Communities of PracticeCreating learning environments
Martin Kuipers
what is it about?
- competence based learning- flexible learning routes- communities of practice
Leeuwarden
University of applied sciences
- 10.000 students- Bachelor degree programmes
- Engineering- Social studies (health, education)- Business & management- Built environment- Communication- Communication & Multimedia Design
Communication & Multimedia Design- 4 year programme- 240 european credits- degree:
‘bachelor of multimedia’
Basicly: we learn people to create multimedia products like: - (educational) games- advanced web applications- 3d visualizations- crossmedia broadcastings- new medial concepts (multitouch, blended forms of media)
our learning cycle
- self directed learning- competence based- interdisciplinary projectgroups- learning to learn
student
matchmaking
- external (paying) clients- ambitions, passions- matching with authentic projects- own projects
?studentclient/company
intake
- the project starts with an intake assessment- the starting level is discussed- attitude - repeating the trick? vs learning new things!
studentmentor + expert
!
working in teams
- all students work in teams (5/6/7)- (almost) no individual projects...- different roles: project manager, art direction, lead programmer, designer, developer. - Every student gets personal feedback and results
coaching + planning
- every student has a personal coach: mentor- discussion about ambitions- personal issues- activating, stimulating- students formulate their plans
studentmentor
consulting
- questions and problems are discussed- feedback on projectplan, prototype, products- experts give leads to knowledge sources- students maintain contact with client- mid-term assessment: adjustment and feedback
studentexpert
question?50%
client
feedback!
progress
- progress is monitored and discussed by mentor and tutor
studenttutormentor
75%
peer assessment
- peer assessments result in feedback on personal attitude within the group
studentpeers
the assessment (show and tell)
- all involved have a meeting- the product is presented to the client and experts- students show and tell why they are competent- students are responsible for brining evidence
student mentor
100%tell!
expertsclientpeers
feedback and reflection
- feedback is passed to the student- rewarded with credits. (+/- 30 each project)- the student makes a final reflection on the feedback- and from this reflection a new plan is formed
student mentorexpertexpert
!
plan do
checkreact
PdP
evidence
reflection
results+
feedback+
new projects+
professioal profile
matchmakingplanningcoaching
consultingmonitoring
make assessmentrewarding
reflectingadvizing
A few numbers
- 700 students in 6 cohorts- 60 personell- most of them part time
- aim: 25 students, 1 coach
- no ‘paper’ exams- assessments are transactionpoint- 42 competencies...- 3 levels each...- too many communication channels
How to organize all this?lessons learned in flexible route learning
Propedeutic project 1 project 2 project 3 project 4
project 5* project 6* project 7*2
3
4
internship authentic
graduationshopping (external)
authentic
authentic
2000-2006, reality on paper:
year:
bottom line: educators want predicable timeframes
Propedeutic project 1 project 2 project 3
project 5*2
3
4
authentic
graduation
shopping (external)
starting companyown
2000-2006, reality.
year:
bottom line: students are flexible, we aren’t...
? $$$
project 4
?
internship
project 6
3th floor
external
at home
2nd floor
?
organization...
creating a new organization:
- minimizing the time and location difference- no distinction in years- create groups working on the same type of projects- shifting management to CoP leaders
!
propedeutic project 1 project 2 project 3 project 4
year 2
year 3
year 4
graduate
Community of practice. Community of practice
internship
vertical alignment vs horizontal alignment
time
3de verdieping
extern
thuis
2de verdieping
observations:
- more students at school- making longer days- share and learn with eachother- average number of credits is rising
do’s:
- create a homebase- create simple but strict rules- work towards a culture of equality- in a CoP their are no big differences between students and experts...
do’s:
- set conditions for spontaneous contacts- coffeemachine is the heart of the organization :)- celebrate successes- listen to your students
dont’s
- if you want CoP to work, avoid top down organization- trust your students, at first things will be shaky, but in time something beautiful grows.- don’t be to good at it, otherwise people won’t leave :-)
our next steps
- starting CoP in the propedeutic year- fading borders between student + expert- allow students to form own CoP’s- allow students to self-manage CoP’s- experts/educators participating instead of leading- find better ICT tools and improve internal communication
