Teaching & Learning

Ms. Anna Lai-yin Qin is an Assistant Professor at the Academy of Visual Arts, having joined in 2021 following a commercial career spanning over 15 years in design consultancy, R&D, and enterprise. Her early work focused on applying human-centered design principles to medical equipment, including exoskeletons, medicine processors, wheelchairs, and accessible healthcare facilities.

Ms. Qin's expertise lies in combining design and engineering - she has been involved in various innovative projects such as the development of astronauts' landing chairs, exoskeletons, and smart insoles for rehabilitation, intelligent homes, and design for healthy aging and sustainability. She has also contributed to the field of user interface and user experience (UI/UX) design for start-ups.

As an educator, Ms. Qin teaches a range of courses at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including "Hong Kong Crafts," "Object Design (Culture)," and Research and Professional Practice modules for Visual Artists. She also teaches General Education courses on "Sustainable Design Thinking" and "Creative Entrepreneurship." Ms. Qin is deeply committed to nurturing the unique talents of her students and believes in instilling confidence to foster their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Ultimate aim is to inspire her students to become socially conscious innovators and leaders in our ever-changing world.

Ms. Qin currently teaches 2 GE Level 2 Interdisciplinary Thematic Courses, namely GTCU2007 Creative Entrepreneurship and GTSU2057 Sustainable Design Thinking, with the dedication to empowering students to become socially conscious innovators and leaders in a rapidly changing world.

The Panel was impressed with Ms. Qin’s adoption of learner-centred approaches, which effectively engaged, inspired, and impacted her students profoundly. They recognised her exceptional skills in designing teaching strategies which catered to diverse learning needs, enabling students to develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities for future challenges. The Panel appreciated Ms. Qin’s commitment to supporting students’ learning journey by staying updated with the latest research and incorporating it into curriculum design, ensuring that her students received a comprehensive and state-of-the-art education.

Moreover, the Panel acknowledged Ms. Qin’s active participation and involvement in GE-related activities, such as the GE Buddy Programme, which helped develop a teaching support network and foster professional exchange, showcasing her commitment to continuous growth and development as an educator. As a reflective instructor, Ms. Qin was approachable and valued her students’ perspectives, regarding them as collaborators in the teaching process. The Panel was pleased to observe the positive feedback from students about Ms. Qin’s teaching, as well as her impact on them.

With her creative and inspiring pedagogies, the Panel recommended Ms. Qin to receive the GE Teaching Award (Early Career) – Honourable Mention in recognition of the efforts she made and great contributions to the development of effective teaching and learning.