ICL Workshop 5

Johan Thorbiörnson, Christer Johannesson, and Göran Karlsson, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

In Sweden as in many other countries there are problems in science teaching due to students’ poor understanding and pre-knowledge in mathematics and physics. These problems can often be addressed to a too big gap between real knowledge from high school and initial presumed level of mathematics and science courses at university level. Much time must thus be used for low level basic teaching in first year courses before university level science can be taught.

Thus bridging courses are most wanted to raise the students’ knowledge to a full university introductory level at the beginning of university studies and also to increase students’ chances to pass courses at university. The result will be fewer first year drop-outs, which all involved will benefit from. Another result will be that higher university standards also will recruit more qualified students to universities.

Online courses make it possible for developing countries to deliver high quality courses in rural areas at low costs.

World wide online courses will also form a standard which can be used as a benchmark for an introductory level and to promote students to be more mobile and to take courses in other places than in their native countries.

Content:

In this workshop we will present

• how and why the bridging mathematics and physics courses were produced
• how the courses operate with large cohorts of students
• how the examination may be rationalized and automatized
• how the examination may include computer supported cooperative group work
• how a national cooperative network math.se of nine Swedish universities was set up
• how a similar international network might be created

The workshop will finish with discussions on how to create an international network similar to math.se and how to implement courses world-wide. Some steps are already taken to study this course and other online courses from other countries.

We are open to start collaboration with other education establishments world wide to enhance and spread this e-learning model.

The (normal) student target group consists of students who will continue their studies at a university. Especially students who will make a career in science and technology will get most benefits from this course.

The course might come handy to students already studying at universities. Students who have problems understanding basic science can use this online course as a supplementary course in parallel with ordinary university courses in science.

The target group for participants at the workshop is

• faculties
• students
• education managers
• developers of LCMS courses
• others with interest in online education, especially at an international cooperative level.
  
  

No special knowledge is needed. Experiences of using a LCMS is an advantage. Also experiences of international course cooperation is an advantage.

Half-day workshop :

• Background and concept: 1 hour.
• Demonstration of courses: 1 hour.
• Discussion: 1 hour.
  
  

Presenters:

Johan Thorbiörnson, PhD, Assoc. professor, Director of KTH Center for Netbased Learning, KTH, School of Engineering Sciences, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden, email: johanthor@kth.se

Christer Johannesson, PhD, Assoc. professor, Director of Basic Science Education, KTH, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH-Physics, Alba Nova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden, email: christer@physics.kth.se

Göran Karlsson, PhD, Assoc. professor, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH-Mechanics, SE-10 44 Stockholm, Sweden, email: karlsson@mech.kth.se