LIST OF PANELS

Digital devices, softwares and apps have been increasingly used in public policy programs across the world, over the past decade. However, little is yet known regarding their effectiveness in delivering key learning objectives and skills, such as developing critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, verbal and oral communication skills, teamwork and peer persuasion skills. Are they also able to help learners develop a wider range of skills that are highly desirable among employers and within society at large?

How do digital technologies perform in terms of efficiency, by considering the time involved in student preparation relative to gains? There are very high demands on the learners’ time and many strategies involving the use of digital technologies require significant front-end preparation. At the same time, experiential learning often involves allocation of roles to students, and a sustained engagement of learners. This is the case with with 'blended learning' and 'experiential learning' strategies (involving stakeholder-based and/or problem-solving approaches). This can be challenging, as compulsory attendance is a policy being increasingly abandoned by universities worldwide.

The panel aims to explore and synthesise the strengths and weaknesses of deploying digital technologies in relation to a range of key learning objective in public policy programs, particularly as part of blended learning and experiential learning strategies.

The Panel invites papers that can address one or more of the following questions:

1. How can digital technologies be best incorporated as part of blended learning strategies, to maximise their effectiveness in terms of developing critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, communication skills and/or team-building and persuasion skills?

2. What evaluation methods perform highly in terms of assessing the effectiveness of blended learning strategies in delivering key learning objectives for public policy programs?

3. What are the main challenges facing blended learning strategies in terms of efficiency (overall time requirement relative to the learning gains obtained) and how can they be overcome?

4. How can digital technologies be best incorporated as part of experiential learning strategies, to maximise their effectiveness in terms of developing critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, communication skills and/or teambuilding and persuasion skills?

5. What evaluation methods perform highly in terms of assessing the effectiveness of experiential learning strategies in delivering key learning objectives for public policy programs?

6. What are the main challenges facing experiential learning strategies in terms of efficiency (overall time requirement relative to the learning gains obtained) and how can they be overcome?