Dear members of the FORTHEM Alliance,

together, we aim at providing each member of the FORTHEM European Campus with access to a skill set and competences needed for a successful career in the face of the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. Against the backdrop of this goal, we are implementing a FORTHEM Think Tank dedicated to the discussion of innovative learning and teaching formats. 

All members of the Alliance are invited to participate in an online poll to select the topic, that will become the focus of the think tank’s activities in 2023. Three topics are available for choice (a brief description of each topic is provided at the end of this text): 

  1. Bricks and clicks: hybrid learning-and-teaching scenarios
  2. Project-based learning
  3. Service learning 

I look forward to broad participation in the online poll and fruitful discussions within the activities of the FORTHEM Think Tank.

Best regards

FORTHEM Team

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How to participate in the poll?  

Our survey will be conducted by means of an Audience Response System (ARS). You can take part in the Alliance-wide survey via the link/pin or the QR-code provided below. You do not have to register in order to participate in the selection process. Moreover, you make your choice anonymously.

https://partici.fi/56315062

The poll will be open between Mar-15 and Apr-15-2023. Participants will be asked for their preferred topic and for their affiliation to one of the nine FORTHEM Universities. We will announce the results on 21-Apr via the FORTHEM Homepage.

 

Who can participate in the poll?

Students, academic and non-academic staff of the nine FORTHEM Universities are eligible to participate in the online poll.

Survey results will lead to further opportunities for participation:  

Your choice matters: The topic that proves most popular in the survey will be selected and become this year’s thematic focus of the FORTHEM Think Tank. Further participation opportunities arise from the survey:

  1. An online campfire event with students from FORTHEM Universities will be held on the selected topic.
  2. Starting this year, a platform for co-design will be implemented continuing through all phases of the Think Tank (2023-26). It will provide topic specific content to engage with.
  3. From 16-Nov to 17-Nov-2023, the 1stSymposium on Innovative Pedagogy will be held at Mainz university. Experts from all FORTHEM Universities will be invited to engage with the topic you selected. Since the symposium will be a hybrid event, participants from across the Alliance will be given an opportunity to attend.

 

The three topics for the 2023 phase of the FORTHEM Think Tank 

  1. Bricks and clicks: hybrid teaching-and-learning scenarios 

The corona pandemic acted as a spur to innovation with regard to hybrid teaching-and-learning scenarios. How has the accelerated adoption of technology-mediated educational approaches changed and shaped the teaching-and-learning environment of the post-pandemic here and now? Which experiences were made across the Alliance? Which challenges derive from the juxtaposition of digital culture and presence culture in teaching and learning, especially from the perspective of student well-being?

  1. Project-based learning

Project-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy that aims at fostering critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and communication skills: capabilities often referred to as 21st century skills. Which experiences with this teaching method have been made at FORTHEM universities? What concrete examples for the application of project-based learning can be identified among the Alliance and enrich the discussion of this topic?

  1. Service Learning

This topic explores the experiences of FORTHEM universities with teaching-and-learning scenarios that connect course activities with meaningful services to communities, genuine problem-solving of real-life issues, and civic engagement. Which examples for teaching projects that include not only instructors and students from FORTHEM universities, but also community partners, have been developed among the Alliance and can contribute to a broader discussion?

For questions and further information regarding the online poll and future participation opportunities in the context of the FORTHEM Think Tank, please contact Tobias Helms (Task Manager, helmst@uni-mainz.de).