edUMinded
edUMinded is the UM online magazine on Teaching & Learning
edUMinded is a place to discover, read and write stories about classroom experiments, reflections on professional development, student perspectives, tips and reviews, and more.
Do you have an idea for an article? edUMinded delivers articles from the Teaching & Learning community at Maastricht University to all education enthusiasts and welcomes contributions from staff and students alike. Contact us!
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Featured articles
How I rely on my university-taught writing skills, now that I use ChatGPT as my daily assistant at work: perspective of a recent graduate
How does a recent graduate transition from using AI tools with caution at university to embracing them at work?
UCM graduate Helen Frielingsdorf shares her experience of adapting to AI, particularly ChatGPT, in her professional life. She describes how the writing skills she developed at university still play a key role in her work and reflects on the impact of education in preparing students for their careers.
What do we really value? Rethinking our approach to education at UM in the age of GenAI
As part of an EDLAB research fellowship, Robyn Ausmeier spoke with UM staff and students about how they’re using GenAI in their teaching and learning. Their experiences reveal not just practical insights but also deeper questions about creativity, assessment, and the role of educators.
Ausmeier now reflects on the lessons learned, the ongoing challenges, and what these insights reveal about the values at the core of UM education.
Classroom experiments
What student use of Grammarly tells us about writing support
In this article, John Harbord, writing advisor at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS), looks at the patterns of Grammarly use
PBL otherwise: senses-based learning
Emilie Sitzia explores how to (re)integrate our eight senses into Problem-Based Learning.
Moss art in education: a tool for reflection and problem-solving
Burak Can: "People actually learned a way to see their challenges as opportunities for creation."
Students exploring research together: collaborative learning in a methods course
Alexandra Supper challenges the conception that skills training operates separately from Problem-Based Learning (PBL) principles.
How making videos changed my dismissive view of PBL
Making educational videos enabled math teacher Stefan Maubach to turn education theories from abstract concepts into practical tools.
How to quickly make videos that get "The Job Done"
Do you know that making educational videos can actually be a more fun, less frustrating and less time-consuming experience?
How to teach students to learn how to learn? Making theory practical
Therese Grohnert studies how teachers can empower students to become lifelong learners in a way that is both motivating and relevant.
Jacob Ward's experience with authentic assessment: smiles, surprises and some wobbles
Jacob Ward, Assistant Professor in History, asked his students to design a museum exhibition instead of writing an academic paper.
Ready. Set. Integrate! Revitalising the lost art of integration in calculus through student competition
Martijn Boussé implemented an integration competition in a calculus course for engineering students.
Enhancing self-regulation: the power of practice testing and the role of self-assessment
Researchers at the School of Business and Economics investigated two strategies to support students in becoming self-regulated learners.
Insights and reflections
City collaboration
Students digitise Maastricht's history with an interactive museum collection
During her Master's programme in Digital Cultures, Nada Naguib participated in a unique, collaborative digital project between Maastricht University and the Maastricht Museum at Centre Céramique, aiming to involve international students in making Maastricht's history more accessible and increasing the cultural engagement of Maastricht's residents with their city.
Feeling lonely in PBL
Trust is crucial for effective Problem-Based Learning (PBL), even over brief periods.
Drawing on her experiences as a student and a tutor, Carolina Cicati discusses the challenges of building a collaborative learning environment when groups change frequently.
The student voice
Yes, students complain, but let us also listen to their suggestions.
In her experience as EDLAB Innovation Coordinator and a former UM student, Lena Gromotka has encountered four types of student voices - the Complainer, the Critic, the Idealist, and the Suggester. In this reflective piece, she envisions a larger role for students' perspectives in education.
Community of Practice
A community of practice in search of an identity.
In the spring of 2022, EDLAB set up a Community of Practice (CoP) for a group of teaching professionals, study advisors and students around the topic of blended learning. But the experiment soon ran into an identity crisis. The two CoP leaders Annechien Deelman and Hans Savelberg share the story.
Tips and reviews
Podcast: Alice in Eduland
In this first episode, we invite you to join our colleague Alice Pan as she explores the world of communities of practice with special guests Ellen Bastiaens, director of EDLAB, Karen D. Könings, Associate Professor at SHE, Maastricht University , and Robyn Ausmeier, Teaching fellow at Maastricht University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
More creativity and flexibility in education? Flip the classroom!
UM researchers published an article in Public Health Reviews in which they describe various successful flipped classroom activities.
Book review: Academic advising
'Encourage students to write the story of their education,' says Academic Advising specialist Peter L. Hagen in his book ''The Power of Story: Narrative Theory In Academic Advising". A review by Oscar van den Wijngaard.
Become an author
edUminded accepts contributions from anyone who feels connected with the Teaching & Learning community of Maastricht University.
edUMinded is a collegial collaboration where the EDLAB editorial team works directly with educators and researchers to publish articles for a broad audience.
Articles are generally related to one or more of the following perspectives:
- I did/made/tried/learned/found out about this, and here is why you should know about it.
- I read/saw/heard this, and here is why you should know about it.
- I think this, and here is why you should know about it.
- I know, researched (and possibly published about) this, and here is why you should know about it.
Why edUMinded
edUMinded is a platform where Maastricht University teachers, education professionals and students showcase their expertise, share insights and connect with colleagues in key areas of UM education and educational research:
- problem-based learning education
- the international classroom
- global citizenship education
- diversity and inclusivity
- educational innovation
- educational research
- support for teachers and education professionals
