Ethical Clearance for Conducting Educational Research

The primary purpose of this research is to develop a better understanding of Educational Technologies and Technology Literacy within the realm of Preservice and In-service Teacher Professional Development, through the use of experiential learning designs and novel technology-enhanced pedagogical approaches.

Specifically, the research aims to:

• •Investigate how preservice and in-service teachers engage with, adopt, and integrate emerging educational technologies in their professional practice.
• •Examine the development of technology literacy among educators, including their confidence, competence, and critical awareness when using digital tools for teaching and learning.
• •Evaluate the effectiveness of experiential learning designs and innovative technology-enhanced pedagogies in supporting meaningful professional growth.
• •Explore participants' perceptions, experiences, and reflections on these novel learning designs, in order to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• •Contribute to the broader scholarly conversation on teacher education, digital pedagogy, and professional development, informing future curriculum design and instructional practice at The University of Hong Kong and beyond.

The findings from this research are intended to benefit the wider educational community by improving how technology literacy and pedagogical innovation are cultivated in teacher education programmes.

As part of your enrolment in this course, information you provide may be collected in the form of personal opinions, class artefacts (e.g., reflections, assignments, discussion contributions, learning journals), and surveys. This information will primarily be examined as part of the course's assessment items to support your learning and evaluate your academic progress.

In addition, the collected data may be anonymised and analysed for the ongoing educational research project described above, which has been formally approved by The University of Hong Kong and conducted in full accordance with the ethical procedures required by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of the University.

Students may also be invited to participate in short semi-structured interviews to allow the research team to gain a deeper understanding of your feelings, perceptions, and experiences regarding the experiential learning design implemented in this course. Participation in these interviews is entirely voluntary, and declining to participate will have no impact on your grades, academic standing, or relationship with the instructor or the University.

All data used for research purposes will be fully anonymised prior to analysis. No personally identifiable information will appear in any research outputs, including academic publications, conference presentations, or reports. Pseudonyms or codes will be used where direct quotations are included. Data will be securely stored on password-protected, University-approved systems, and access will be restricted to authorised members of the research team.

All research data will be securely destroyed following the conclusion of the research analysis and the publication of findings, in accordance with the University's data management and retention policies.

Participation in the research component is entirely voluntary. If you wish, you may request the removal of your information from the research dataset at any time. Such requests may be submitted following the grade release period of the Master of Education programme, to ensure that your decision is made free from any perceived influence on academic assessment. Withdrawal from the research will not affect your grades or standing in the programme in any way.

Please note that your course assessment and your participation in the research are two separate matters:

• •Assessment use of your work is a standard component of the course and is required for grading purposes.
• •Research use of your (anonymised) work is optional, and you retain the right to opt out without any academic consequences.

There are no foreseeable risks associated with participation in this research beyond those encountered in ordinary classroom activities. While there may be no direct benefits to individual participants, your contribution will help improve teaching practices, inform curriculum design, and enhance educational experiences for future preservice and in-service teachers.

By continuing with the course activities, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the information provided above. Separate written informed consent will be obtained for any additional research activities such as interviews.

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding this research or your rights as a participant, please contact: