Educational Innovation at Tilburg University

The Schools and the programs of Tilburg University are subject to continuous innovation, to tie in with the Educational Profile, to cater to students’ needs, or introducing new technologies that can yield better learning efficiency.

Tilburg University wants to share experiences and knowledge regarding educational innovation, and build more clout to further develop education. This resulted in the foundation of EDUiLAB in the fall of 2019. This HUB for innovation and education facilitates the innovation projects of Schools and programs as well as initiating and coordinating experiments of its own. All innovation projects aim to further develop students’ talents, to increase their knowledge, and to equip them to make a contribution to society. EDUiLAB’s focus is on increasing and sharing knowledge: evidence-based learning, life-long learning, and experimenting with new technologies.

The CUBE building, opened in 2018, allows teachers and students to use all kinds of different educational methods. The lecture rooms are designed to be multifunctional, suitable for lectures to big groups, and, in the blink of an eye, made equally suitable for working on group assignments. The computer rooms can also be used for multiple purposes: computer-aided education, independent study, and online testing.

For years now, Tilburg University has been using a Learning Management System. In 2019, we are introducing a new system, called Canvas. This system meets the needs of teachers, students and educational management, and offers excellent possibilities for blended learning and learning analytics

In 2018, the possibilities for online testing at Tilburg University were optimized. Not only have we introduced a new tool for online testing (TestVision), we now also have new and refurbished multifunctional rooms at our disposal that make it possible to administer tests on a larger scale.

Lecture rooms in CUBE are equipped with the latest AV presentation technologies. Classes can be video-recorded without prior arrangement, for instance, and the rooms allow for simultaneous classes, connecting separate locations, taught in cooperation with other (inter)national universities (connected classroom).

Many teachers use video and audio materials in their courses, such as recordings of classes or knowledge clips explaining a particular item. Tilburg University has its own film studios, lecture rooms with the latest AV tools, and a modern Learning Management System, to make this content easily available.

Tilburg University has a great many facilities at its disposal that enrich and innovate teaching. In the DAF Technology LAB, ‘mixed reality’ offers students a different kind of learning experience, while data are being collected on their actual learning process. The latter is done by measuring the students’ behavior and their physiological responses during a simulation. Sensitive measuring equipment is used to monitor and register heartbeat, skin conductance, breathing, and facial and eye movements. In addition to replacing classes by more interactive lab simulation sessions, the lab can also be used for carrying out assignments, for acquiring and practicing skills, or for doing independent research for a thesis.