Discussions and solutions for PAKETH implementation at the teaching retreat

With the one-day teaching retreat, the PAKETH project team, the directors of studies and study coordinators from all departments, teaching specialists and representatives of the university groups and the Rectorate initiated the implementation of the reform.

With a few exceptions, the concept of the new teaching reform was already clear before the event: in future, examinations at ETH will also take place a few weeks after the end of the semester, so that there will be a lecture-free period in the summer. Examination blocks and annual courses will be abolished and the examination regulations standardised in order to simplify administrative processes.

Among other things, the question of how to organise the learning and examination phase, i.e. the time between the end of the semester up to and including examinations, is still open. There was a workshop on this at the teaching retreat, and these final questions should also be clarified by the beginning of March.

Shortened time before the examinations in focus

The numerous other workshops from which the participants could choose focussed on the challenges that arise during implementation, for example...

•        ... how the workload for students can be planned and better distributed over the duration of the semester so that the shorter learning time up to the examination period does not lead to an overload.
•        ... what influence the reform has on the form of performance assessments and how these can be integrated into the current semester.
•        ... which alternative semester structures would be conceivable, for example to make room for project work and block courses.

The workshop thus addressed the "elephant in the room", namely the shortened time before the examinations. In his welcoming speech, Rector G¨¹nther Dissertori said: "Students will have to repeat and practise the knowledge they have been taught more than they do now during the semester. But we as lecturers will also have to revise the courses, optimise the amount of material and focus on gaining knowledge and understanding content and methods."

Solutions from teaching innovation

Jan Vermant, Vice-Rector for Curriculum Development, presented examples from the Innovedum teaching innovation programme as possible solutions.

Dennis Kochmann, Professor of Mechanics and Materials Research, has developed weekly learning units in a basic lecture on mechanics with more than 500 students, for example, which encourage students to learn continuously throughout the semester . They consist of 3D visualisations, self-programmed simulations and a series of exercises with automated feedback. Students can repeat the topics they do not yet understand as often as they like without the need for additional tutors (project description).

In biology, Katja K?hler and Samuel Tobler are testing an AI-based chatbot that relates to lecture content. It gives students personalised feedback, asks them further questions on specific topics and encourages them to reflect on them. Students consolidate their knowledge and use the tutor to prepare for exams. The application also enables lecturers to gain an overview of students' learning progress (project description).

The Department of Architecture has modernised the Bachelor's curriculum and thus also the design course. Architecture professor Fabio Gramazio presented the new course at the retreat. It brings together diverse disciplines, spans two years and is taught jointly by eight professors. One aim is for the disciplines to strengthen each other instead of competing for students' time. And because the professors work together on the design tasks and performance assessment, they have a better understanding of the students' workload (project description).

The examples show the range of innovations that can take place within the framework of PAKETH. The reform is much more than an adjustment to the academic calendar, Dissertori said at the retreat, "it is an opportunity for lecturers to think about what skills they want to teach in their courses and how they want to adequately assess them. The conditions for change are now better than they have been for a long time".