Integration of research and teaching – making progress

Making progress comprises (re-)designing education to meet your objectivesas well as keeping track of results. But how can you know that you are making progress? Summarizing the general process of educational design and specific models for curriculum re-design we propose the following three-step approach:

Step 1. Reformulate your objectives into questions concerning the current situation (today) and  the desired situation in five years form now

Step 2. Make the answers to the questions measurable

Step 3. Use the answers as input for further (re-)design

For example:

  1. To what extent do students adopt a proactive, inquisitive attitude today and in the future? Examples of measurable answers: (%) students ask critical questions during lectures; (%) students initiate own research (projects)
  2. How do students learn to assess the value of different information sources today and in the future? Examples of measurable answers:by lectures/group work/assignments in (x) courses/minor
  3. How are students familiarised with the important research themes within their discipline today and in the futre? Examples of measurable answers:by observing and/or participating in (x) research projects in (x) lectures/courses/minor
  4. How are students trained in the most important discipline-related research-methods today and in the future? Examples of measurable answers:in (x) lectures/skills training/lab sessions/ demonstrations/ internships
  5. How do researchers support students in learning to articulate critical research questions with appropriate academic standard today and in the future? Examples of measurable answers:in (x) courses; in a module on research ethics; in supervision
  6. How do programmes demonstrate and stimulate the connection between different disciplines, knowledge domains and approaches today and in the future? Examples of measurable answers: by addressing societal issues/wicked problems in (x) lectures/ assignments/courses/minors/research projects