Background
The pandemic has changed a lot of daily life, work and study activities of people around the world. We face common difficulties, including economic and emotional problems. For example, tourist industries have been greatly affected and more and more jobs are insecure in many fields. In addition, people are feeling depressed due to lockdowns.
As libraries are places for life-long learning, how can librarians and libraries help people to gain new skills for the post-pandemic era? This research is an international project involving librarians/faculty/teachers and people in different groups in Hong Kong, Japan and Australia, to develop a live online teaching model to benefit both education and different areas of society.
The purpose and value of this research project
- To increase the visible importance of libraries/librarians: like other industries, libraries and librarians who may be facing cuts in budgets/jobs. With this research, librarians and libraries could develop a new outreach model and create new ways for access to “digital libraries-outside the library walls” etc.
- Expand online teaching pedagogy.
- Develop international partnerships.
- Enhance student and librarian skills.
- Help weaker groups of people of society: such as elderly people, sick and disabled people that cannot go outside, to have more church outreach services etc.
Research design
Design-based with mixed research methods.
Equipment
Uses affordable and low-cost IT tools and equipment, e.g. Smartphone (as camera)+ Microphone + a stabilizer
Timeline of the project
- Pilot study: A “live” online outdoor tour in Tokyo, Japan on 9 Jan 2021 (Sat)
Different groups of people from Asia and Australia joined this pilot study online as the online audience. The tour was conducted by a tour guide, librarians and faculty members. Participants gave their feedback by filling in a questionnaire about the “live” online outdoor tour and the pedagogy..
https://library.minghua.edu.hk/vtour.html
Due to the positive result of the pilot study, this worldwide “online” tour project has now been officially launched. Professionals (e.g librarians/faculty) and students from schools/universities will take turns to conduct tours/talks. The online audience will be students/librarians/faculty as well as elderly people, the disabled and people who cannot venture outside etc.
Project members: Dr. Helen Cheung, Professor Gareth Jones and Ms Yoko Hirose Nagao
Institutions: HKSKH Ming Hua Theological College, Hong Kong; Japanese parties (Rapidswide Company, The Library Fair Committee, & other libraries) and associates from the Libraries Research Group of Charles Sturt University.
Contact: Dr. Helen Cheung
