Starting a new role as a lecturer at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) can be challenging. From navigating tools like Canvas and Timetables to understanding (faculty-specific) education policies, new teaching staff face a steep learning curve. Effective onboarding and orientation play a crucial role —not only to ease this process but also to maintain the quality of education and reduce work pressure on new lecturers. This is where DEVELOP 2.0 comes in. Shen Liu, CLI co-project-leader for DEVELOP 2.0, tells us more about this project focused on improving the onboarding process for new teaching staff at EUR.
The Journey from DEVELOP 1.0 to DEVELOP 2.0
In 2022, the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) launched DEVELOP 1.0. This project aimed to automate, digitalize, and improve the onboarding process for new teaching staff. It focused on three main components: a Canvas orientation module, an introduction day, and a buddy system.
The success of DEVELOP 1.0 quickly sparked interest across other faculties, highlighting the broader need for structured onboarding at EUR. Shen Liu explained, “For teaching staff, onboarding wasn’t well organised at all. Each faculty handled it differently: Some faculties offered introductions for teachers, while others sent out manuals, but there was never a clear, concrete, step-by-step plan.” Recognizing this gap, and the positive responses from different faculties, the Community for Learning and Innovation (CLI) launched DEVELOP 2.0. Its primary goal? To spread and tailor the existing Canvas orientation module across all faculties at EUR.
Exploring the Canvas Orientation Module
The ESHCC Canvas orientation module served as a blueprint for other faculties. The module features four smaller modules covering topics like practical information and education policy. It introduces new teaching staff to key systems like MyEUR and Osiris, prepares them for the ins and outs of teaching, and highlights important contact persons within the faculty.
Each faculty adapted the blueprint to meet its unique needs and priorities, creating tailored versions. Shen elaborated, “The faculties were allowed to decide which elements to include or exclude, so each faculty created its own version. Some faculties, like ESE, focused heavily on education, while others had a much broader approach.”
By equipping new teaching staff with relevant tools and knowledge, the Canvas module aims to ensure that staff are well-prepared when beginning their teaching journey at EUR. This not only reduces their workload but also enhances the quality of education. Beyond these benefits, the module professionalizes the onboarding process, delivering consistent and uniform information to all new teaching staff. It is also designed to support teachers throughout their journey at EUR. As Shen emphasized: “The modules serve as a starting point for teachers to get started and easily find all the necessary information. It’s a starting point, not an endpoint—simply a central hub for all the information a teacher might need.”
ESHCC Blueprint Canvas Onboarding Module
Early Experiences: Positive Stories
Early experiences at ESHCC with the onboarding module have been very positive, with both lecturers and support staff reporting strong feedback. In particular, the support staff have noticed a shift in the nature of questions they receive. Shen Liu explained, “The support team now gets much deeper, more specific questions. Instead of broad, general questions that anyone can answer, they receive more qualitative inquiries.” Other faculties have recently implemented or are still in the process of rolling out the orientation module, so evaluation results are still to come. However, initial feedback from test groups and new teaching staff have shown promising results.
The Future of DEVELOP 2.0
By the end of 2024, almost all faculties will have launched their Canvas onboarding modules, but the work doesn’t stop there. To ensure continuous improvement, the CLI created a “Community of Practice” (CoP), which brings together onboarding experts and staff involved in maintaining and improving the modules. The CoP fosters collaboration between faculties, enabling them to compare and learn from each other. The CoP also explores opportunities to include new topics, such as AI or cybersecurity, in the onboarding modules. Ultimately, the CLI’s role is to “keep the plants watered”, ensuring that the onboarding process remains effective and relevant for new teaching staff at EUR.
This project was realized with the support of CLI project leaders Shen Liu and Hanna Emmering. Special thanks go to the CLI student assistants Eva Slings, Britt Timmermans, and Zoë van Wingerden.
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Would you like to learn more about DEVELOP 2.0? Send an email to cli@eur.nl. Or maybe this article has inspired you to start a project with the help of CLI? Please visit this page and contact us.
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