Education at its best: my poster for the assessment meeting

DGU Poster

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Here is my poster for the assessment meeting for the Education at its Best (Den gode uddannelse, DGU) initiative.

Here is a translation with links and supplementary information:

Simulation and Visualization (tools and resources being developed with support from DGU)
* Vibrating molecules
* The Quantum Calculator
* Student wiki-projects
* Video software manuals
* Link collections for courses

Active learning and peer instruction
* Web clickers (two videos about peer instruction)
* Web lectures (pencasts, Khan Academy type videos)
* Simulation based peer instruction questions

Other activities
* Web quizzes
* Using MAPLE in chemistry teaching
* Interactive chemistry e-book prototype
* Mini seminars on education


What was the money used for?

Student helpers
* Janus Eriksen
* Toke Fritzemeier
* Anne Schou Hansen

Software
* Polleverywhere (web-clicker)
* Screenflow/Camtasia (screencast software)
* iPad apps

Hardware
* Wacom Bamboo tablet
* iPad
* Web server

Suggestions for future funding
* Fund people instead of projects
Example: Hughes investigators. "By appointing scientists as Hughes investigators, rather than awarding them grants for specific research projects, the investigators are provided with long-term, flexible funding that gives them the freedom to explore and, if necessary, to change direction in their research. Moreover, they have support to follow their ideas through to fruition—even if that process takes a very long time."

* Make outreach a funding requirement
To continue to receive funding you should demonstrate that you are sharing your new teaching techniques with your colleagues.

* Students should be required to have a laptop
This is self-evident but apparently it needs to be said: You cannot incorporate IT deeply into your teaching unless you can be sure that all students have a laptop.  Why isn't the University of Copenhagen doing this yet?
 
* Power in classrooms and exams
If we want the students to use their computers we must provide them with basic necessities like power.  Right now most classroom have 1-2 power outlets, and the students do not have any access to power outlets during exams. 

* Control over internet access at exams
Many exam rooms do not have WiFi, so we can't write exams that require internet access to complete.  Conversely, many more teachers would embrace the use of computers if they can be sure access to the internet (for example using 3G) is not possible during exams.  This can be done with with "WiFi jammers".