We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to sit down and speak with Noble Po-kan Lo, winner of the 2023 Most Popular Preprint. To celebrate open and transparent scientific communication, Preprints.org launched the 2023 Most Popular Preprints Award.
In the first edition of the award, all preprints posted in 2023 on Preprints.org were assessed by an Electoral Committee. The shortlisted preprints (10 preprints from each subject category) were selected and opened up for public voting. An astounding 6,172 readers from across the globe participated in the voting to select the winners of the 2023 Most Popular Preprint Awards.
Here, the 1st place award recipient in the Social Sciences subject category gave us his thoughts on many different things. Learn more about his impactful research and views and experiences on the use of preprints.
About Noble Po-kan, winner of the 2023 Social Science Award
Dr. Noble Po-kan Lo is the recipient of the first 2023 Most Popular Preprint Award in the field of Social Sciences.
He a lecturer at the College of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His preprint, Bridging Digital Competence and Sustainability: Unveiling the Synergistic Potential of Design and Maker Education received 1st place in the “Social Sciences” category.
Here is our interview with Noble Po-kan Lo.
On winning the Most Popular Preprint and research background
After being congratulated on winning the award, Noble Po-kan tells us a little about his research background:
Thank you very much! My research background is rooted in educational innovation, with a particular focus on integrating digital competence and sustainability into higher education. My work spans various pedagogical approaches, including project-based and experiential learning, and aims to explore how these methods can foster creativity, problem-solving, and eco-consciousness among students. I am currently affiliated with the College of Professional and Continuing Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where I engage in research and teaching that bridges technology and sustainable practices.
To learn more about the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, please visit their website.
Key findings and contributions
The award winning preprint has some fascinating key findings.
The key findings of my preprint, Bridging Digital Competence and Sustainability: Unveiling the Synergistic Potential of Design and Maker Education, highlight the significant benefits of integrating maker culture into traditional educational systems. Through interviews with teachers in higher education institutions in Hong Kong, I discovered that maker education fosters green digital skills, enhances creativity, and promotes autonomous, student-directed learning. My study also identified several challenges, such as the need for adequate resources, effective teachers, and supportive administrative systems. Ultimately, the research suggests that with proper support, maker education can transform teaching and learning processes, advancing sustainability education.
Future studies or applications
When asked about how he sees his research influencing future studies or applications, Noble Po-kan had this to say,
I believe this research can pave the way for future studies that delve deeper into the specific mechanisms through which maker education can be effectively integrated into various educational contexts. It can also influence practical applications by providing a framework for educational institutions to develop and implement maker spaces and programs that emphasize sustainability. Furthermore, policymakers and educators might use these insights to advocate for more resources and support systems necessary to foster innovative and eco-conscious learning environments.
Why did Nobel Po-kan choose a preprint?
The 2023 Most Popular Preprint Award winner had this to say about choosing to share his work as a preprint,
Sharing my work as a preprint was motivated by a desire to disseminate the findings quickly and openly, allowing for immediate feedback from the academic community and practitioners. Preprints provide a platform to engage with a broader audience, fostering early and constructive discussions that can enhance the quality and impact of the research. Moreover, the open access nature of preprints ensures that the research is accessible to anyone interested, promoting transparency and collaboration.
It’s easy to see some of the benefits of preprints, and why they’re becoming more popular.
The perception and evolution of preprints
When asked, “How is the use of preprints perceived in your research field and how do you think it will evolve in the future?”, Noble Po-kan had this to say,
In the field of education, the use of preprints is becoming increasingly accepted as a means to share early-stage research and obtain feedback before formal publication. This trend is likely to grow as more researchers recognize the benefits of open science and the rapid dissemination of knowledge. Preprints can accelerate the research process, encourage collaboration, and enhance the visibility of innovative studies. As the academic community continues to embrace open access, I foresee preprints becoming common practice across various disciplines.
Over time, perceptions of preprints will continue to change and grow.
Nobel Po-kan’s advice about preprints
“What advice would you give to researchers that are considering to post their work as a preprint?” was asked, and this is what he had to say about it:
I would advise researchers to embrace the opportunity to share their work as a preprint. It is a valuable way to get early feedback, increase the visibility of your research, and contribute to the open science movement. Ensure that your preprint is well-prepared and clearly presented, as it will be accessible to a wide audience. In addition, be open to the feedback you receive and use it to refine and improve your work before submitting it to a peer-reviewed journal.
Because feedback on research can help to improve the work, this is excellent advice.
Improving Preprints.org going forward
Preprints.org is a platform that aims to support authors and researchers with their work. As such, we always seek to learn more how the platform can be improved. On this question, Nobel Po-kan had this to say,
Preprints.org can further support researchers by continuing to enhance the visibility and accessibility of preprints through partnerships with academic institutions and indexing services. Providing more resources and guidelines on best practices for preparing and sharing preprints would be beneficial. Additionally, creating more opportunities for networking and collaboration among researchers who post preprints could foster a stronger sense of community and support. Expanding the platform’s features to include more interactive elements, such as virtual discussion forums and webinars, could also enhance the engagement and impact of preprints.
Other outstanding preprints
To explore the outstanding preprints announced as the 2023 Most Popular Preprints, visit our website at [https://www.preprints.org/activity/award/anouncement].
Preprints.org is a multidiscipline platform providing preprint service that is dedicated to making early versions of research outputs permanently available and citable. We post original research articles and comprehensive reviews, and papers can be updated by authors as long as the updated content has not been published online. Content on Preprints.org is not peer-reviewed and can receive feedback from readers.
