Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
E-Learning Tools and Didactics Increase Science Student
Numbers in the Netherlands?
Bart van de Laar
Session Details Track 7
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 2:15 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.
Room C147/154
Focus
The SURF Foundation, the Dutch sister organization of EDUCAUSE, funds a number of
initiatives that aim to increase science and technology student numbers in the Netherlands in
accordance with EU policy. The presentation critically discusses competency-based assessment
tools and didactics of remedial education in science and technology studies.
Facts ‘n figures
10,000
1987
42
14
8
3
2
1
: Dissertations online (DAREnet.nl) / hits p.h.
: Founded
: Colleges / universities
: Research universities
: EDUCAUSE, ECAR, JISC, DFG, DEF…
: Fields of interest
: Limited liability companies SURFnet / SURFservices
: Network architecture SURFnet6
Facts ‘n figures
22,000
5,500
1871
1614
500
10
1
: Undergraduate and graduate students
: Faculty and staff
: First Dutch female student
: University founded
: PhD students in Science and Technology
: Faculties
: Nobel prize
quiz 0/6
Quiz…
quiz 1/6
Imagine that you throw a rock off a 30m (100 ft) cliff facing a still lake, when the sun is directly overhead. The initial velocity of the rock is 10 m/s horizontally
due west.
Assume that the effect of the air on the rock is negligible.
Just before the rock hits the water, the westward component of its velocity (which will be the same as
the speed of its shadow on the water) will be
a) Roughly zero (the rock drops straight into the water)
b) Significantly less than 10 m/s
c) Very close to 10m/s
d) Significantly larger than 10 m/s
Problem definition
Large potential for S&T
• PISA, TIMMS (secondary education)
• research impact of Dutch research
Problem definition
Image of S&T studies
• S&T studies are difficult and demanding
• S&T studies are unattractive
• no attractive career perspective, lack of suitable role models
Problem definition
Heterogenous backgrounds of S&T student
• Profile Nature&Technics, Nature&Health
• School differences
• Europe’s poorest gender balance in S&T
Problem definition
quiz 2/6
Imagine that you are standing by the side of the road just as a pickup truck passes you (moving toward your right). Someone in the passenger
seat happens to drop a stone out of the window.
If she drops the stone at the instant the truck passes closest to you, the stone hits the ground
a) somewhat to the right of your position
b) somewhat to the left of your position
c) right in front of you, straight below where it was dropped
Educational innovation
EU-policy goal
to achieve a structural increase of 15 per cent more pupils and students in scientific and technical education bij 2010
Educational innovation
Major players
Universities and colleges
SURF foundation
Platform Beta Techniek
Educational innovation
Key elements of solution
increased affinity with science and technology in the entire population
local approach; primary, secondary and higher
education
Educational innovation
Key elements of solution
involving companies; effective deployment of the talented professionals
broader competencies, particular attention to women and ethnic minorities
Educational innovation
quiz 3/6
Imagine a wagon with truly frictionless wheels
sitting at rest on level ground. To get this wagon
moving, you would have to exert a push
a) larger than the wagon’s weight
b) larger than the wagons inertia
c) of any magnitude
Can e-learningmake a difference?
Can e-learningmake a difference?
Themes in e-learning
Competency based learning & e-portfolio Collaborative learning & gaming Interactive teaching materials New media
Can e-learningmake a difference?
Connecticut, online assessment tool for competency based learning
• inform possible students about a S&T program
• assess new students (remediation)
• visualize development of competences and skills throughout the program (indicators)
ConnectICuT-home
ConnectICuT-inloggen student
ConnectICuT-opleidingsprofiel
ConnectICuT-assessment maken
ConnectICuT-assessment maken
ConnectICuT-CD-ingezoomd
quiz 4/6
A bicyclist coasts without pedaling on a level road. Why does the cyclist
eventually come to rest?
a) all moving objects naturally come to rest
b) friction steadily slows down the bike
c) friction eventually overpowers the force keeping the bicycle moving
d) the force of the bike’s initial motion wears out
e) B and D
f) C and D
ConnectICuT-inloggen docent
ConnectICuT-matrijzen
ConnectICuT- assessment matrijs maken
ConnectICuT- assessment items maken
ConnectICuT- assessment items editen
ConnectICuT- peergroepen maken
ConnectICuT- resultaten inzien
ConnectICuT- Contact
quiz 5/6
Imagine that you jump from a tree to the ground. Why do you come to rest when you reach the
ground?
a) gravity stops acting on you when you reach the ground
b) your feet push the ground; that push stops you
c) anything that is falling naturally comes to rest when it reaches the ground
d) friction
e) the ground pushes up your feet
New initiatives
Platform Beta Techniek, SURF
New program of substantial grants, emphasis on scaling up
Coordination of S&T renewal, through SIG’s and communities
New initiatives
Universities
Major shift in S&T towards broader programs (major/minor), and demand driven education
Emergence of multi-discplinary programs, LST and Engineering & Management, BioInformatics
What is the actual S&T problem to solve for SURF (and EduCause and JISC and the like…)?
Should further educational innovation be aimed at S&T at all?
quiz 6/6
Right answers
1. C
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. E
RAND report
www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG270.pdf
OECD report
www.oecd.org/document/34/0,2340,en_2649_34515_35289570_1_1_1_1,00.html
