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Develop your own (technological) teaching idea, from concept to prototype in just three days. A challenge nearly 50 higher education students eagerly accepted during the EduChallenge from 20-22 April. They could rely on five ITS colleagues for support, coaching and inspiration. They were three very intensive days, during which the students devised and developed some very creative ideas and solutions. 

                                           
The Department of Information and Technology Service (ITS) was one of the UU partners that organised the EduChallenge in collaboration with UMC Utrecht and Ricoh. ‘We embrace initiatives like the EduChallenge’, says ITS Deputy Director René den Houting. ‘The EduChallenge allows us to work closely with students to devise creative new ideas for the further development of IT for UU educational processes. Students play a key role; as hands-on experts they know better than anyone which aspects of their learning and studying process need innovating.’ 

Study information  

Two requirements emerged clearly from the ideas that were presented. Students are flooded with information about their subjects but that information is very widely dispersed. What is needed is a clear presentation and possibly even a pooling of study information. One team, for example, presented a dashboard with all the information on one course: from the required literature with library links to lecture previews. Students also feel the need to take more control of their academic career: to provide feedback and ask questions during a lecture, or a TripAdvisor-style function with reviews about the course or study programme.  

Guide the students

The way in which the students approached their ideas and presented their solutions was very inspiring. ‘There is a truly energetic vibe’, said Alice Pranger, tester at ITS.  Alice coached the students, together with four ITS colleagues. ‘This is so much fun’, she explains. ‘I want to brainstorm with them, and see how "we" can make the idea even better!’ The biggest challenge for the IT coaches was not to pay too much attention to the technical feasibility of the plans but, above all, to guide the students during the process. ‘I particularly tried to encourage them to think about the added value of their product could have, not only for students but also for businesses’, architect Tim van Neerbos said. Quite a tall order, Alice agrees: ‘It’s difficult, given the time they had, to come up with a really new idea that really offers added value. Ideas are often a variation on something that already exists. I advised them to then focus on differentiating from the existing application.’  

Together with students, colleagues and suppliers, the ITS department will examine the possibilities of shaping the co-creation of IT at our ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ. The EduChallenge was inspiring and the students’ ideas create an excellent basis for that. Caroline Besselink, ITS Director and one of the Challenge judges, endorsed this by presenting drones as awards during the well attended network drinks party.