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Evaluation of Study Course Concepts: Juris Benders University of Latvia

This presentation evaluates the study course concepts of Juris Benders University of Latvia, focusing on the criteria of evaluation, content issues, and formal quality. The evaluation considers the interdisciplinary approach, environmental science and education principles, and the balance between theory and application. It also highlights the need for comprehensive and balanced content that reflects sustainable development principles, addresses current issues, and incorporates professional competences.

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Evaluation of Study Course Concepts: Juris Benders University of Latvia

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  1. EU TEMPUS ECOBRU project meeting, Kiev; 26.10.2015. Evaluation of study course concepts Juris Benders University of Latvia

  2. Structure of presentation Criteria of evaluation: according ECOBRU tasks, environmental science annd education principles Evaluation: structured according main issues in course concepts (main part of presentation) General conclusions

  3. Criteriaofevaluation Courseconceptsshouldbeelaborated: -forqualificationdevelopment– professional competenceofteachers/ tutors (schools, colleges, universities); • forlearning AND applicationofknowledge, skills, competencesinpractice; - forfurtherimplementationineducationalinstitutions;

  4. Criteriaofevaluation Courseconceptsshouldincludeallcoursedescriptionissues: - aims, tasks; • targetgroups – specified; • content; • results/ learningoutcomes (knowledge, skills, competences); - methodologyissues – accordingtasksandcontent (!) - controlforms;

  5. Criteriaofevaluation: contentissues Environmentalsciencebased: - sustainabledevelopmentperspective; - interdisciplinarity (not mono) approach (nature, economicandsocialissues); - environmentalprotection, environmentalpolicy/ legislation, environmentaltechnologiesandproduction, natureresourcesmanagement, environmentalawarenessandbehaviour orientedissuesaccordingenvironmentalsciencedevelopment;

  6. Criteriaofevaluation: contentissues Environmentaleducation/ environmentalpedagogybased – comprehensiveframeofmethodologyaccordingtasks, content, targetgroup; Environmentalproblemsandsolutionsoriented- linkwithcurrentissues; Professional competencesinvarioussectors;

  7. Criteriaofevaluation: formalqualityissues Logics and mutual conformity (between tasks, content, methodology) Language and translation issues Completeness, readiness

  8. . Evaluation of study courses: structured according the course concept issues

  9. Evaluationofstudycourses: content Interdisciplinarity approach: Large part of courses have not enough wide and complex view (interdisciplinarity) on current problems and solutions – economic and social aspects are not taken into account. There are a row of advanced courses, where interdisciplinarity approach is used, problems are looked through different perspectives.

  10. Evaluationofstudycourses: content Therearecourses, wherecontentisuncovered formally (notreflectingtheessence) – hereare risks that: • contentdoesnotcorrespond to aimsandwillbedifficulties to applycompetencesinpractice; • contentdoesnotfitswithprofessionalorientation, environmentalcompetence.

  11. Evaluationofstudycourses: content ImportantisbalancebetweenEnvironmentalscience/ ecologytheoryandapplied, profesionalaspects. Inadequate (in ECOBRU project) arecourseswithbothextremes. Goodstudycourseincludesboth: • Environmentalscience/ ecologybasedprinciples, frame, aswellas • appliedorientedmeasures, management instruments, technologies. Thereisimportant to remember, thattheseprinciplesandapplied instruments aredevelopingintime: economicdevelopment, environmentalpolicy/ legislation, technologyandecoinovationsdevelopment– theroleofcurrentliteratureresources!!

  12. Evaluation of study courses: content Sometimes courses: - are focused to much on professional aspects according legislation requirements – its a kind of one extreme. - are not fully reflecting the sustainable development basic principles regarding attitudes, consumption isues and values (especially for environmental awareness oriented courses).

  13. Evaluation of study courses: content There are a lot of study courses, where content is overload/ too large. We can understand the wish of course authors to include all relevant topics – but finally we get a course, where successful course realization is not possible. Large part of courses should be analysed according their content volume. Priority for certain course topics should be specified or the course duration in time should be changed.

  14. Evaluation of study courses: content Not enough comprehensive content from point of environmental science development, interdisciplinarity, etc., where we must consider about integration of certain principal topics (giving more wider and realistic look, instead of previous), see further examples. For example: may be not to concentrate only to bioindications, but to environmental monitoring with much broad perspective and practical application.

  15. Evaluation of study courses: content Forexample: it isimportant to introduceandexplaintheroleoflifecyclesandecodesign, ecoinnovations, industrialecologyissuesandideology «fromcradle to cradle» foreconomic/ industrydevelopmentorientedcourses. Forexample: it isimportant to introduceandexplaintheroleofEnvironmentaltechnologies(principlesandtheirhierarhy) andcleanerproductionforenvironmentalsoundproduction / industrydevelopmentorientedcourses.

  16. Evaluation of study courses: content Forexample: it isimportant to introduceandexplaintheroleofecosystemsservices, ecosystemsstabilityandimpacts to differentecosystems – fornatureresourceprotectionorientedcourses. Forexample: it isimportant to showtraficas a partofsustainableinfrastructure(linkswithnature, economy, socialissues) and to indicatevarioustraficalternativesand trends (futureperspective).

  17. Evaluation of study courses: content For example: it is important to show EIA principles, main steps of EIA, EIA benefits and good EIA examples in EIA related courses. Sometimes course content is targeted to students, but not to teachers/ tutors, who should learn how to realize and implement study course (according the course aims). For example, for some LSTU and PSTU courses the course development/ adaptation to teachers should be considered.

  18. Evaluation of study courses: content Coursecontentdoesnotcorrespond to coursetitle andtasks: themesarenotrelated to courseideology. Thattakesplace, whencourseauthorsare trying «to add» newnecessaryaims to theold/ previousstudycourse.

  19. Evaluation of study courses: content Formal, narrow, not environmental science based content as a result of bad, poor Literature resources; from point of necessary topics, as well as, relative old resources (older than 2005, even 1995). Some courses are putting too large attention to legal acts.

  20. Evaluation of study courses: content Thereis a strongrelationship: themostadvanced/ comprehensivecoursesarecourseswithrich, wide andcurrent (new) Literatureresources!! Hereis a ratherlargedifferencebetweenproject partners. MostadvancedLiteratureresourceshavecoursesfrom NTU, CHNU, VSPNU (UA), MSTU, RSUCE, NCTC (RU), Thatcouldbegooddevelopmentpotentialforanotheruniversities, becauselikely, thesebooks (inRussian) areavailableforalluniversities.

  21. Evaluation of study courses: content Coursetitle Sometimestitlesareas «drafttitles»: • toolongor • notcoresponding to thecontentor • with bad translation. Forexample, insteadof «Assessingtheimpactto theenvironment: roads, structures, enterprisesforconstructionandmaintenanceworks» bettercouldbe«Environmentalaspectsinroadconstructionsector».

  22. Evaluation of study courses: methodology Some universites are not enough focusing on necessary teaching methods and course control forms in order to achieve course aims and participants would be able to learn and implement certain competences. That relates to interactive discussions, role games, brain storms, case studies, as well as to elaboration of course works, possible recomendations.

  23. Evaluation of study courses: methodology Large part of universities have designed course with well-considered methodology, demonstrating very advanced competence in environmental pedagogy. That relates to: NTU, CHNU, VSPNU (UA), MSTU, RSUCE (RU), ISEU (BY)

  24. .Evaluation of study courses: methodology It isveryimportant to designcomprehensiveandappropriatepackageofcoursecontrolforms, whichareprofessionallybasedandgoodspecified. Therearecoursewithverytraditional « copypaste» controlforms. Butweshouldconsideronappropriateforms: someuniversitiesareusingcourseworks (althoughsmallformat); .

  25. .Evaluation of study courses: methodology Goodcourseresults / learningoutcomesmakesure, thatcoursegoalswillbeachievedandacquiredcompetenceswillbeused/ implement. Someuniversitiesareveryadvancedcreatingappropriatelearningoutcomes, asanexample: Learn…………..; Reproducemethodsof………; Identifyprocesses ………; Classify elements of……..; Comparecases…; Apply instruments…; Makeclearthesystem…….; Explain……; Demonstrate……..;

  26. .Evaluation of study courses: methodology There is a lack of group work discussions – related to «good examples» and «real cases»; discussions about real cases; That relates mainly to courses on economic development, road construction, trafic, environmental problems in regions,etc.

  27. .Evaluation of study courses: methodology We should consider how the designed methodology fits with certain target group in school, university, enterprise conditions and how it works. Besides, there are some courses, where the methodology part is not elaborated at all or not complete.

  28. General conclusions Thereare ECOBRU projectpartners, whoelaboratedadvancedandexcellentstudycourseconcepts: • accordingprojectaims, • accordingenvironmentalscienceprinciplesand • appliedprofessionalrequirementsand • usingappropriatewell-consideredmethodology, whichleadsforlearning AND applicationofenvironmentalknowledge, skills, competencesinpractice.

  29. General conclusions There are study course concepts, where authors should consider on further improvements regarding to content, learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, competences), methodology issues and control forms finally ensuring the practical introduction of study course. The use of current Literature resources, well-considered measures regarding content development, elaboration of appropriate methodology and mutual conformity between all elements of study course concepts are key issues – for further development.

  30. General conclusions ECOBRU project partners/universities have already advanced achievements/ results and could create platform for successful experience/ information exchange. Therefore the expected and well planned mobility visits should solve a major part of course development problems.

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