sent to users by email in May when the deployment schedule is confirmed.

After deployment, new Teams meeting recordings will be stored on, and served from, OneDrive and SharePoint Online – instead of Microsoft Stream.

Non-Channel meetings will be stored in the OneDrive of the person who clicked the record button in a special folder labeled “Recordings” – that sits at the top of the recorder’s OneDrive.

Channel meetings will be stored in a folder labeled “Recordings” under a folder named after the channel under the Team’s document library.

View-only Experience

View-only experience is enabled for Microsoft Teams meeting by default. Similar to Live event, view-only experience supports meeting participant over 300 (max 10,000) but carries the following limitation,

• View-only attendees won't be included in the attendance report.
• View-only attendees will have a single video experience. They can see either the active speaker or the content being shared, but not both.
• Gallery, Large gallery, or Together mode layouts for view-only attendees are not supported.
• View-only attendees will only be able to see Live Captions on Desktop and Web. Only English Captions are supported at this time.

There is no setup needed in order to use view-only experience. Meeting participant over 300 (i.e., 301st participant) will be put to view-only experience automatically.

There is a Microsoft support page describes details and reminder for view-only experience View-only meeting experience - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Docs

Attendance Report

There is an update that meeting attendance report will now be available automatically, downloadable via “Chat” about 5 minutes after meeting ends. It minimizes inconvenience caused by forgetting to download the report. The report is shown to meeting organizer only.

There is a Microsoft page describes attendance reports in Teams Download attendance reports in Teams - Office Support (microsoft.com)

Zoom

Zoom Co-host

Zoom Co-host feature is enabled to allow more flexibility about control of Zoom meeting, especially when host is busy / occupied for other task, e.g., he/she is a speaker, which co-host can assist meeting control.

There is a Zoom page describes Zoom co-host feature Host and co-host controls in a meeting – Zoom Help Center

5. Tips on IT Security

Remind to lock computer when you leave your seat

It is a gentle reminder to lock (Ctrl-alt-del, lock) your computer when you leave your seat temporarily, e.g., pick up computer printout, to minimize others to observe details in your computer or attempt software / browser you are using.

Reminder on portable device

1. Please install Anti-Virus software following recommendation in edition 108
2. Setup security code or password. Do not allow anonymous login on portable device to prevent others from accessing if you lose the device.
3. Enable encryption in storage to prevent unauthorize access of storage data.
4. Enable location tracking feature if available
5. Do not store sensitive data in portable device. Please make use of cloud storage, e.g., OneDrive, to minimize data leakage on device lost.

6. Reminder on Online Assignment / Take Home Exam Submission

Please check Wi-Fi or cable network performance when necessary, e.g., using OFCA app / web, to test performance of your broadband and internet connection, ensuring you have got a minimum of 5Mpbs upload speed before you submit your assignment.

Ensure your device is connected to power adaptor (mobile device) to minimize inconvenience due to running out battery power.

If any case you cannot submit your work to Moodle, please submit the work to lecturer via other means, e.g., email, ASAP. Do not simply send screen capture to lecturer about the problem. Please follow lecturer instruction if there is guideline already.

7. Reminder: Backup Course Materials at Moodle, OneDrive and TempCloud Before Semester End

Please note that 2nd semester will end soon, the courses of 2nd semester in Moodle will be archived after the commencement of summer term. Student will no longer be able to access course materials of the 2nd semester, OneDrive and TempCloud links from archived Moodle course.

Reminder:

1. Please backup course materials from Moodle if you need to keep them.
2. PYou are also recommended to backup the course materials from OneDrive and TempCloud.
3. PStudents need to seek lecturer’s approval for accessing archived teaching materials in Moodle.
4. PLecturers will not be affected by this archive policy at Moodle, but files in TempCloud will be also archived periodically.