A.3.2.1. Training seminar on curriculum development and course content in Riga
Posted on July 5th, 2018
The goal of the training seminar was dedicated to improving skills in curriculum development and course content. As the main outcome of this event the 2nd draft of course syllabi was prepared by participants form partner institutions.
The event hosted by RTU/P1 was scheduled from 21st to 25th May, 2018 and was held in Riga, Latvia in the RTU Faculty of Power and Electrical Engineering. Participants form five partners P1/RTU, P7/ KSPEU, P8/NEFU, P9/ HCMUTE and P10/ HUMG actively collaborated to prepare and improve syllabi of 5 academic courses. The training seminar provided the opportunity for presentations and discussion, as well as acting as a knowledge transfer platform to exchange best practice.
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On the first day of the seminar, the main topics of the presentations were devoted to standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area and European qualification framework EQF, as well as comparing national credit point system to European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). After discussion on the main on evaluation criteria for course syllabi in the framework of the ESSENCE project, participants actively worked on development focusing mainly on the learning outcomes and assessment methods.
Correspondence of learning outcomes to Bloom’s taxonomy was self-evaluated in the beginning of the second day of the seminar, followed by brief excursions to auditoriums of the faculty RTU Faculty of Power and Electrical Engineering in order to start discussions on planned learning activities and teaching methods. Participants visited National Library of Latvia, as well as practically worked with Catalogue of RTU Scientific Library to expand the list of recommended or required reading.
Although the seminar was essentially intended to improve skills in curriculum development of the project participants, the public event was scheduled for the first half of the third day in which academic staff and PhD students of RTU participated. This event included brief presentations about the project ESSENCE and partner universities, as well as report on European power markets: the Baltic context and research at RTU. In addition to the formal sessions, time was built into the agenda for networking to interact in a more relaxed environment.
To engage in further discussion about equipment required for implementation of the study courses excursions to RTU laboratories including students’ creative laboratory were scheduled. Participants practically worked with UseScience system that has been developed to catalogue, record and locate laboratory equipment, ICT and specialist tools.
Within the last two days of the seminar individual discussions with the expert in the area of interest were provided for each partner in order to improve course outline. Also practical experience of RTU collaboration with industry was discussed.
The main presenters from RTU/P1 were Sandra Vitolina, Anastasija Ziravecka, Diana Zalostiba and Laila Zemite. All presentations and materials from the training seminar in Riga, including agenda, lists of participants and photos are available on Google Drive of the project Essence.
Prepared by Professor Sandra Vitolina
