Innovation in education
At Tilburg University, it is not something in the distant future but a present reality: teaching with virtual reality, sharing knowledge via your own recorded video lectures, or giving an interactive lecture with national and international students in the ‘classroom’. Our professionals are continually working on new ways to transfer knowledge. We stimulate these initiatives with technology-rich learning spaces and facilitating innovation projects undertaken by lecturers, Schools, and programs.
"Innovation in higher education: needed and feasible"
This is argued in the second essay in a series on education at Tilburg University. In this essay, innovations in education are discussed, as well as the changes in the educational landscape as a result of digitalization and the enormous opportunities offered by the latest educational technologies to improve educational methods, develop student-oriented education, and accommodate various learning styles. What can universities in general - and Tilburg University in particular - do to address these challenges? Read more about it in this essay, written by Philip Joos and Lex Meijdam.
Innovation in education at Tilburg University
Innovation within our education
With our Digital Educational Enhancement Program (DEEP), we enable staff to innovate our education.
From a new Learning Management System and online testing platform, advanced testing halls, and multi-functional lecture halls to a place where structural innovation in education by our lecturers is given ample opportunity: Tilburg University is innovating.
Tilburg University’s Schools and programs are continually thinking of ways to innovate education. We implement the educational profile, meet students’ needs, and foster a better learning experience with new technologies.
Innovative education requires technology-rich and innovative spaces.
AI is increasingly applied in the digital society and in education.
A unique experience in collaborative learning and education in the Experience Room.
EDUiLAB: Let’s innovate together
EDUiLAB Innovation Room
EDUiLAB’s home base is the Innovation Room. The space is dominated by a huge wall covered in whiteboards with the latest audiovisual technology. The Innovation Room offers a flexible, multi-functional education space that encourages collaboration, learning, and innovation with the support of new technologies.
Read more on EDUiLAB and the Innovation Room
Let us highlight some of EDUiLAB’s projects.
With EDUiLAB (Educational Innovation Lab), we move our education forward: by experimenting with innovative ideas, trying out new teaching methods, or applying tools in class. Or by encouraging Schools to share educational experiences. Per School, innovation coordinators have been appointed. Staff with an idea for an experiment or project on new technologies in education can count on support by EDUiLAB.
Read more on EDUiLAB for Tilburg University staff (please log on).
- Innovate Your Education with time and money
Innovation means investing time and resources. With the Innovate Your Education program, Tilburg University wants to encourage lecturers who want to innovate within their field. They receive funding and support in the form of didactical expertise for an educational innovation project aimed to design or review a course or program, implement innovative didactic elements, employ new tools, or design innovative testing methods. - Edubadges as digital proof of competencies
Edubadges are accredited proof of knowledge and skills mastered during and after a program. Tilburg University is closely involved in the development of these microcredentials in education and collaborates on the subject with SURF, in which education and research institutions work together on ICT facilities and innovation. These digital badges can be shared online, allowing students to profile themselves towards educational institutions or future employers.
Read more
EDUinspire: Let's inspire each other
EDUinspire is the educational innovation portal for Tilburg University staff, pre-eminently a place to get inspired and share knowledge on educational innovation, for instance, with various teaching tools to assist in developing or teaching innovative classes. It also contains experiences of colleagues, innovation projects in the Schools, and workshops as well as special projects to attain teaching qualifications.
The broad topics that EDUinspire focuses on vary from online teaching and testing and the use of IT in lectures to interaction with students and time management: get inspired as a Tilburg University instructor by the many examples on EDUinspire (logging on is required).
Here are a few inspiring stories.
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A bull's-eye: the case study to assess
Fons Naus used a case study innovatively: as an exam. It worked: students are challenged and work on valuable skills and practical insights.
More information -
Transform your video into a real seminar
How do you make a seminar instructive, fun and interactive? Researcher and instructor Tjebbe Geldof discovered Edpuzzle, a tool with which he is able to give interactive web lectures.
More information -
How to activate students and boost creativity with feedback tools
One of the most valuable ways to learn is to learn from each other. How do you get students to really actively do this? Have students submit and peer review creative videos, blogs and presentations.
More information
Open access to education and research
Sharing knowledge increases the quality of education. Therefore Tilburg University stimulates ‘open education’ to make materials freely available. This will contributes to our visibility and recognition and keeps education and research affordable. Via our Open Science Community, for instance, lecturers share important papers and post lectures online. In this way, we make education and research more easily accessible.
Acknowledged educational innovators in ComeniusNetwerk
In ComeniusNetwerk, acknowledged educational innovators work together to design ways to further improve higher education. Its members are recipients of Comenius grants. They distinguish themselves with an appealing combination of love of teaching and the way they put educational innovation into practice. With the help of the Comenius grant, lecturers put their view of education into practice. Several Tilburg University lecturers are members of the network.
More information on the ComeniusNetwerk (in Dutch)