Our latest storträff meeting was held this week. This time on the theme of future education. After the 150 or so participants had been given a summarising lecture on the results to date within the framework of future education, work continued in groups.
A very successful meet-up. The very strength of these storträff meetings lies in the opportunities for teachers, students and support personnel to exchange experiences. Opportunities to exchange experiences across School boundaries and between Schools and University Administration. Opportunities to choose your area of interest and initiate new areas yourself. Opportunities to delve deeper into Prioritised Educational Issues (PRiU Groups) for KTH education. Quite simply, opportunities to participate in KTH’s development together.
This genuinely collegial enterprise that includes all employees and students, has been highlighted as a good role model in the Swedish Higher Education Authority review of KTH’s quality assurance work. Equally important is that the enterprise is at the same time close to KTH management, as both the Vice President for Education chairs these meet-ups, and the PriU Groups regularly participate in Board of Education meetings.
One current example of note is the work being done by one of the PriU Groups on assessment and examination methods. They have done an excellent job showing how dividing semesters into periods can be adapted for a diversity of examination forms rather than being structured for more extensive final examinations in halls. A successful example of work that will not only lead to change but also chimes well with the future of education.
Other examples in the area within future education, and that were raised in group discussions during the big meet-up, concern the development of education that benefits active learning by students and the ability to manage and solve intractable problems, broadening recruitment and participation, teacher educational skills development plus examinations that support and deepen learning. Very rewarding discussions and important for KTH’s steps into the future.