Cards against Pedagogy game now available as Open Education Resource
A new card game, Cards Against Pedagogy, developed by Donna Carroll, Senior Coordinator for Professional Development at EDLAB, is now available as an Open Educational Resource (OER) through edusources.
The game, designed to help educators reflect on their teaching practices, was warmly received at the UM Education Days and is now accessible for free download, with the option to adapt it for professional development.
An innovative tool for professional development
At the recent UM Education Days, Donna Carroll introduced Cards Against Pedagogy, an interactive card game she created to encourage participants to connect and think critically about their teaching methods.
"I was keen to try something new," Donna explains. "Inspired by the popular Cards Against Humanity and thanks to its open license (Creative Commons CC-BY), I was able to adapt and build upon the original design. In my version, Cards Against Pedagogy, I added a reflection round where participants share insights about effective teaching and learn from one another, making the game not only fun but also a powerful professional development tool."
Following its positive reception at the event, Cards Against Pedagogy gained attention from educators at other institutions. Donna later showcased it at the National Conference for EHON (Het Expertisenetwerk Hoger Onderwijs), which further sparked interest. As a result, she decided to make the game available as an open resource via edusources.
With the support of the Maastricht University Library, the game is now free to download, adapt, and even customise. Blank cards are included in the set for educators to print and add their own teaching prompts. The game received nearly 200 views in its first week.
Download now
The digital version of Cards Against Pedagogy is available for download: Cards Against Pedagogy. Those creating their own versions are asked to credit the original work: Cards Against Pedagogy, created by Donna Carroll with graphic design by Damian Chmielewski, Maastricht University, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Photo gallery: Playing Cards Against Pedagogy during UM Education Days 2024
Instructors naturally hope their students enjoy their courses, but enjoyment isn’t usually the primary focus when designing education.
Fun is crucial—it fosters a positive atmosphere that enhances engagement, creativity, collaboration, and learning.
Cards Against Pedagogy includes a reflection round where participants share insights about effective teaching and learn from one another.
The game is not only fun but also a powerful professional development tool.
Open Educational Resources at UM
Open Educational Resources (OER) provide free, adaptable teaching materials for students and staff at Maastricht University. Ranging from individual handouts to full courses, these resources are licensed under open terms such as Creative Commons, allowing for sharing and customisation. Maastricht University Library also holds a license for edusources, a national platform for OER developed by SURF, where Cards Against Pedagogy can be accessed.
Also read
-
Research report: Fostering self-regulated learning at Maastricht University – Insights from educators and literature
Drawing on academic literature, good practices, and the experiences of UM teaching staff, this handbook outlines what SRL is, how it connects to our CCCS educational model, and how it can be applied in day-to-day teaching. It includes concrete examples, tools, and reflections from colleagues across...
-
ESAB students receive certificates for their contributions in 2025
In the academic year 2024-2025, 11 UM students joined the EDLAB Student Advisory Board (ESAB) and contributed their ideas to cross-faculty discussions on teaching, learning, and educational innovation.
-
More than another ‘to-do’: how the UTQ helped me rethink my teaching
At Maastricht University, the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) is a professional development programme designed to strengthen teaching and learning. It supports teachers in developing core teaching competencies through a combination of workshops, peer learning, on-the-job experience, and...
