Category Archives: ResourceType

Objectives:

The objectives of this pilot were to explore the use of the Cogknit platform in the Strategic Sourcing course, which is an optional course for 2nd and 3rd-year Industrial Management and Engineering students. The participant group was diverse, consisting of exchange students, double degree students, and international degree students. Building on previous pilots, this iteration focused on self-assessment of innovation competencies within the context of group work, with an additional emphasis on peer-assessment as an optional part of the evaluation process.

The pilot aimed to use Cogknit to support collaboration between students and a company on a real-world project, with students assessing the innovation competencies they demonstrated while working on the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool. The platform provided a means to evaluate and highlight the students’ skills and knowledge gained throughout the course. Students were encouraged to gather feedback from their peers as part of this evaluation.

Additionally, the pilot sought to assess how the visual summary generated by the Cogknit platform could aid in learning, skill identification, and development. It also explored the potential long-term benefits of this tool, particularly in terms of career development, continuous learning, and job searching after graduation.

Methods:

At the start of the course, students were informed that their project work would be included in the course assessment. Two weeks before the course concluded, they were given the following task to complete by the end of the course:

“Self-assessment of the group work for the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool in the Strategic Sourcing course:

Log into your team’s workspace in the Cogknit system. There, you will find a list of skills that describe various innovation competencies valuable for both academic and professional settings. Evaluate the skills you demonstrated during the group work on the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool. You can also request one or more team members to assess your performance in the Cogknit system for a more complete summary of your work.

Once you have your summary, reflect on your self-assessment and the feedback from your peers. How do you feel that having your skills visualized through the Cogknit platform helps in learning or identifying and developing your competencies? If you could track the development of these skills across different projects during your studies and receive feedback not just from teachers and peers but also from the commissioning company, would you find this valuable? How? Would you see this tool as beneficial after graduation for demonstrating the growth of your skills, for example, in career development, ongoing learning, or job searching?”

In this task, students conducted a self-assessment of their innovation competencies based on the group project for the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool. Using the Cogknit platform, they evaluated their skills and had the option to request peer feedback for a more thorough evaluation. They also reflected on how the visual summaries provided by the platform supported their learning, helped them identify and develop their competencies, and considered how the tool could be useful for tracking skill progress, receiving feedback from various sources (teachers, peers, companies), and applying it after graduation for career development and continuous learning.

Environment:

The environment of this pilot was a blended learning context, combining both online and face-to-face elements to support the students’ engagement and learning in the Strategic Sourcing course. The course was conducted as part of an optional program for 2nd and 3rd-year Industrial Management and Engineering students, including exchange students, double-degree students, and international degree students. This diverse group of students brought varied perspectives and experiences, contributing to the collaborative nature of the pilot.

The students worked on a real-world project for a company, where the primary task was to develop a Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool. This practical, project-based learning experience was designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a professional context, working directly with the company to solve actual procurement challenges.

To facilitate collaboration and skill development, the Cogknit platform was introduced as a central tool for the pilot. This platform was used for both self-assessment and peer-assessment of innovation competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, initiative, and networking. Students logged into the platform to evaluate their individual skills, document their learning progress, and receive feedback from both peers and instructors. The platform’s visual summary provided an additional layer of support, helping students see their competencies in a concrete form.

In this pilot, the environment also included several key elements designed to foster collaboration and communication among the students and between students and the commissioning company. The idea was to conduct virtual workspaces, team discussions, and project updates through the Cogknit system and Itslearning, which allowed for seamless communication and feedback sharing.

The overall environment emphasized active learning, peer-to-peer interaction, and continuous reflection. By using digital tools like Cogknit, students had the opportunity to assess their own performance and receive constructive feedback, which supported their professional growth and skill development. This environment promoted motivation, collaboration, and innovation while preparing students for real-world challenges in sourcing and procurement.

Role:

In this pilot, the role of the students was to engage in a collaborative group project for the Strategic Sourcing course, specifically working on the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool for a local company. The students were tasked with applying their theoretical knowledge of procurement and sourcing to real-world scenarios, collaborating with their teammates to complete the assignment and meet the needs of the commissioning company.

Within the group, each student was expected to contribute actively, demonstrating innovation competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, initiative, teamwork, and networking. The role of the self-assessment and peer-assessment components in this pilot was to help students evaluate and reflect on their individual contributions and the overall group dynamics, while also considering how their innovation skills developed through the course.

The use of the Cogknit platform provided a structured way for students to assess their performance and the competencies they displayed. Students were also encouraged to ask their peers for feedback, allowing for a more comprehensive and collaborative evaluation of each team member’s contributions. The role of the Cogknit platform was not just to assess individual skills but also to facilitate the students’ learning and development by offering a visual summary of their progress, which could also be valuable for future career development.

Motivation:

The motivation behind this pilot was to enhance students’ ability to self-reflect and assess their innovation competencies through a structured, real-world project. The pilot aimed to demonstrate the relevance of these competencies in both academic and professional settings, fostering a deeper understanding of how these skills can be applied in the workplace. By introducing self-assessment and peer-assessment as key elements of the evaluation process, the pilot sought to promote personal growth and critical self-awareness among the students, encouraging them to reflect on their contributions, strengths, and areas for improvement.

The integration of the Cogknit platform served as both a tool for assessment and a motivator for students to actively engage in their own learning. The platform’s visual summary allowed students to track their development over time, providing a clear and tangible representation of their competencies. This transparency was designed to motivate students to further refine and develop their skills, both during the course and beyond, in preparation for their careers.

Additionally, students were motivated by the opportunity to receive feedback not only from peers and instructors but also from the commissioning company, adding real-world context and value to the assessment process. The possibility of using the platform to track their growth throughout their studies and into their careers created a long-term motivation for continuous learning and skill development, positioning them for success in their future professional endeavors.

Assessment:

1. Accuracy of scores in reflecting innovative capacity

Many students felt that the self-assessment questions and scoring system accurately reflected their innovative competencies, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking. The structured format encouraged them to think deeply about their contributions to the project. The system helped some students connect their project work to specific innovation skills they might not have otherwise recognized.

Many students felt the scores were accurate in reflecting their skills, particularly in areas like teamwork and critical thinking. Some appreciated the structured nature of the questions, which helped them articulate their abilities.

A few students noted that the tool lacked nuance in capturing creativity or initiative in practical contexts. Suggestions to include more tailored or context-specific questions for better accuracy.

Several students appreciated the clear and concise nature of the questions, which made it easier to assess their performance. A few students felt that the tool lacked the nuance needed to accurately assess softer skills like creativity or initiative. Suggestions included adding questions that reflect the practical application of creativity or capturing leadership in group dynamics.

2. Impact on skill improvement

Most students said the self-assessment process helped them identify their strengths and weaknesses. It made students more aware of skills like teamwork, networking, and collaboration, which were crucial for the project. Feedback from peers was often highlighted as particularly insightful in pointing out blind spots. The students recognized a need to improve their critical thinking skills to enhance the efficiency and thoroughness of future project outcomes.

The process of tying their skills to project outcomes gave them a clearer idea of their personal and professional growth. A small number of students felt that the feedback they received was redundant or confirmed what they already knew. Some suggested adding real-time feedback during the course to make it more dynamic.

Most students found that the self-assessment process, combined with feedback, helped them identify strengths and areas for improvement. The reflection encouraged a deeper understanding of skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and networking.

A few students reported that the feedback felt repetitive and did not provide new insights into their performance. Some suggested integrating more real-time feedback mechanisms during the course.

3. Perception of innovation

Many students reported a significant change in the way they understand the concept of innovation. They started seeing it not only as creativity but as a combination of teamwork, problem-solving, and initiative. The project demonstrated how innovation is applied in real-world scenarios, particularly in a professional or company setting.

Students found value in linking innovation skills to practical project outcomes, which reinforced their relevance to work life. A few students felt the focus on innovation competencies was too broad, suggesting the tool could be more tailored to specific project tasks or contexts.

The activity broadened students’ understanding of innovation, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, initiative, and adaptability in real-world scenarios. Students noted a shift in their perception of innovation as a combination of creativity and practical execution. Some students mentioned that the focus on innovation competencies felt overly general and could be more customized to their project.

4. Self-assessment tool (items and dimensions)

The tool provided a clear framework to evaluate skills such as critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, initiative, and networking. It effectively linked these competencies to project examples, which helped articulate individual and group contributions. The platform was appreciated for its potential usefulness in both academic and professional environments. The visual nature and ability to track and monitor progress were particularly motivating and seen as valuable for learning and productivity. Most students agreed that teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking were well-represented in the tool. A few students proposed adding dimensions like leadership, adaptability, or resilience, which were not explicitly assessed but were seen as relevant to the project. The platform was described as somewhat clumsy and lacking in user-friendliness. Navigating the system posed difficulties, particularly in accessing the correct projects and pages. The students felt that the platform requires further development to improve its usability and suggested providing more clear instructions to enhance the user experience.

Students valued the clear structure of the tool and its ability to link skills to project outcomes. Suggestions to keep the questions focused on teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving. A few students recommended adding dimensions related to leadership and adaptability. Some suggested simplifying or removing overly theoretical questions that did not directly relate to the group work experience.

During the project, several key strengths were identified as contributing to the group’s success. Creativity was demonstrated through the proposal and development of new ideas, such as the concept of procurement teams for each month. Initiative was shown by suggesting improvements, taking on responsibilities, and ensuring tasks were completed effectively. Teamwork was highlighted as a significant asset, as team members’ ideas were actively listened to, considered, and responded to while updates were provided and received regularly.

In terms of contributions, all assigned tasks were completed, and a vital role was played in ensuring the project’s success. While the company slideshow was prepared by two peers, the Excel calendar, central to the project, was created in collaboration with another team member. Cohesion and open communication were maintained within the group, ensuring support was provided throughout the process.

For future improvement, it was noted that critical thinking skills should be further developed to make project outcomes more efficient and thorough. Strengthening this competency would allow challenges to be approached with greater analytical depth and precision.

The Cogknit platform was viewed as a valuable addition to the experience, with its visual features appreciated for their ability to make progress tracking and monitoring more engaging. Its potential for facilitating both academic and professional tasks was recognized, particularly in environments where performance and results require documentation and evaluation.

However, challenges were encountered with the platform’s usability. Navigating the system was not always intuitive, and difficulties were faced in accessing the correct projects and pages. While the concept of Cogknit was deemed highly functional, the user experience was noted as requiring further refinement to improve accessibility and efficiency. It was suggested that clearer instructions or a user guide be provided to enhance its effectiveness.

In summary, Cogknit’s potential for improving learning and productivity was acknowledged, and it was noted that its use in professional contexts would be welcomed in the future. With further development and improved user-friendliness, the platform could become an invaluable tool for tracking skills and facilitating collaborative projects.

5. Usefulness during and after studies

The visual summaries provided by the tool were praised for helping students identify skill gaps and monitor their progress over the course of the project. Students valued the complementary feedback as it provided a more holistic evaluation of their work beyond numerical grades. They took the lead in suggesting ideas for further development, assumed responsibilities, and managed tasks effectively. They actively listened to and considered the opinions of team members while sharing their own, ensured effective communication by providing and receiving updates, and worked collaboratively with peers. In terms of contributions, the student completed their assigned tasks and played a significant role in the project outcomes. The teamwork and communication were noted to be effective across the group.

Many students saw the tool as beneficial for career development, such as creating a skills portfolio for job searches or showcasing specific competencies to future employers. Its potential as a tool for lifelong learning and tracking continuous skill improvement was also widely noted.

A small number of students questioned the practicality of the tool in a professional setting, suggesting it might need adjustments to align with real-world requirements. Most students found the visual summary and feedback useful for identifying skill gaps and tracking progress. Many saw potential in using the tool post-graduation for career development, showcasing skills to employers, and lifelong learning. A few students expressed concerns about the tool’s practicality in a professional setting, suggesting improvements to enhance its real-world applicability.

6. Peer assessment

Students who opted for peer assessment found it to be a valuable addition to the self-assessment process. Peer feedback often provided validation of their self-evaluations and highlighted perspectives they might have overlooked. It encouraged team members to engage in constructive discussions about their contributions and group dynamics. Students who opted for peer assessments appreciated the additional perspective, which complemented their self-assessment. Peer feedback was seen as a valuable way to validate their perceptions of their performance.

A few students noted inconsistencies in peer feedback, where some responses were seen as overly subjective or lacking depth. Suggestions included more structured guidelines for giving and receiving peer feedback. A small number of students found peer feedback inconsistent or overly subjective, reducing its perceived value.

7. Suggestions for improvement

Students suggested adding more real-life examples or scenarios to the self-assessment process to make it more relatable and practical. First-time users highlighted the need for clearer instructions or training on how to effectively use the platform. Several students recommended incorporating real-time or mid-project feedback to make the evaluation process more iterative. A small number of students proposed adding gamification or interactive elements to the tool to make it more engaging.

Some suggested including an option to compare individual scores with team averages or industry benchmarks to provide more context. Incorporate more real-life examples or scenarios into the assessment. Provide clearer instructions or training for first-time users. Add more interactive features or gamification to increase engagement. Offer an option to compare individual scores against group averages or industry benchmarks.

The self-assessment tool was widely appreciated for its structured evaluation and relevance to both academic and professional development. Common themes included its accuracy, usefulness in fostering skill awareness, and value in peer and self-reflection. Rarely mentioned points highlighted opportunities to refine the tool by tailoring questions, enhancing peer-assessment reliability, and improving its applicability for professional use. The students found the concept of Cogknit highly functional and motivating but emphasized the need for further refinement of the platform’s interface and usability to maximize its potential. Despite the challenges, the student expressed willingness to use the platform in the future, especially in professional environments, given its strong features for visualizing and managing progress.

The tool was widely praised for its structure, relevance to innovation competencies, and ability to support both academic and professional development. Self-assessment was seen as a valuable process for fostering reflection and growth. Peer assessment added a collaborative dimension to the evaluation.

Specific suggestions for improvement, such as adding new dimensions (e.g., leadership), simplifying theoretical questions, and enhancing real-world applicability. Concerns about peer feedback consistency and the tool’s professional relevance. Overall, the feedback reflected a strong positive reception of the self-assessment tool while also highlighting areas for refinement to enhance its value for students.

The platform was appreciated for its potential usefulness in both academic and professional environments. The visual nature and ability to track and monitor progress were particularly motivating and seen as valuable for learning and productivity. The platform was described as somewhat clumsy and lacking in user-friendliness. Navigating the system posed difficulties, particularly in accessing the correct projects and pages. The students felt that the platform requires further development to improve its usability and suggested providing more clear instructions to enhance the user experience.

The students found the concept of Cogknit highly functional and motivating but emphasized the need for further refinement of the platform’s interface and usability to maximize its potential. Despite the challenges, the student expressed willingness to use the platform in the future, especially in professional environments, given its strong features for visualizing and managing progress.

Self-assessment of group work piloting the Cogknit tool

Keywords: Assessment, innovation competence (critical thinking, creativity, initiative, teamwork, networking), project-based learning, online learning, motivation, feedback, complementary evaluation

What and Why:

The pilot was carried out in the Strategic Sourcing course, an optional course designed for 2nd and 3rd-year Industrial Management and Engineering students. The participant group was diverse, comprising TUAS students, exchange students, double degree students, and international degree students. Building on pilots conducted last spring, this iteration continued to focus on evaluating innovation competencies. However, the emphasis shifted to self-assessment of these skills within the context of group work. Additionally, peer-assessment was introduced as an optional component, offering students the opportunity to receive feedback from their teammates.

Participation in the SINCOE project research was voluntary, allowing students the option to opt out if they preferred. Under this arrangement, a total of 15 responses were collected and utilized as the foundation for this research. Accordingly, the findings and conclusions presented in this summary are based on these 15 responses.

In this pilot, we explored the use of the Cogknit platform as a tool to facilitate collaboration between students and a company on a project for the company. Cogknit was employed to evaluate and showcase the skills and knowledge students developed during their studies. Specifically, students assessed the competencies they demonstrated while working on the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool as part of the Strategic Sourcing course. The platform focused on assessing innovation competencies, with students encouraged to seek feedback from their teammates as part of the evaluation. Finally, we examined how the platform’s visual summary supports learning, skill identification, and development, as well as its potential value during studies and beyond—particularly in career development, continuous learning, and job search.

How:

In the beginning of the course, the students were informed that assessment of the project and the work done will be included in the course. Two weeks before the end of the course, the students were given the following instruction/task to be completed by the end of the course:

“Self-assessment of the Sourcing and procurement annual calendar tool group work in the Strategic Sourcing course

Log into your team’s workspace in the Cogknit system. There you will find a list of skills that describe various innovation competencies that are useful in both studies and work life. Assess your skills as they emerged in this assignment for the Sourcing and procurement annual calendar tool in the Strategic Sourcing course. If you wish, ask one or more members of your team to assess your performance in the Cogknit system. This way you will get a more comprehensive summary of your work.

Review your summary for your own assessment and feedback from your team members. How do you feel that making skills visible through such a visual summary provided by the Cogknit platform supports learning or identifying and developing your own competences? If you could follow the development of these skills in different projects during your studies and receive feedback on these skills not only from your teacher and peers but also from the commissioning company, would you find it useful and how? Would you see such a tool as useful after graduation to demonstrate the development of your skills, for example in terms of career development, continuous learning or job search?”

Students conducted a self-assessment of their innovation competencies, focusing on skills demonstrated during the group project for the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool. Using the Cogknit platform, they evaluated their own skills and had the option to request peer assessments for a more comprehensive review. They reflected on how the platform’s visual summaries supported their learning, skill identification, and development. Additionally, students considered the tool’s potential usefulness for tracking skill progression across projects and receiving feedback from peers, teachers, and companies, as well as its application after graduation for career development, lifelong learning, and job search.

Outcome:

The assessment tool effectively helped students articulate and concretize their group work outcomes by linking their critical thinking, creativity, initiative, teamwork, and networking skills to specific project examples. The feedback provided deeper insights into their competencies and complemented the numerical grades assigned by the teacher, enhancing the evaluation process.

Recommendations: [tips, guidelines, notes…]

Based on the student feedback from the pilot, the following tips and guidelines are suggested to improve future iterations of the course and the use of the Cogknit platform:

Students mentioned that engaging with self-assessment early on in the course would allow them more time for reflection and improvement. It is recommended to introduce the Cogknit self-assessment tool at the beginning of the course so that students can start tracking their competencies throughout the entire project, rather than waiting until the end. This would enable them to adjust their approach and seek feedback earlier in the process.

Several students expressed a need for clearer instructions and examples of how to effectively assess their competencies. To enhance the experience, it would be helpful to provide detailed guidelines on what specific behaviors and skills to focus on when evaluating themselves. Sharing examples of well-written self-assessments or model answers could also help students understand expectations better.

While peer-assessment was offered as an optional component, it was underutilized by some students. Encouraging more consistent use of peer-assessment throughout the project would help students gain a broader perspective on their contributions. Consider integrating peer-assessment as a mandatory part of the course evaluation process, with specific checkpoints for feedback during the project.

Students appreciated the visual summaries provided by the Cogknit platform but suggested that further explanations on how to interpret these summaries could help them better understand their growth. It would be beneficial to include a session or resource dedicated to guiding students on how to analyze and act on the data provided by the visual summaries, particularly in terms of identifying areas for improvement.

Feedback highlighted that students found value in receiving feedback from both their peers and instructors, but some suggested that more direct interaction with the commissioning company would be beneficial. It is recommended to introduce more opportunities for students to interact with the company representatives throughout the course, such as through mid-project check-ins, feedback sessions, or presentations, to ensure that students align their work with real-world expectations.

Students expressed interest in the potential long-term value of the Cogknit tool for tracking skill development over the course of their studies. It would be valuable to extend the use of the platform beyond individual courses, allowing students to track their progress in multiple projects over time. This could serve as an ongoing portfolio that students can reference for career development, job searches, and continuous learning.

To enhance the reflective aspect of the assessment process, it is recommended to encourage students to not only evaluate their own performance but also reflect on how their skills have evolved during the course. Prompting them to consider how specific tasks or challenges helped develop their competencies can deepen their understanding of the learning process.

Several students emphasized the importance of understanding how innovation competencies translate to real-world professional environments. It would be beneficial to include more explicit connections between the competencies assessed in the course and how they are applied in actual industry scenarios. This could be done through guest speakers, case studies, or additional resources that showcase the practical use of these skills in the workplace.

By implementing these recommendations, future iterations of the course can better support students’ self-assessment, foster more collaboration, and ensure that students are equipped with the competencies needed to succeed in their careers.

Link to extended description.

Role of online tools for communication in agile projects. Extended description

Objectives: The objective was to clarify how agile project working online and onsite affect students’ innovation skills especially in the area of teamwork.

The students learn basics of project management with agile method (Scrum) by working in 3-6 students project teams. During the projects each team build web sites for fictive companies and used various online tools for communication. Microsoft Teams was the main communication tool during the projects but other online tools such as Trello (trello.com ) for follow-up of tasks and Git (github.com) for version control were also used. Students worked both onsite and online during the projects. Projects’ follow-up was arranged onsite by means of Sprint Planning and Review meetings based on Scrum principles.

Projects have four one-week duration Sprints, where for each projects selected topics (user stories) for development in Sprint Planning meetings. Project requirements in terms of user stories were maintained in the Trello tool, where each project has its own Trello board. At the end of the Sprint students demonstrated the results to teachers that acted as customers or in Scrum terms Product Owners that approved the user stories done or not.

Projects were asked to communicate in Teams where all the projects had own channels. All the project documentation, reporting was available in the project’s channel in Teams. For each Sprint each project had Scrum Master (i.e. some kind of team leader) that ensured that project followed Scrum principles. Scrum Master also worked with development of project’s results. During Sprints, the projects also had their internal follow-up meeting (Daily Scrum) to verify the status of tasks everyone is doing for Sprint.

To measure the effect of online and onsite working for projects, SINCOE@Assessment Tool based survey created using MS Forms was used. Members in project teams conducted the survey before and after the project work to clarify possible effects of online and onsite working for innovation skills.

Methods:

Usage of SINCOE@Assessment tool

Students evaluated their levels in the following topics: ‘teamwork’, ‘networking’, ‘initiative’, ‘creativity’ and ‘critical thinking’ using the scale: “Strongly agree (5)”, “Somewhat agree (4)”, “Neither agree or disagree (3)”, “Somewhat disagree (2)”, “Strongly disagree (1)” and “I don’t know”. The survey before the project was answered by 58 students and the survey after the project 43 students and results were compared for students that answered in both questionaries and for the students that really participated in the project work.

Additionally, the questionary after the project work included “arrange in order” type questions for topics ‘Teamwork’ and ‘Networking’ in order to find what topics affected mostly positively to them.

Environment:

Project teams worked in MS Teams where all the projects had own Teams channels. All the project documentation, reporting was done in the project’s channel in Teams. Additionally, Trello was used to control project requirements with Product Owner and Git to control versions of project deliverables (software).

MS Forms was used as the tool to create the questionnaire based on SINCOE@Assessment Tool.

Role:

Teacher acts as Product Owner and takes care of coaching of Scrum method for projects. The teacher also arranges the MS Forms based questionnaires before and after project work. Students’ responsibility was to complete projects according to Scrum principles and use various tools such as Teams during project work.

Motivation:

For online tools, students seem to favor tools that they use to use. For instance, these students prefer to use Discord as it is the tool students used when they started to study at school.

However, school’s official communication tools such as Teams, should be promoted more to get those widely used and accepted by students.

Assessment

Working at school was found to be the most effective way to improve teamworking. For networking, teachers’ support ranked highest, but also communication in Teams channel and support received from expert team were found to be valuable. Summary of the effects is described in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Development of Innovations Skills based on SINCOE@Assessment Tool

Even though teamwork was not improved, the second survey contained questions about what things affected positively to teamworking. Students were asked to arrange in order predefined topics where the results can be found in Figure 2. Working onsite at school was ranked as the most important thing. Concerning the online tools students used, working with other online tools (e.g. Discord) was mentioned more often in 1st, 2nd or 3rd position compared to the tools students were asked to work with (Teams, Trello and Git). The reason might be the fact that students by themselves had selected Discord for their main online communication channel for studies.

Figure 2. Activities affecting positively to teamwork

Similarly, students were asked to rank topics affecting positively to networking and where the communication took place with stakeholders (Figure 3). Support onsite at school seems to be more beneficial, but usage of Teams for project communication is also high in the ranking.

Figure 3. Tools and practices affecting positively to networking

Role of online tools for communication in agile projects

Keywords: MS Teams, Scrum, project work, communication, teamwork, assessment tool

Communication is essential for projects to succeed. Communication takes place both onsite and online. Online tools such as Microsoft (MS) Teams can be used for communication. Especially, when projects use agile project methods such as Scrum regular communication is important within the project and with their customer (Product Owner).

Working online with MS Teams was seen as a good choice for communication during agile projects but more important is the communication taking place onsite. However, working onsite was found to be the most effective way for teamworking. This was measured using MS Forms based survey that was conducted before and after the project work.

Recommendations: Both online and onsite communication are needed for agile projects to succeed and to improve teamwork skills. To measure the effect for a project team, surveys need to be filled in at the beginning and at the end of the project. SINCOE@Assessment Tool survey is a good choice for this measurement.

Link to extended description: https://sincoe.blogs.upv.es/archives/783

Supporting Complex Problem-Solving: Using the Triple Diamond Model in Education

As the processes/problems posed to students become more complex, structured methods that support the different phases, from problem identification to action plan creation, become more necessary. It is recommended to use a reference framework to guide students’ innovation process, in which divergent activities (opening options/generating alternatives/creativity) alternate with convergent activities (filtering and selecting options/critical thinking) and concludes with an action plan (initiative). In this sense, the Triple Diamond model (Marin-Garcia et al., 2020) (Figure 1) offers a framework that can be applied in different contexts where innovation is intended through problem-solving or detecting and taking advantage of opportunities, either continuously (individually or through improvement groups) or even radically. The model is an extension and adaptation of the double diamond proposed by the British Design Council (Clune & Lockrey, 2014; Design Council, 2007; Tschimmel, 2012) and integrates ideas present in 3I model, HCD model, PDCA, DMAIC and 8D (Cheng & Chang, 2012; Scholtes et al., 2003; Suarez-Barraza & Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 2015; Tapping, 2008; Tschimmel, 2012).

The toolkit that can be used to support each of the activities is too broad and diverse (Clune & Lockrey, 2014; Tschimmel, 2012), and it is not the purpose of this script to list each one of them (see card X in annex), which, on the other hand, can be very specific in some cases, and in others, each team of teachers will have preferred tools already tested in their teaching context.

Figure 1.- Triple diamond method (source: (Marin-Garcia et al., 2020)(reproducida con permiso)

Innovation competence memory game

This online memory game is designed to teach innovation competencies. In the game, players must match cards containing innovation competencies with their corresponding descriptions. When a correct match is made between a competency and its description, the cards turn grey. The game was developed as part of the Erasmus+ funded SINCOE project with the aim of helping students develop and enhance their innovation competencies in digital learning environments.

Play the game following this link: Memory game

Group work self-evaluation assignment

What

The statements below describe various innovation competencies that are useful both in studies and in working life. Go through the statements and think about how the innovation-promoting abilities described in the statements have come to the fore in your group work for the course. Do you yourself see a connection with innovation activities more generally, are they related to it? Why or how?

How

Write down concrete examples, either of your own activities or of the other members of your group, of how the statements have been reflected in your activities, and also think about how your actions in accordance with them have moved your activities forward or perhaps hindered your work. Which statements were visible in your work?

How did you do group work? If you worked online as part of your work, how did working online affect your teamwork and the expression of these competencies? Did working online affect motivation?

The course was implemented as face-to-face teaching. If it had been online, what kind of benefits and challenges would it have brought? Explain with specific examples.

How did you feel about doing the task as a group? Did it promote work? What about the expression of competencies?

Also consider what significance these abilities have in your future profession and working life in general after you graduate, as well as in your current studies. Think about one future job where you will work as a professional. Are the competencies expressed by the statements in the list related to success at work? In what ways?

CREATIVITY	Use intuition and own knowledge to generate ideas.
CREATIVITY	Find new ways to implement ideas.
CREATIVITY	Create original solutions to problems or exploiting opportunities.
CREATIVITY	Make suggestions to improve current process products or services.
CREATIVITY	Present novel ideas.
CREATIVITY	Show inventiveness in using resources.
CREATIVITY	Search out new working methods, techniques or instruments.
CREATIVITY	Refine ideas.
CRITICAL THINKING	Use trial and error analysis for problem solving.
CRITICAL THINKING	Develop and experiment with new ways of problem solving.
CRITICAL THINKING	Challenge the current state.
CRITICAL THINKING	Face the task from different points of view.
CRITICAL THINKING	Take into account multiple impacts.
CRITICAL THINKING	Ask “Why?” and “Why not?” and “What if?” in a targeted manner
CRITICAL THINKING	Take an acceptable level of risk to support new ideas.
CRITICAL THINKING	Adheres to the ethical principles and values of the field of profession.
CRITICAL THINKING	Make decisions based on data and evidence.
CRITICAL THINKING	Analyze sustainability challenges, their interdependencies and the various aspects of issues and problems.
CRITICAL THINKING	Use information in finding, implementing and establishing sustainable solutions and operating models.
INITIATIVE	Foster improvements in working environment.
INITIATIVE	Dare to experiment new ideas.
INITIATIVE	Go beyond expectations in the assignment, task, or job description without being asked.
INITIATIVE	Take action to convince people to support an innovative idea.
INITIATIVE	Act systematically.
INITIATIVE	Start actions without hesitation.
TEAMWORK	Be attentive when others are speaking, and responds effectively to others’ comments during the conversation.
TEAMWORK	Invite feedback and comments.
TEAMWORK	Takes constructive feedback into account.
TEAMWORK	Identify the sources of conflict between themselves and others and between other people and take steps to harmonise conflict situations.
TEAMWORK	Provide and accept constructive feedback, cooperation or help to and from team colleagues.
TEAMWORK	Work well with others, understanding their needs.
TEAMWORK	Consult about essential changes.
NETWORKING	Discuss with people with different kinds of ideas and perspectives to extend your own knowledge domains.
NETWORKING	Bring ideas from outside into the group.
NETWORKING	Share timely information with the appropriate stakeholders.
NETWORKING	Build formal and informal relationships outside the team/organisation from the beginning.
NETWORKING	Interact well in multidisciplinary/multicultural/international environments.

Using Sincoe@ Assessment Tool and persona canvas in tutoring

WHAT

This is a brief instruction, how to enrich tutoring by Sincoe@ Assessment Tool and persona canvas.

WHY

Using innovation competences self-assessment and persona canvas combined may help in communication with student by focusing in separated areas (competences, interests, personality qualities etc.) instead of one big formless mass of things from different levels in life. After beginning the self-assessment and filling the canvas can be defined, re-focused and updated whenever by the student and in the following tutor discussions with the tutor.

HOW

Student fills the self-assessment survey before the tutoring meeting / in the beginning of the tutoring relationship.

Student and the tutor teacher have a session, where they discuss the results of the survey and use the persona canvas in creating the common understanding: student’s self-reflection and tutor teacher’s professional observation, both in the spirit of high acceptance.

Neither the self-assessment survey nor persona canvas should be any kind of permanent or fixed as a final set of skills levels and personality, but as a point where the tutor discussion has begun and then continues and develops further.

Creating Student Personas for designing better courses for different students

This is a brief instruction on how to use student personas to make sure that your courses and teaching are in parallel with your different students.

WHAT

Personas is a method that is used in service design for designing better services for the users, people. Basically, in the same way, personas can be used as a tool for designing better fitting teaching and courses for variety of different students. We teachers know many things of our students already after few executed courses, not to even mention the years of teaching, but to create realistic student personas we also probably need fresh student perspective. This short presentation does not focus on different possible ways of that pre-research, but at simplest it can be short questionnaires and little discussions with students during or after lessons based on the results of questionnaires.

WHY

There is very much variety in students, and the distance between the lives of students and us teachers, easily gets bigger year by year. For that it may be a relevant thing to check from time to time, who we are teaching and how we do it.

HOW

When creating personas, it may be a good idea to take the personas a bit to the edges from the average. That way you can get clearer characteristics and needs to fulfill. By creating a few extreme personas from the different sides of the edges you get the average student covered too. As in service design, it may be a good principle in education too, to include some flexibility to the “service” for different personalities, learning styles etc. Again, as in service design, also in education, there are no one and only right ways for doing things, but it always depends of the content, teacher’s personality, students etc. constantly changing elements.

Persona canvas is a good tool for persona creation. There are many different canvases available, and one can also quite easily be created by yourself for your own purposes. Here is one example that is developed for creating student personas. By creating some (three is a good amount to create enough variety) student personas using the canvas, you can you’re your understanding of the students’ possible needs, preferences, wishes, fears and dreams of studying and life. Also, it can include different personal qualities that student has. By making these few personas a bit extreme, you can better test and simulate your different ideas and the flexibility of them. Overall, by creating student personas you can foster student perspective and get guidelines for course design and implementation.

Practical recommendations for remote meetings

2024-11-18 / Leave a comment

You don’t need to follow all of them, but the more recommendations you can meet, the better your experience during the meeting will be. This applies to any remote meeting in professional work contexts.

Physical Space

Find a quiet and well-lit place
Ensure good ventilation in the space
Avoid spaces with echo or background noise
Maintain a comfortable temperature for concentration
Use a comfortable chair with good back support
Keep your desk tidy and free from visual distractions
Have a plan to minimize domestic interruptions

Personal Preparation

Keep water or drinks nearby to stay hydrated
Prepare necessary materials before starting (notes, documents)
Dress appropriately (you’ll be screen sharing)
Use the bathroom before starting
Connect 5 minutes early to resolve technical issues

Application Environment

The larger your screen (or use two screens), the more flexibility you’ll have to view relevant information, which will be at least two windows (where you see other group members’ cameras and the group’s shared screen). You might need more if you have to open shared documents, drawing boards/post-its, or visual meeting management tools. Tablets and phones provide very limited participation possibilities.
Close unnecessary applications or windows and disable notifications on computer and phone to avoid distractions
Familiarize yourself with the meeting tool’s basic controls (like sharing emotions)
Have the necessary documents ready on your device
Set up a neutral or blurred background if you want to maintain space privacy

Ergonomics

Maintain proper screen distance (approximately arm’s length)
Adjust screen height to avoid neck strain
Maintain good body posture
Have enough space for note-taking
Prepare to be seated for two hours
Take a visual break before the session and use breaks between meetings to rest your eyes (don’t use this time for emails, messaging, or social media). Use artificial tears if necessary to rest your eyes
Plan brief breaks during the session if possible

Meeting Operation

Keep your camera on during the meeting
Use chat for questions without interrupting
Be clear about the delivery system for meeting activities or results (minutes, reports, tasks…)
Have easy access to necessary documents or relevant links
Prepare a notebook or digital document for notes (if digital, it is better if shared with your group, including your professor). If your professor/manager provides access to any platform, use it so you can all be connected
Make local copies of documents occasionally in case of connection failures

Development of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Management Competencies in First Year Physics Engineering Students at UPV. Extended description

2024-11-07 / Leave a comment

Background on the pilot

The pilot was carried out in the first course of Physical Engineering at the School of Telecommunication Engineers of the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The subject is called Fundamentals of Business Organization.

It is a group of 75 students who are in the first year of the degree. The experience began on February 14 and the calendar sets the end of the course at the beginning of June 2024.

The distribution of the 6 credits is as follows: Theory 3 credits, Classroom practice 2, Laboratory practicals 1 credit.

The students are not motivated with Business Management and their interest is especially focused on science and technology.

This is the welcome message to the students that somehow reflects the purpose of it while trying to convince the students to get involved in learning.

As an engineering and physics student, you are probably passionate about science and technology, and you want to apply your knowledge to solve problems and create innovative solutions.

But do you know how to turn your ideas into profitable and sustainable projects, do you know the opportunities and challenges in the marketplace, and do you have the skills to lead teams, negotiate with customers and partners, and manage resources?

If you want to broaden your professional horizons and make the most of your potential, you need to know the business and economic world.

Understanding how companies work and how they are managed will open up new opportunities and give you a broader perspective of your professional future.

That is why the course “Fundamentals of Business Organization” will help you take the first steps to acquire the concepts and tools that will allow you to understand and participate in the business environment, thus boosting your career and contributing to social development.

This is the logo of the course that was generated using Dall-e including tech and business graphical elements.

The course works with innovation competencies and social and environmental commitment.

The most relevants skills and competences of this course are the next ones:

– Students have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in an area of study that builds on the foundation of general secondary education, and is typically at a level that, while relying on advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve knowledge from the cutting edge of their field of study.

– Students are able to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the skills that are typically demonstrated through the development and defense of arguments and problem solving within their field of study.

– That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues. CB4(GE) Students are able to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialized and non-specialized audiences.

– Know how to gather and handle any source of information related to Engineering Physics and make reasoned judgments about it, as well as apply mechanisms of scientific and technological surveillance.

– Know the processes of innovation management and technology transfer, to apply them in the performance of professional activities related to innovation and development in companies with a technological profile.

– Knowing how to write and develop projects aimed at the design and development or exploitation of devices and systems of direct interaction with the physical environment, based on the fundamental principles of Physics.

– To know how to solve problems with initiative, decision-making, creativity, and to communicate and transmit knowledge, skills and abilities, understanding the ethical and professional responsibility of the activity of the Graduate in Engineering Physics.

– That students have developed those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.

The syllabus of the course is as follows:

Management

Introduction to the company

Strategic analysis

Organizational structure

Functional Areas

Management

Human Resources

Finance

Operations

Marketing

Technology and Information Systems.

Objectives of the pilot

Students should understand the relevance of business management for their future career as engineers. The pilot focuses on the development of an entrepreneurship project that aims to apply technology, especially information and communication technologies to support an initiative that contributes to making Valencia a smart city. In this way, the initiative is related to the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically goal 17: that cities are inclusive environments facilitating the lives of their inhabitants.

Methods, models and practices

At the beginning of the semester, students were introduced to the relationship between business models, business processes and current ICT. Practical activities have allowed the definition of a business model using ICT that contributes to SDG 11 which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Lab practices included demand forecasting and marketing process management. In all activities, creativity in problem solving was valued. Students were introduced to the concepts of critical thinking and innovation.

A survey was conducted with voluntary participation and focus on the dimensions of the FINCODA model that this pilot was assigned. The results are presented in the following section.

Results (based on Questions for participating teachers and Students)

Test focus (NA related, what will be tested, number of 8 category): 3, 4

Feedback focus (Assessment Tool, Training Package, Storyline): (Assessment Tool)

54 students have answered this question.

The dimension 3 V3[CR03]. Draws on what you’ve shown in a context where you need to be innovative or help a team to be innovative (whether in a job in your organization or in your work as a student) and keep it throughout the assessment. How do you consider your ability to…. [Create original solutions to problems or exploit opportunities.

The range is # 1: Needs a lot of improvement#100: Excellent]

The results: two missing values.

count 53 valid values

mean 73.826923

std 19.466842

min 35.000000

25% 59.750000

50% 73.000000

75% 87.750000

max 100.000000

2. Mode: 100. The mode is 100, which means it is the value that appears most frequently in the dataset.

3. Median: 73.0. The median is 73, indicating that 50% of the data is below this value and 50% above.

4. Range: 65. The range is the difference between the maximum and minimum values, showing the total dispersion of the data.

5. Variance: 378.96. Variance measures the dispersion of the data relative to the mean.

6. Coefficient of variation: 26.37%. This value indicates a moderate variability in relation to the mean.

7. Skewness: -0.31. The negative skewness indicates that the distribution has a longer tail to the left (lower values).

8. Kurtosis: -0.98. The negative kurtosis suggests that the distribution is flatter (platykurtic) than a normal distribution.

General interpretation:

* The data has a fairly dispersed distribution, with a wide range of 65 points.

* The mean (73.83) is slightly higher than the median (73.0), which is consistent with the slight negative skewness.

Development of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Management Competencies in First Year Physics Engineering Students at UPV.

2024-11-07 / Leave a comment

Keywords: Engineering Education, Business Management, Innovation Assessment, Smart City Entrepreneurship

What and Why

A pilot course on Business Organization fundamentals was conducted for 75 first-year Physical Engineering students at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The purpose was to help technically oriented students understand business management’s relevance to their future careers, particularly focusing on entrepreneurship and smart city initiatives aligned with SDG 11.

How

Theoretical and practical sessions (6 credits total)

Development of entrepreneurship projects focused on smart city technology

Integration of ICT with business models

Lab practices on demand forecasting and marketing

Assessment through voluntary surveys using FINCODA model dimensions

Focus on creativity and critical thinking

Evaluation of innovation competencies through student self-assessment

Outcome

· Survey results showed moderately positive results in innovation competencies:

· Dimension 3 (Creating original solutions): Mean score 73.8/100

· Dimension 4 (Making improvement suggestions): Mean score 71.8/100

· Online survey tool proved technically successful

· Participation rates were lower than desired due to voluntary nature

Recommendations: [tips, guidelines, notes…]

· Start assessment earlier in the course timeline

· Conduct surveys during regular course hours to increase participation

· Implement anonymous participation methods

· Create early awareness among students about assessment importance

· Better integrate technical aspects with business concepts

· Consider mandatory rather than voluntary participation

· Maintain focus on practical applications and real-world scenarios

· Structure the assessment process within regular course activities

Link to extended description: https://sincoe.blogs.upv.es/archives/509

Learning Analytics

2024-11-06 / Leave a comment

Thanks to the interactive platforms presented in “Creating an Engaging Virtual Learning Environment”, it is easier to analyze data and gain insight. This is called learning analytics.

Learning analytics in online education offers powerful insight for enhancing teaching effectiveness and student outcomes. Leveraging these capabilities is crucial for informed decision-making and personalized learning experiences.

Basically, it is quite recommendable to use built-in analytics to 1) Track student participation patterns, 2) Identify areas of confusion or interest, and 3) Inform about future lesson planning and content delivery.

As teachers, everything we do aims to offer a learning experience to our students. Experience API (also xAPI) allows us to collect this experience during e-learning training. In other words, xAPI is a model that allows to know, collect and distribute the experience that the learner has through the training within the platform.

xAPI is a learning technology interoperability specification that makes it easier for learning technology products to communicate and work with one another. This API captures data in a consistent format about the learner from very different systems. These statements are then sent to a Learning Record Store (LRS). A LRS is simply a place where records about learning are stored. The statements can even be shared with other LRSs. Besides, an LRS can exist on its own or within traditional Learning Management Systems (LMSs) through which formal training content, activities, and evaluations can be offered.

Through learning analytics and making use of the data collected with xAPI, actionable insights can be discovered. This allows the creators of e-learning content to understand how students learn, to keep track of their steps and the time they spend within the platform, their interactions, etc. It could be said that xAPI monitors what is essential to make the learning experience more fluent and efficient. In short, it contributes to providing a completely personalized learning experience.

Regardless of whether xAPI can be used or not, the following are some of the strengths of learning analytics.

Strengths	Strategies	Actions
Comprehensive participation tracking	Monitor engagement metrics	Frequency and duration of logins
		Time spent on specific content areas
		Participation rates in discussions and interactive activities
	Analyze participation patterns	Identify peak engagement times
		Detect early signs of student disengagement
		Compare individual student activity to class averages
Performance analysis	Assess learning progress	Track quiz and assignment scores over time
		Identify recurring mistakes or misconceptions
		Measure improvement in key competency areas
	Utilize predictive analytics	Identify students at risk by analyzing engagement and performance data
		Implement early intervention strategies for struggling learners
Content effectiveness evaluation	Analyze content interaction	Measure time spent on different types of learning materials
		Track completion rates for various learning activities
		Identify most and least accessed resources
	Gather feedback on content quality	Use automated sentiment analysis on student comments
		Correlate content ratings with performance outcomes
Personalized learning pathways	Implement adaptive learning algorithms	Tailor content difficulty based on individual student performance
		Suggest personalized learning resources and activities
	Create learner profiles	Identify preferred learning styles and paces
		Customize content delivery methods for different learner types
Real-time feedback mechanisms	Integrate instant analytics dashboards	Provide immediate insights during live sessions
		Allow for on-the-fly adjustments to teaching strategies
	Implement automated alert systems	Notify instructors of significant changes in student engagement or performance
		Trigger personalized interventions or support mechanisms
Long-term curriculum optimization	Conduct longitudinal analysis	Track the effectiveness of course structures over multiple semesters
		Identify trends in student performance across different cohorts
	Inform curriculum design	Use data to guide the revision of course content and structure
		Align curriculum with observed learning patterns and outcomes

Student role cards

Here are brief instructions for the teacher using the student role cards:

What:

The student role cards exercise involves assigning specific roles to students within a group project. Each role has distinct responsibilities that contribute to the overall success of the project.

Why:

This exercise helps students develop innovation competencies such as critical thinking, initiative, creativity, teamwork, and networking. It encourages active participation, enhances collaboration, and ensures that each student has a clear purpose and contribution to the group.

How:

Assign roles: Distribute the role cards to students, ensuring each student understands their specific role and responsibilities.

Explain objectives: Clearly outline the goals of the project and how each role contributes to achieving these goals.

Facilitate collaboration: Encourage students to communicate and collaborate effectively, leveraging each other’s strengths.

Monitor progress: Regularly check in with the groups to ensure they are on track and provide guidance as needed.

Reflect and provide feedback: After the project, have a reflection session where students can discuss what they learned from their roles and provide feedback on the exercise.

Different ways to use role cards:

Role-switching

How it works: After a set period, have students swap role cards with each other.

Purpose: Encourages empathy and deeper understanding by seeing the situation from multiple perspectives.

Role expansion

How it works: Add extra information or additional objectives mid-way through the activity to deepen the complexity of roles.

Purpose: Keeps students engaged and challenges them to adapt to new circumstances.

Team-based roles

How it works: Group students into teams with complementary roles.

Purpose: Promotes teamwork and shows how roles can collaborate to achieve a common goal.

Mystery Roles

How it works: Keep certain roles secret or ambiguous so others have to deduce each student’s role through their actions or statements.

Purpose: Adds an element of critical thinking, deduction, and creativity.

5. Reflection of roles

How it works: After the exercise, ask students to reflect their learnings still in the role.

Purpose: Deepens engagement and helps students connect their roles to real-world concepts.

How it works: After the activity, give students a different role card and ask them to analyze how their new role would have approached the situation.

Purpose: Encourages reflection and diverse thinking about alternative approaches.

Role customization

How it works: Allow students to modify or “build” their roles based on factors you set (e.g., traits, goals, or relationships with other roles).

Purpose: Promotes creativity and ownership of the exercise.

Student role cards: Instructions for students

What is this exercise?

You will participate in an activity using role cards to take on specific roles or perspectives. Each card provides information about your role, including your objectives, responsibilities, and key details. Your task is to act according to your role and contribute to the overall activity or discussion.

Why are we doing this?

This exercise helps you:

Develop innovation competencies such as critical thinking, initiative, creativity, teamwork, and networking.

Understand different perspectives.

Improve collaboration skills by working with others in varied roles.

Practice problem-solving and decision-making in teams.

Engage in active learning, making concepts easier to understand and apply.

How to use the role cards?

Read your card carefully: Understand your role, goals, and any key information. Feel free to ask questions if anything is unclear.

Engage in the activity: Actively participate, staying true to your role. Use the information on the card to guide your decisions and contributions.

Collaborate with others: Listen to their perspectives, contribute your own, and work together towards the activity’s objectives.

Reflect afterward: After the exercise, think about what you learned from your role and how it contributed to the overall task.

These examples illustrate how each role can contribute to a successful group project.

Critical thinker – A student analyzing data from a science experiment to identify patterns and draw conclusions. They question assumptions, evaluate evidence, and consider alternative explanations to ensure their findings are robust and accurate.

Initiator – A student who takes the lead in organizing a group meeting, setting the agenda, and assigning tasks. They proactively seek out resources and suggest new approaches to tackle the project, motivating the team to stay on track.

Creative mind – A student brainstorming unique ideas for a marketing campaign in a business class. They use mind maps and other creative techniques to generate innovative solutions that stand out and add value to the project.

Team player – A student who excels at facilitating group discussions, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. They help mediate conflicts, encourage collaboration, and coordinate efforts so that the team works efficiently and harmoniously towards their common goal.

Networker – A student who reaches out to industry professionals for insights and advice on a project. They build relationships with external experts, integrate their feedback, and bring valuable external perspectives to enhance the group’s work.

Creating an Engaging Virtual Learning Environment

Enhancing Virtual Education: A Comprehensive Approach to Interactive Learning

In today’s digital age, virtual education has progressed significantly beyond simple video lectures and static content delivery. The shift from traditional teaching methods to dynamic, collaborative environments is essential for effective online learning. This transformation is supported by a rich ecosystem of educational technology platforms and pedagogical strategies, which work together to create engaging learning experiences.

Educational technology has revolutionized our approach to teaching and learning, offering a variety of tools that cater to the diverse needs of modern pedagogy. These platforms enable educators to implement comprehensive continuous engagement and assessment strategies, combining real-time interaction with structured learning activities.

At the core of effective virtual teaching is a systematic approach to student engagement and assessment. Educators can employ continuous formative assessment through real-time polls and interactive quizzes, allowing them to gauge student understanding instantly and adjust their teaching accordingly. This immediate feedback loop fosters a more responsive and adaptive learning environment.

Participation and engagement are further enhanced through collaborative tools that transform traditional classroom dynamics. Word clouds provide visual representations of collective thinking, while live Q&A sessions create opportunities for meaningful dialogue and immediate clarification of doubts. These interactive elements help maintain student attention and create a more dynamic learning atmosphere.

The success of virtual education heavily relies on effective two-way communication. Educators can gather valuable feedback on teaching methodologies and course content through structured dialogue spaces and efficient consultation channels. This information is crucial for the continuous improvement of the learning experience.

To maximize the effectiveness of these approaches, educators can utilize various specialized platforms:

Interactive Platforms

By strategically implementing these interactive platforms, educators can significantly enhance student engagement, promote active learning, and create a more dynamic online learning environment. These tools not only facilitate real-time interaction but also provide valuable insights into student understanding and participation, allowing for more informed and adaptive teaching approaches.

Consider implementing a variety of vibrant platforms that transform traditional teaching methods into interactive adventures:

Wooclap breathes life into presentations by enabling real-time feedback, allowing educators to gauge student understanding on the fly. As they present, students actively participate, shaping the discussion with their responses.

Mentimeter adds excitement with live polls, quizzes, and word clouds. Students contribute their thoughts in real time, watching a dynamic word cloud form, visually representing the collective mindset of the group.

Kahoot! turns learning into a game, where quizzes spark friendly competition and lively discussions. The classroom is enthusiastic as students race to answer questions, celebrating each victory together.

Slido enhances meetings and events with seamless Q&A and polling features, ensuring every voice is heard. Students pose questions and share opinions effortlessly, enriching dialogue and deepening understanding.

Poll Everywhere supports diverse question types, allowing for live result visualizations that keep everyone engaged. Students eagerly await results, curious about their peers’ responses to thought-provoking questions.

Socrative elevates formative assessment through engaging educational games and exercises, making learning feel like an exciting challenge rather than a chore.

Nearpod combines multimedia presentations with collaborative activities, creating a rich tapestry of learning experiences. Students interact with the material in real-time, collaborating on projects that bridge theory and practice seamlessly.

Pear Deck integrates with Google Slides, transforming ordinary presentations into interactive sessions where students actively participate. Each slide invites discussion, fostering a deeper connection with the content.

Flipgrid facilitates video-based discussions and reflections, allowing students to express their thoughts creatively. This vibrant exchange of ideas builds a sense of community.

Padlet creates collaborative boards for idea sharing and brainstorming, offering a digital canvas for creativity. A colorful board filled with diverse perspectives inspires collaboration and innovation.

By harnessing these interactive platforms, educators can create a dynamic, engaging, and responsive learning environment that captivates students and transforms the educational experience.

Summary of Tools

The following table presents a selection of the aforementioned educational tools, highlighting their names, key features, and applications. These solutions enhance classroom engagement and foster interactive learning experiences, demonstrating how technology can transform traditional teaching methods into dynamic and collaborative environments.

By implementing these tools and strategies systematically, educators can:

Maintain consistently high levels of student engagement

Personalize learning experiences to meet individual needs

Monitor and analyze student progress effectively

Create more inclusive and participatory learning environments

Adapt content and methods based on real-time feedback

These platforms can be used for:

Real-time polls to gauge understanding or opinions

Interactive quizzes to reinforce learning and assess comprehension

Instant feedback collection on course content or teaching methods

Word clouds to visualize collective thoughts on a topic

Live Q&A sessions to efficiently address student queries

The key to success in virtual education lies in the selection of tools and their strategic implementation aligned with clear pedagogical objectives. When properly integrated, these platforms and strategies transform online learning from a potentially passive experience into an active, engaging journey of discovery and knowledge construction.

How to create safe environment where students can explore and fail to learn

Creating a safe environment where students can explore, fail, and learn comfortably is crucial for effective education. There are some strategies to develop and explicitly transmit such an environment. By explicitly implementing and consistently reinforcing these strategies, educators can create an environment where students feel empowered to take intellectual risks, view failures as stepping stones to success, and develop resilience in their academic journey. This approach not only enhances learning outcomes but also prepares students for the challenges they’ll face beyond the classroom.

Clear communication of Expectations:
- Explicitly articulate that mistakes are not merely acceptable, but essential components of the learning journey. Establish clear, written ground rules for respectful behavior and mutual support, and consistently reinforce these throughout the course. Emphasize that questions, uncertainties, and intellectual risk-taking are not only welcomed but actively encouraged. Create a classroom charter that outlines these expectations and have students contribute to and sign it, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to the learning environment [1,2]

Modeling Learning from Errors:
- Actively demonstrate the process of learning from mistakes by transparently discussing your own errors and growth experiences in the classroom. Use these personal anecdotes as springboards for analysis, showing students how to dissect failures and extract valuable insights. Implement structured reflection exercises that guide students through the process of transforming setbacks into opportunities for deeper understanding and innovative problem-solving approaches [1]
- Encouraging students to also share their own experiences of overcoming difficulties can foster a supportive and resilient learning community where continuous improvement is celebrated. This approach can contribute to creating a classroom environment where students feel safe to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow [3]

Structured Risk-Taking
- Integrate a series of low-stakes, formative activities throughout the curriculum that explicitly encourage students to experiment with novel approaches and unconventional ideas. Design these activities with clear learning objectives but minimal grade impact, creating a safe space for intellectual exploration. Implement a rubric that specifically rewards innovative thinking, creative problem-solving, and willingness to take calculated risks, even when outcomes are imperfect. Provide constructive feedback that highlights the value of the thinking process and iterative improvement, rather than focusing solely on final results. Gradually increase the complexity and stakes of these activities as students become more comfortable with risk-taking, preparing them for higher-stakes challenges [4]

Constructive Feedback Practices
- Implement a comprehensive feedback system that prioritizes effort, progress, and learning processes over final outcomes. Design rubrics that explicitly assess students’ engagement with the material, their application of learning strategies, and their growth over time. Provide detailed, actionable feedback that not only identifies areas for improvement but also offers specific strategies and resources for students to enhance their understanding and skills. Incorporate regular opportunities for students to reflect on and respond to feedback, encouraging them to set concrete goals for future learning. Additionally, train students in the art of giving constructive peer feedback, emphasizing the importance of specificity, empathy, and solution-oriented comments. This peer feedback process can reinforce learning while developing crucial communication and critical thinking skills [5]

Collaborative Learning Spaces
- Design and implement a variety of structured collaborative learning opportunities that go beyond traditional group work. Create both physical and virtual spaces that facilitate meaningful peer interactions, such as problem-solving workshops, peer-led study groups, and online discussion forums. Develop protocols for these collaborative spaces that encourage students to openly share their challenges, strategies, and successes. Implement a system of rotating roles within groups to ensure all students have the opportunity to lead, support, and contribute in different ways. Regularly facilitate reflection sessions where students analyze their collaborative experiences, identifying key learnings from both their own and their peers’ approaches. This fosters a dynamic learning community where diversity of thought is valued, and students develop crucial skills in communication, empathy, and collective problem-solving [6]

Diverse Teaching and Assessment Methods
- Implement a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to instruction that addresses various learning preferences and cognitive styles. Incorporate a blend of visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and interactive teaching methods to engage students through diverse sensory channels. Design a flexible assessment framework that offers students choices in how they demonstrate their understanding and skills. This could include traditional exams, project-based assessments, oral presentations, multimedia creations, and hands-on demonstrations. Regularly rotate between these methods to ensure all students have opportunities to leverage their strengths while also developing adaptability in less familiar formats. Provide clear rubrics for each assessment type, emphasizing the core competencies being evaluated across different formats. This approach not only accommodates diverse learner needs but also prepares students for varied professional contexts where adaptability and multiple forms of communication are valued [7,8]

Reflection and Metacognition
- Systematically integrate structured self-reflection activities throughout the curriculum, creating deliberate pauses for metacognitive analysis. Design varied reflection prompts that guide students to examine their learning strategies, thought processes, and problem-solving approaches. Implement reflective journaling, think-aloud protocols, and peer discussion sessions to deepen students’ understanding of their cognitive and emotional responses to learning challenges. Teach specific metacognitive strategies, such as self-questioning, cognitive modeling, and learning strategy selection, to enhance students’ ability to monitor and regulate their own learning. Gradually increase the complexity of these reflective tasks, moving from guided to more independent metacognitive practice. Regularly provide feedback on students’ reflections, highlighting insights and suggesting areas for further metacognitive development. This comprehensive approach to reflection and metacognition fosters self-aware, adaptable learners who can effectively navigate diverse learning contexts and transfer skills across domains [9].

Celebration of Progress
- Implement a systematic approach to recognizing and celebrating incremental progress and personal growth throughout the learning journey. Create a structured ‘progress portfolio’ where students document their improvements, challenges overcome, and lessons learned from setbacks. Regularly dedicate class time to sharing these progress narratives, fostering a culture that values effort and resilience. Develop a ‘learning from failure’ wall or digital space where students and instructors alike share stories of how initial setbacks led to deeper understanding or innovative solutions. Institute periodic ‘growth ceremonies’ that highlight specific examples of students turning struggles into strengths, reinforcing the connection between persistence and achievement. Incorporate peer nominations for progress recognition, encouraging students to notice and appreciate growth in others. This comprehensive celebration of progress not only motivates continued effort but also reinforces a growth mindset, teaching students to view challenges as opportunities for development rather than insurmountable obstacles [1,10]

References

Dweck, C. S. (2008). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House Digital, Inc.
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This is a checklist proposal that try to encompass these strategies for a university classroom:

Course Design and Expectations

Develop a clear syllabus outlining course expectations and learning outcomes
Include a statement on academic integrity and respectful discourse

Fostering Intellectual Growth

Plan diverse teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles
Design assignments that encourage critical thinking and creative problem-solving

Creating an Inclusive Atmosphere

Prepare strategies to facilitate respectful class discussions on challenging topics
Plan to incorporate diverse perspectives and examples in course material

Supporting Student Success

Establish a system for providing timely and constructive feedback
Create opportunities for both individual and collaborative work

Encouraging Academic Risk-Taking

Design low-stakes assignments to allow exploration of new ideas
Plan to share personal experiences of overcoming academic challenges

Promoting Self-Reflection

Develop prompts or activities for students to reflect on their learning process
Plan to incorporate peer and self-assessment opportunities

Building a Supportive Community

Establish clear channels for student communication and support
Plan activities to foster peer connections and mutual support

Improving the validity of self-assessment through preparatory self-assessment training. Extended description

Objectives:
Students get acquainted with the concept of innovation competence.

Students train a more objective self-perception. They become aware that biases play a role in self-assessments and learn how to avoid or at least reduce them.

Methods:

Introduction of the Sincoe-Concept of innovation competence Sincoe@Assessment Tool in a face-to-face lecture or in a online synchronous TEAMS-lecture.

Minigroups: What experiences have students had with self-assessment so far? How reliable do they consider a self-assessment of their own skills (their own innovation skills) to be? Report and summary of the results in plenary.

Application of the Sincoe assessment training on Moodle. Subsequently, individual working with the Sincoe@Assessment Tool.

Students meet again in minigroups: How did the early training affect the work with the questionnaire?

Written summary of the mini-group results, feedback sheet.

Presentation and discussion of the most important results in plenary.

Environment:

20 Students of the 4th or higher semester in the compulsory course Human Resource Management. Age between 20 and 40 years. They have experience with group work in face-to-face and online settings.

Role:

Lecturer provides informative input. She motivates, helps and advises on the use of the assessment tool, the Assessment Training and on the organization of the TEAMS groups. She also moderates the large group event.

Motivation:

This is a compulsory course. The students have decided on key areas of their studies, but some are also toying with the idea of working self-employed after graduation. The motivational parts of the course may therefore be particularly interesting.

Assessment:

Sincoe@Assessment tool and feedback-worksheet for the TEAMS groups.

Improving the validity of self-assessment through preparatory self-assessment training.