Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management
Health Life & Science BA
March 2022
Description of the course
In the course Technology and Innovation, students design their technological innovation based on a challenge from a stakeholder. Students interact with stakeholders during the course and are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences working with peers and stakeholders. The course is part of the Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management bachelor program. The course takes place at the start of the second year.
What have we learned about impact-driven education in practice?
The results of this evaluation focus on the perspective of lecturers and stakeholders.
- Lecturers consider that teaching real-life problems and translating theory to practice are characteristics of impact-driven education. Furthermore, lecturers regard problem-solving as the most essential skill students need for their careers.
- Lecturers agreed that problem-based learning is the preferred teaching style for this course. They described Problem-based learning (PBL) as ensuring that the content of the instruction is centred around a project in which the students can work for the duration of the course. This learner-centred instructional approach requires teachers to let students take ownership of their decisions during the assignments.
- Lecturers see a different role for teachers in impact-driven education compared to traditional education. One lecturer refers that working with real-life problems brings opportunities to enhance the teachers’ interactions with their students. Overall, respondents explain this type of education requires others of student-teacher interactions besides motivating them.
- Stakeholders mentioned the benefit of gaining new insights from working with students and are positive to continue working with the university. These observations contribute to understanding what higher education institutions can offer to external stakeholders.
- Stakeholders perceive they contribute to students’ learning experience by providing them with real-life problems, helping them integrate theory to practice and building skills they need in their professional life, such as communication and scheduling appointments.
What are next steps to increase the impact capacity of students in similar learning environments?
- Increase understanding of the role teachers can adopt within an impact learning environment. It would be interesting to explore what other strategies besides problem-based learning teachers will be comfortable adopting in impact-driven education.
- More emphasis on teacher-stakeholder interactions. The relationship between the stakeholder and teachers could be challenging, and deciding on interactions and roles from the start is important. What happens between the teacher and the stakeholder? It is an area that requires further research.
Want to know more? Contact the team
Research and Evaluation
Eldris Con Aguilar
Manon Koopman
Learning Innovators Impact at the Core
Almar Bok
Contributions Impact at the Core
In the Technology and Innovation course, the contribution of Impact at the Core included:
- Evaluating the course flow, assessment of learning, assessment types and role of teacher and stakeholder.
- Propose teaching/learning activities and assessment (re)design to provide more personal and professional development insight, including the impact this advice and design have on the stakeholders.
- Design sessions in co-creation with teachers, stakeholders, and students, centralising expectation management for all three parties.
- Evaluation of teacher satisfaction, student experiences (user stories) and impact experience of stakeholders (impact stories).