Prof. Dr. Armin Hollenstein

context

1. The InSTEM bridging program enables students from disadvantaging backgrounds to study the substantive prerequisites for NUST degree programs in a full-time academic year (InSTEM: Introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. / www.nust.na/?q=instem-one- year-bridging-program).
   Mathematics courses tend to act as "gate keepers", which clearly led to dropouts too often at NUST. The aim of our engagement is to increase the success rate in mathematics by individualizing the learning process using blended learning, a combination of face-to-face teaching and eLearning.
   In collaboration with the faculty of mathematics, physics and the InSTEM management, my teammate Ernst Elsener and I are composing ICT-supported teaching and learning environments in mathematics in the third year, starting in physics this year as well. Being on site, we accompany the introduction of those learning environments into the actual InSTEM courses.
   In the academic years 2017, 18 and 19, these co-developed mathematics courses have been used extensively and the participants – students like lecturers – were asked about their experiences.
   

2. Plagiarism in student work is a serious problem at NUST, due to a lack of specific knowledge regarding academic writing and a scientifically correct handling of sources. In collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Unit at NUST, the NUST-Library develops two blended learning courses on Academic Integrity – Plagiarism:
   (a) Short course at the beginning of all study programs at NUST, “Raising the red flag”
   (b) Semester course in Academic Writing - Referencing
   In the development of these eLearning environments we take an advisory role.
   

3. Experienced members of the teaching staff at NUST strive for higher qualifications, i.e. regarding empirical research methodology. In this process, I coach them in the area of data analysis, especially in the fundations of statistics and the use of the statistical software SPSS to analyze empirical data.

Cooperation with university staff

1. Lecturers in Mathematics @ InSTEM:
   Optimizing the eLearning environments ITM401S and ITM402S that we implemented last year into NUST's Learning Management System (LMS) Moodle. This fine tuning was done in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU) at NUST.

   Cooperative introduction of the blended learning scenario ITM402S to the students during the 1st week of my stay.

2. Lecturers in Physiscs @ InSTEM:
   Discussion and planning of new to build blended learning courses IPH401S and IPH402S (Introduction to Physics A & B).

3. Teaching and Learning Unit, Library:
   Conceptual consulting in the development of blended learning courses in Academic Integrity - Plagiarism and Academic Writing - Referencing.

4. Coaching and research-methodological training of a veteran employee of the NUST (further qualification).

Cooperation with students

During my stay, I participated in mathematics and physics courses with the goal to personally experience teaching style as well as the students learning behavior.

As a lecturer, I introduced student study groups to the Moodle-based teaching-learning environment ITM402S, which was built by us. In cooperation with the NUST mathematics lecturer I coached the initial phase of the individualized work done by the students.

 In cooperation with the mathematics lecturer Ilenikemanya Diinineni Opawa Ndadi, I optimized online exercise tests. They help students familiarize themselves with the online test procedure.

 Using the same "knitting pattern", we built Moodle-based online tests used at regular intervals (done out of Switzerland). These formal tests will be used during the 2nd semester 2019. Experiences with the test module are exchanged over the Internet.

Impact and win-win

With the transfer of the teaching-learning environments ITM40nS from Google Sites (used as a prototyping site by B360) to NUST's own LMS Moodle, an essential step was taken to introduce them to the InSTEM faculty. 

An analog development process for IPH402S - Introduction to Physics B shall continue, being ready for the first semester 2020. Again, in collaboration with the lecturer for physics, a prototype in Google Sites content to be revised and transferred as a result into Moodle. 

Expanding collaboration with the University's Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU) is important: Not only can the InSTEM program now rely on on-site support, but design ideas, developed through the teamwork between InSTEM and B360, are now being generally introduced via TLU into university teaching. 

The online tests designed by the B360 team uses Moodle's own audit tools:
(a) They take a heavy load of the lecturer by automated marking, (b) they increase reliability and consistency of the assessment, (c) provide well-founded analysis of student performance and last but not least (d) they became a standard for further examination subjects in the InSTEM program. 

In collaboration with the ITM team - and not least thanks to its specifications - we as a B360 team get to know techniques of ICT-based performance appraisal. 

Proven members of the teaching staff of NUST learn from us in terms of research methodology a support and continuing education necessary for their further qualification. At the same time, we get to know structures and NUST-internal mechanisms.

Personal message

My assignment was and is marked by the continuation of an intensive and instructive task. At the center was the continuation of the cooperation with InSTEM, which also remains intensive by interacting with it’s staff out of Switzerland. It is characterized by an institution dedicated to qualitative improvement on several levels. The focus is on the effort to optimize teaching and thus to open up educational opportunities for students from disadvantaging backgrounds. 

Collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Unit, the Library and individual staff greatly enriched my time at the NUST and opened up new perspectives.