[sefi 2017] european students' perspective on self directed learning and the role of the professor

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European Students‘ Perspective on Self-Directed Learning and the Role of the Professor Celine Smekens1; Maximilian Friedle 1; Hanija Bujas 1; Joao Camacho 1; Mustafa Berke Erdis 1 1Board of European Students of Technology

Introduction Changes in engineering education

Students = self-directed in their learning process

Self-directed learning  improves soft skills

Students  have higher capacity to successfully conceive and manage projects and reach their goals

In 2016 a case study on the topic of the “Ideal mentoring system and the ideal mentor” was carried out during EoE Copenhagen. Students gave their perspective on these two matters, from professors‘ and students‘ point of view. (Table 2)

This paper shares opinions on the role of a professor in a self-directed learning environment. These opinions from European students were gathered during Events on Education, organised by the Board of European Students of Technology (BEST). BEST is a non-profit, non-governmental and apolitical students’ organisation that consists of 3300 internationally minded students of technology from 32 countries. BEST strives to develop 1.3 million students from 94 universities by providing them complementary education, career support and educational involvement through high quality services.

Students participating in EoE Copenhagen did a SWOT analysis of the educational system with professors in their classic role. After the evaluation, the participants found some solutions for a potential university education without professors in their classical role, which are the following: • Creation of an online, Wikipedia-like platform; • Removal of the professors from the current system; • Free classroom; • Closing the gap between universities and companies.

Methods and Materials

Answering the question „what should be the professor’s role under the concept of self-directed learning“, students from our research stated that the most important role of a professor is guiding them through the learning process. Following, other important tasks of a professor are: • Focusing on objectives, • Promotion of critical thinking, • Motivating students, • Providing feedback, mentoring, • Being available for students, • Providing materials and resources, • Establishing and keeping track of deadlines.

One of BEST’s activities with respect to its Educational Involvement is a series of events under the name ‘Events on Education’ (EoEs). With EoEs and their results, the awareness towards engineering students’ opinion on STEM education is to be raised. Students from different countries, with different cultural and educational backgrounds take part in an EoE in order to tackle an important topic in STEM education. A session of an EoE describes a certain time frame during which members of the BEST Educational Involvement Department act as facilitators. A wide range of facilitation methods (e.g. brainstorming, fishbone diagrams, group discussions and learning café) were applied.

Results

Professors‘ perspective

According to participants of EoE Gliwice, making a SDL class more appealing and interesting to students requires 6 essential points: • Be motivated about the subject; • Make course interesting; • Social contact, motivating each other; • Collaborative is much better than alone; • Set milestones; • Universities posting their own materials tutorials and tests, extra material.

Ideal mentor

During EoE Copenhagen, an examination was held, consisted of developing an educational system that could be implemented in all the countries of origin of the participants. To develop this system, the participants had to define up to 5 main problems in the current educational system and find a fitting solution. (Table 1)

Problem

Ideal mentoring system

Self-directed learning

Lack of motivation and involvement of students

Creation of their own solutions, analysis and interactive classes, which comes with SDL

Lack of teaching training

Training sessions for teachers in order to use gamification, online courses, reversed classrooms and self-directed learning

Loss of concentration

Self-directed learning classes

Céline Smekens Email: celine.smekens@best.eu.org Phone: +32489195510 Hanija Bujas Email: hanija.bujas@best.eu.org Phone: +38670500856 Board of European Students of Technology Website: www.best.eu.org

Approachable Reliable Dedicated Available Flexible Eager to teach Mentor treats all students eaqually Several mentors per student Continuous process

Conclusions Being a self-directed learner helps the students to become more motivated, self-disciplined, confident, goal-oriented and persistent. Throughout the active, SDL experience, the mentoring by a professor is seen as necessary and beneficial for enhanced understanding and personal growth. European students of technology concluded that in a self-directed learning context, a good professor: • has knowledge on guiding the students throughout the whole process, • is clear in transmitting to the students the goals that need to be achieved. Consequently, the role of a professor on the academic scene is predicted to gradually shift from lecturer towards technical mentor as Self-Directed Learning methods find their way into students’ curriculums.

Table 1. Four main problems in the current educational system and fitting solutions.

Contact

Open-minded

Talkative Motivating Experienced Has relevant skills Emotionally intelligent Tolerant & respectful Rules of the communication defined by the mentor Scheduled social and informal meetings Regural mentoring

Table 2. Ideal mentor and ideal mentoring system.

Solution

Examination methods only evaluate a part of the acquired knowledge

Students‘ perspective

Facilitator of the learning process

References

1.

Caravello, M.J., Jimenez, J.R., Kahl, L.J., Brachio, B., Morote, E.S. (2015),Self-Directed Learning: College Students’ Technology Preparedness Change in the Last 10 Years, Journal for Leadership and Instruction, Fall 2015, pp. 18-25. Barry, R., Rees, M. (2011), Is (Self-Directed) Learning the Key Skill for Tomorrow’s Engineers?, European Journal of Engineering Education, Vol.31, No. 1, pp. 73-81. 3. Chou, P.N. (2012), The Relationship Between Engineering Students’ Self-Directed Learning Abilities And Online Learning Performances: A Pilot Study, Contemporary Issues in Education Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 33-38. 4. Yildiz, Y.U., Mihajlov, S., Sousa Pinto, D.J., Report on BEST Event on Education “Teach Me to Teach You!”, Copenhagen, 1 July - 11 July 2016, https://issuu.com/bestorg/docs/eoe-copenhagen. 5. Manasova, D., Merlier, A., Guliaeva, A., Wippich, A., Trajkovikj, N., Report on BEST Event on Education “Be on the right track with SMART, learning - change”, Gliwice, 21 July - 31 July 2016 https://issuu.com/bestorg/docs/eoe-gliwice. 6. Stanojevic, M., Garklava, E., Bour, I., Zhou, O.Y., Report on BEST Event on Education “Let's Cement The Canyon! Removing The Gap Between University and Profession”, Riga, 23 July - 31 July 2015, https://issuu.com/bestorg/docs/eoe_riga_report. 7. Brown, J., Isaacs, D., Rgulies, N., Warhaftig, G., (1999), The World Café: Catalyzing Large-Scale Collective Learning, Pegasus Communications. 8. Glaser, B., Strauss A., (2012), The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research, Transaction Publishers. 9. Mayring, P. (2000), Qualitative Content Analysis, Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Vol. 1, No. 2, Art. 20, http://www.qualitativeresearch.net/index.php/fqs/article/viewArticle/1089/2385. 10. Guo, P.J., Reinecke, K. (2014), Demographic Differences in How Students Navigate Through MOOCs, L@S 2014, ACM, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 2.


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