Admission requirements
This course is an (extracurricular) Honours Class: an honours elective in the Honours College programme. There are limited spots available for non honours students. Admission will be based on motivation.
Description
Learning has always been an important part of human nature, as adapting to changing circumstances in our environment is essential for survival. Similarly, in our modern-day life, learning new skills, acquiring new knowledge or gaining new insights is crucial to our success in life. It is most likely the very reason why you are attending classes at our university in the first place.
The tools and methods that we use to learn, however, are changing rapidly due to digital technology. You may already submit a paper on Blackboard, use voting devices during lectures, or follow an online course for learning new languages. According to experts, this is only the beginning of a revolution in learning, both on an individual level (e.g., how easy one could learn new skills or knowledge) and for society as a whole.
Course objectives
Obtain overview of important digital technology advancements having impact on learning.
Acquire insight in relevant aspects (e.g., possibilities, challenges, limitations) of these advancements.
Envision the impact of these aspects for near-future learning, relate that to practical examples / cases.
Create a (digital) demonstration of the impact and considerations in an accessible (visual) way.
Critically assess each other’s demonstrations on relevant criteria
Design a plan (intervention strategy) for an actual course as given in their own bachelor but now including aspects of new technologies as discussed in the seminars. Argue why and how the suggested adjustments would improve learning.
Timetable
Tuesday evenings, 19:30 – 21:30:
6 February 2018
13 February 2018
20 February 2018
27 February 2018
6 March 2018
13 March 2018
20 March 2018
27 March 2018
3 April 2018
Location
Faculty of Social Sciences (Wassenaarseweg 52, Leiden), Pieter de la Courtgebouw, room 1A33 .
Programme
Session 1: Introduction, background digital developments, learning and eduction
Session 2 – 6: guest speaker on specific digital development (e.g., Virtual Reality, serious games).
Session 7: Conclusion, discussion of final assignment
Course Load
This course is worth 5 EC, which means the total course load equals 140 hours.
8 interactive seminars of 2 hours, reading and preparation (7 x 4 = 28 hour)
Weekly assignments (blogs, video pitches, animations; peer review) (5 x 8 = 40 hour)
Hosting one of the sessions (preparation, welcoming guest speaker etc): 2 hours
Designing an intervention strategy (with respect to the educational program), written in a final report (70 hours)
Assessment method
10% Participation assessed continually through participation in seminar and structured activities
30% (15% each) Two reaction papers to a session’s reading(s) of 1000 words.
20% Presentation during a research symposium
40% A final case-application paper of 3000 words
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used in this course. Students will be registered for the Blackboard module by the course instructor.
Reading list
Articles as given by the guest speakers, no other material required.
Registration
Enrolling in this course is possible from Monday November 6th until Thursday November 16th 23.59 hrs through the Honours Academy, via this link. It is not necessary to register in uSis.
Contact
Remarks
The specific topics / technologies depend on guest speakers and their availability which is hard to determine at this moment. The general theme, however, is clear: advances in digital technology and their impact on learning (both related to education, and outside of education).