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News

13 Mar 2020
New article published: Coaching in design-based learning
Globally, design-based learning (DBL) is seen as a powerful method to support students in becoming creative and innovative thinkers and to develop associated and relevant skills. The role of the coach is very important in DBL. The coach strongly affects what students learn from DBL and how they perceive it. Coaching, though, is for many scientists a complex skill. They are oftentimes not educated to coach. Consequently, many academic teachers shape their coaching based on experience, intuition, and common sense. As a result, there is an urgent need to inform academic teachers about evidence-based principles of good coaching.
12 Mar 2020
Inspiring visit: 4TU.CEE Learning Space Tour@UT
In their strategic plans all 4 TUs emphasise the need for change in the engineering programmes to prepare the students for the challenges of tomorrow, in a context that is only partly known yet. New skills are needed. New teaching methods have been developed, mostly based on group learning, with Challenge Based Learning as the new kid on the block. These developments have led to renewed interest in the role of learning spaces and how these spaces can contribute to and influence group learning and the development of new skills. Against this background the 4TU have organised an innovative learning spaces tour: visits to AMS and the four TU’s to see examples of innovative learning spaces and get inspired by what is done by colleagues and at other universities. On 4 February 35 lecturers, education scientists, education managers and support staff from the 4TU visited the University of Twente.
11 Mar 2020
Boundary Crossing as modus operandi at WUR
Boundary Crossing (BC) competence is regarded as one of the major competencies needed by future Wageningen University & Research (WUR) graduates to respond to emerging global challenges. It is therefore at the forefront of the educational vison of WUR. BC competence is the competence to work together with others outside one’s own scientific domain, institute, culture or context. To contribute to students’ BC competence development and to further improve and implement boundary crossing experiences in Wageningen University, a Comenius Leadership Fellow was granted for the three year project: “Boundary crossing as modus operandi at Wageningen University”. This Comenius project aims to (1) develop a conceptual foundation for the development of BC competence, (2) to design and implement learning pathways, and (3) to compile a BC toolbox for and with lecturers, course coordinators, and management.
11 Mar 2020
Experiences with TU Delft Joint interdisciplinary Project
The Joint interdisciplinary Project (JiP) has run very successfully for a second time this academic year with 50 students from 8 different faculties. Eleven companies were involved in coaching and evaluating of students on a company brief. The JiP education programme consists of working on a design case provided and coached by a company. The brief with the problem is related to minimally 2 of the sustainable development goals (SDG) and solved in an interdisciplinary team of engineers, designers and scientists during a 10 weeks full-time education quarter. Students are based in the company part of the time and become acquainted with many key persons in the company, such as the CEO/Head R&D. During the process, there is a kick-off, including teambuilding, skills drill and most importantly: technical business courses such as business model canvas, agile working, technical innovation, risk assessment and critical assumption testing. During the 10 weeks, three major reviews with academic staff and company coaches for the assessment of the work are taking place. The course is finalised with a public defense, open to a wide audience. 
9 Mar 2020
TU/e inspirational workshop on Innovation Fund projects
On Monday January 27th the 4TU.CEE at TU/e organised a workshop to inspire TU/e teachers to propose new projects on innovation in education. The workshop was organised with reference to the call for proposals 2020. During the workshop four previously funded projects were exhibited. The project owners presented posters on their projects in a market setting and answered questions of participants. The four projects are:
21 Feb 2020
Engineering education and technological development in South Korea
A group of 15 honours programme students from TU Delft visited South Korea in the summer of 2019. The goal of this study trip was threefold: to learn (a) to what extent innovation is integrated into education and how it is used to improve it, (b) what major technological developments are embraced by Korean companies, and (c) how the engineering culture in South Korea differs from the engineering culture in the Netherlands. Over the course of 2 weeks the students visited several institutions that are at the forefront of the developments, including Samsung, Hyundai Heavy Industries, the Dutch embassy and the Korean Institute for Science and Technology.
20 Feb 2020
Article on course redesigning in European Journal of Engineering Education
Gunter Bombaerts and Andreas Spahn of TU/e recently published an article in the European Journal of Engineering Education. The article describes the use of basic needs and motivation with self-determination theory to redesign a course. The research was sponsored by 4TU.CEE.
19 Jan 2020
Internationalisation toolbox online
A toolbox for teachers on the topic of internationalisation is now available online. It has been developed for 4TU.CEE by experts on internationalisation from UT, WUR and TU/e. It brings together their knowledge and experiences. Here you will find good practices and materials, inspiration and ideas when teaching in an international classroom. The toolbox addresses the following topics/main questions:
17 Jan 2020
Publication: Teaching large groups
In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in the number of students entering Dutch Universities. The Dean of Education at WUR requested the local 4TU.CEE staff to look into what is currently known about teaching and assessing large groups of students. The findings are bundled in a publication which provides helpful strategies and resources for lecturers.
16 Jan 2020
SEFI2020: submit your proposals for contributions
4TU.Centre for Engineering Education will host the Engineering Education conference of SEFI2020 in Twente (20-24 September). The theme is Engaging Engineering Education and we expect many 4TU colleagues to showcase and discuss their finest educational work on this platform, also you can get inspired by meeting and discussing with 400 international colleagues. Formats are oral presentations, poster sessions, workshops, seminars and a doctoral symposium. Both full conference and day tickets will be available. Read more about the different themes and ways to present in the call for contributions.
14 Jan 2020
COMET: Comprehensive Ethics Teaching
COMET is a two-year research project funded by the 4TU.Centre for Engineering Education. The project focuses on the future of engineering ethics education at TU Delft. It is both retrospective and prospective: looking back at the successes and challenges from the last 20 years of integrating ethics into the curriculum at TU Delft, and identifying and proposing best practices for ethics education going forward. Researchers Janna van Grunsven, Taylor Stone and Lavinia Marin are involved in the project.
2 Jan 2020
Science and Technology Education for 21st Century Europe
CESAER, the European association of leading specialised and comprehensive universities of science and technology has published a discussion paper on ´S&T education for 21st century Europe´. The paper is written by Aldert Kamp, 4TU.CEE leader at TU Delft and director of Education for the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, in collaboration with CESAER’s Task Force S&T Education for the 21st Century. The paper explores the trends in engineering sciences and technology, education and society, and provides orientation how universities of S&T and CESAER can change education in Europe to the better.
27 Nov 2019
Article games in engineering education published
An article on the motivational effects of games in engineering education written by Andreas Hartmann and Lisa Gommer of the University of Twente has been published in the European Journal of Engineering Education.
17 Nov 2019
4TU moving forward in rewarding teaching excellence
Earlier this year a Teaching Cultures Survey was conducted amongst 4TU lecturers to gather their views about the status of university teaching at their university. 33% of our academic staff members have responded. The outcomes are taken very seriously at all 4TUs as part of the professional development of teaching career paths. The findings have been compared with peer universities around the world. In the Netherlands the Teaching Cultures Survey was introduced and sponsored by 4TU.CEE.
16 Nov 2019
Ineke ten Dam temporary 4TU.CEE coordinator in Twente
Ineke ten Dam will temporarily take over 4TU.CEE coordinating activities at the University of Twente. Ineke has long-standing experience in education as a teacher, teacher trainer, consultant and manager. Twelve years of this experience are in the context of ITC, the geoscience and earth observation institute and now the UT faculty with an international profile. The last seven years Ineke worked as the programme manager of the Technical Medicine programme. Her interest areas are innovation, quality enhancement, e-learning, internationalisation and intercultural education. Ineke will also initiate new routes for students to be trained for tutor roles in several courses, so-called learning assistants. Input from international partners and best practises in Twente and other TUs will help define a first training in Spring 2020 to be executed with all relevant parties.