Monthly Archives: February 2021

EOAS educational expertise in Germany

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Two invited contributions were prepared and delivered to support development of evidence-based learning in universities and curriculum renewal for undergraduate and graduate programs.

Delivering a symposium workshop during COVID lockdown at Freie Universität Berlin.

Symposium workshop

“Cultivating a Lasting Department-Level Culture of Cooperative & Integrative Educational Practice“, F. Jones with M. Singer-Brodowski,  L. Wirth,  C. Heiner.

Delivered at the 49th Annual Conference of the German Association for Educational Development, Freie Universität Berlin, March 2020.

Here is the abstract:  dghd2020 – Invited Symposium II. For more details contact Francis at fjones@eoas.ubc.ca,

Curriculum renewal workshop

One-day workshop: “Geoscience BSc and MSc curriculum renewal“. F. Jones.

Developed for the Department of Earth Sciences / Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, June 2020 (delivered online due to COVID).

Workshop intentions (i.e. goals):

Part 1 (first half day):

  • Primary focus:
    • Use a framework for renewing BSc & MSc curriculum
    • Ensure compatibility with YOUR priorities and interests.
  • Aspects that can be discussed according to your needs.
    • Enhancing the motivation of students.
    • Increasing recruitment and retention.
    • Enliven with new didactic solutions that will enhancing student learning.
    • Increase efficiency & enjoyment for instructors.
    • Teaching geoscience from the “system earth” perspective.

Part 2 (second half day)

  • Recap: Curriculum review or renewal … quickly
    • A framework for thinking about BSc or MSc curriculum
    • Ensure compatibility with YOUR priorities and interests.
  • Progress with work you have done with curriculum-mapping
    • Questions and comments
    • Possible implications: What to change? What to add or remove?
  • MSc curriculum:
    • Backward design
    • Skills, attitudes and knowledge at a more “senior” level
  • Aspects to discuss according to your needs:
    • Motivation
    • Recruitment and retention
    • Pedagogy or didactics
    • Earth System as a framework

For more details contact Francis at fjones@eoas.ubc.ca.