EDLAB: innovator and bridge builder
Less than three years ago, artificial intelligence took on a tangible form with the arrival of ChatGPT. It heralded the start of a new technological era, widely seen as nothing less than the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The impact will be enormous, especially on education. Now, EDLAB is launching a major research project on the use of AI in Maastricht University’s system of Problem-Based Learning (PBL).
Last autumn marked the 10th anniversary EDLAB, UM’s Centre for Teaching and Learning. The milestone was celebrated with an exhibition and a modest party at the centre’s Tapijn base. And, perhaps most importantly, with the launch of a large-scale study on the role of AI in university education. The project, which will run for at least 18 months and tackle a wide range of questions, has been dubbed Future of Learning.
“EDLAB was founded to keep our educational model current and to innovate it,” says Ellen Bastiaens, who became director two years ago. “We track external developments and their impact on PBL in our six faculties, think about the future and identify trends. Nobody needs convincing that AI is more than a passing trend. Its rapid rise and impact force us to reflect on the future of learning, the role of knowledge, the role of universities and the changing labour market. And maybe even the ongoing viability of Problem-Based Learning itself.”
Perfect storm
Is PBL under threat? Not just yet, says Walter Jansen, coordinator at EDLAB and lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. “But we can’t just sit back and wait to see what happens. The education sector could find itself caught in a perfect storm. The wildest utopian, but also dystopian, theories are circulating about the consequences of AI: heavier workloads for teaching staff, falling student numbers, budget cuts, shifting public opinion. The question is how we can best organise our unique PBL system and address today’s social and educational challenges. We want to analyse realistic future scenarios from a critical perspective—hence this in-depth study.”
Staying sharp
This is exactly what EDLAB was set up to do: keep UM’s education system sharp. “That’s the heart of it,” Bastiaens says. “We follow developments in higher education and consider them in light of UM’s educational philosophy. Three years after it was founded, EDLAB carried out a major evaluation of PBL. That led to a recalibration and a fresh emphasis on our learning principles: constructive, collaborative, contextual and self-directed learning—CCCS for short. After Covid, we studied the effects of remote and hybrid learning. And now, the focus is on AI. Each step has been a milestone, but education is always changing. EDLAB is here to respond to that, and to support our professors, lecturers and tutors in offering students the best possible education and research, in line with the needs of society and the business community.”
15 specialists
Today, EDLAB employs 15 education specialists who keep a close eye on educational developments and share knowledge with other institutions. “Every educational institution has its own EDLAB,” Bastiaens says. “We’re always looking for collaboration. Above all, we want to bring new knowledge and insights to our lecturers, paying special attention to the intersections with PBL. After all, that’s what sets UM apart and what we’re determined to preserve. It’s been in our DNA for nearly 50 years. Other universities have also shifted towards practical groupwork, but it’s still what makes us unique.”
All faculties
Education days, workshops, an informative digital magazine, courses—EDLAB uses a wide range of tools to share the latest knowledge and insights with tutors and lecturers. The challenge is to serve all faculties. “Science is different from medicine or law,” Jansen points out. “Solving a maths problem together isn’t the same as discussing a patient’s case. But PBL remains our guiding principle. One of our jobs is to build bridges between the faculties. That’s why we organise workshops and meetings to encourage dialogue and share experiences. Tailored to the different faculties, but with one common mission: to continue to develop and implement our education in line with CCCS, in a small-scale, student-centred and problem-based manner. EDLAB is the linchpin that connects everything and makes sure that all faculties and programmes take up the innovations.”
Talented students
Alongside keeping the teaching staff up to date, EDLAB also runs special programmes for talented students: PREMIUM, MaRBLe and Honours+. “We offer research projects for high-achieving bachelor’s students who want an extra challenge. In PREMIUM, master’s students work together on academic issues and real-world projects with regional companies. All of these programmes bring together small groups of students and tutors from different faculties, exactly in the spirit of PBL. This way, issues are viewed broadly, with an eye for both content and entrepreneurship.”
Top-quality education
EDLAB has become a vital cog within the university, says Bastiaens. “We’re a permanent sparring partner for all six faculties when it comes to designing educational programmes, whatever the subject matter. We connect them with the latest educational insights. Our aim now is to embed AI in our PBL system in a relevant and meaningful way.”
Text: Jos Cortenraad
Photography: Philip Driessen
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