Anna-Karin Högfeldt

Peer Evaluation of Master Programs: Closing the Quality Circle of the CDIO Approach?

A quality assurance project was conducted within the framework of the Nordic Five Tech Alliance (N5T), a strategic alliance of the five leading technical universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The project concerned the development of a common quality enhancement tool for conducting peer evaluations of educational programs to enable their further development and close the quality circle. In addition, the project will contribute to the consolidation of the N5T alliance by facilitating contacts between faculty members and providing them with an in-depth knowledge of the study programs within their field at another N5T institution. The article describes the quality enhancement tool in detail, its contribution to the development of the involved programs, and how international peer evaluation can contribute to closing the quality circle. Finally, it assesses the value of the approach to contribute to the creation of long-term relationships in educational networks.

Leading the Teacher Team - Balancing Between Formal and Informal Power in Program Leadership

This continuous research within Nordic engineering institutions targets the contexts and possibilities for leadership among engineering education program directors. The IFP-model, developed based on analysis of interviews with program leaders in these institutions, visualizes the program director’s informal and formal power. The model is presented as a tool for starting a shared discussion on the complexities of the leadership of engineering program development. The authors liken program development to hunting in teams. Each individual expert in the program is needed, and all experts will need to work and collaborate for the same target. This calls for strategic and long-term thinking of engineering education development. Institutions should support the development of both formal structures as well as informal leadership skills among their program directors, but never fall for the temptation to see the program director as the only actor on the stage.

Peer Evaluation of Master Programs - Closing the Quality Circle of the CDIO approach?

This paper describes a Quality Assurance project which is conducted within the Nordic Five Tech (N5T) Alliance, a strategic alliance of the five leading technical universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The project is concerned with the development of a quality enhancement tool. The tool is described and its impact on curriculum development quality of teaching and learning within the involved programs is analysed. The paper argues how international peer evaluation contribute to closing the quality circle in the CDIO approach, and assess the value of the approach to contribute to the creation of long-term relationships in educational networks.

Peer-learning – A concept for improving students’ knowledge in laboratory exercises

A comparative study that was performed in a University level physics laboratory exercise. A reference group performed the exercise the traditional way. Another group, the peer-learning group, performed the exercise in a modified way to increase student to student interactions. The study was evaluated by three methods: a survey, a knowledge test and by an observer. The peer-learning group showed higher levels of satisfaction, performed better on the test and were more active in the classroom. We believe that student helping each other greatly influence a more authentic student performance which is essential to promote creativity and curiosity.