E.Tutorial - Online Instructions for introductory informatic courses
4 steps to active knowledge
During the last years we have taught hundreds of natural scientist successful in informatics. The students are introduced in an interactive way and independent from their pre knowledge to subjects like programming, data managment and data visualisation, by using real world data out of their field of studies. The core part of the teaching is the 4-step-model, a blended learning concept, which focuses on active learning by the students and can be implemented in large class settings.
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01 / SEE
Introduction into the most important definitions, concepts and tasks
In short text documents and videos the most important theoretical concepts and terms are explained and the forthcoming tasks are introduced.
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E.T
02 / TRY
Computer aided problemsolving
Guided by an electronical tutorial (E.Tutorial) the concepts of the step SEE together with the tool (IDE, Database, etc.) are applied. This step serves as preparation for the project in the DO step.
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03 / DO
Independen problem based project
In this step the concepts are appied individually to an problem based task. This leads to a transfer of knowledge from the previous steps to a sientific content.
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04 / EXPLAIN
Individual presentation of the project
In the final step the individual solutions of the project are discussed in a face-to-face meeting with a specialist. Feedback and feedforward are a fundmental part of this step.
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certificate of performance
Our expertice
The core of our activity is an educational engineeringa approach aiming to develop learing enviroments for the teaching informatics foundations and provide the solutions for different target groups.
Teaching challanging informatics concepts
By solving informatics projects with real world data sophisticated subjects (e.g. programming, databases, etc.) are taught and can be adapted to a specifc target group. The students gain knowledge on a higher cognitive level and additional gain insight into scientific work.
Development of learning materials for individualised learing
Through the development of electonical instrcution materials the students can prepare the independen solving of the problem depending on their pre knowledge and in their individual speed. The student gain the basics independently and the motivation and independency are increased.
Learning analytics as feedback
Monitoring solutions provide lectuers of large classes insights into the current status of the students learning progress and on the quality of work by the teaching assistants. By collection interaction data the quality of the instruction materials can be monitored and improved continously.
Development and execuption of computer based exams
A high number of exams, short exam durations, security during the execution of the exams and the aim to no simply check the reproduction of knowledge, lead to high standards for a system for electonic exans. We have developed a new task based question type, which is automatically corrected, and allow to measure students' knowledge on the same cognitive level as the istruction.
Consulting
We support schools, teachers and partners in the industry, how existing or new teaching materials can be implemented effectively via a suitable didactic and technic setup.
Best practice course
Our courses are filed tested by over 800 students at the ETH. The courses are used by numerous universities of applied science and high schools for informatics courses.
Inovative learning environments
We developed the following learning environments. They are flexible in their use and can be connected to existing plattforms.
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E.Tutorial ®
E.Tutorial ®
Individualised online instructions
E.Tutorial supports a direct application from concepts on a computer (e.g. IDE, Databasem etc.). The students are guided by step-by-step instructions. Single steps can be checked by collapsable visual aids. E.Tutorial can be used to level out the pre knowledge, or can be used as individual preparation for problem bases tasks.
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Pele
Pele
Managment of exercise sessions.
The exercise session managment system PELE (Personal Electronic Learning Environment), allows students and teaching assistants to select individual appointsments for the discussion of projects and see informations about their current status in the learning progress. Teaching assistants call students via a webinterface and can assess them direct after the discussion. The students also rate the discussion. PELE is important to align distance learning and face-to-face meetings.
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Sioux
Sioux
Secure interactive online exams
Sioux (Secure Interactive Online eXam) organises the process of generating and managing exam questions by several authors. It allows to generate and execute formative and summative exams and the correction and analysis of exam.
Publikationen
- Sichau D., Faessler L. (2018). An Open Learning Analytics Systems Ensuring Students’ Privacy. Proc. of the 30th World Conference on Educational Media and Technology (EdMedia 2018)
- Sichau D., Faessler L. (2017). The Challenges and Benefits of Regular Face-to-Face Interactions at Large-Scale Blended Learning. Proc. of the 29th World Conference on Educational Media and Technology (EdMedia 2017)
- Fässler L., Dahinden M, Sichau D. (2017). PELE - Personal Electronic Learning Environment: Ein System zur individuellen und effizienten Betreuung von Studierenden-Projekten in Grosslehrveranstaltungen. Technical Report, ETH Zürich, Informationstechnologie und Ausbildung, Departement Informatik.
- Sichau D., Faessler L. (2016). Evaluation of online learning materials with automatically collected interaction data. Proc. of the 28th World Conference on Educational Media and Technology (EdMedia 2016)
- Faessler L., Dahinden M., Scheuner B. (2014). Aufbau von Programmierkompetenzen mit Selbstlernmodulen der ETH Zürich. Technical Report, ETH Zürich, Informationstechnologie und Ausbildung, Departement Informatik.
- Hinterberger, H. (2011). Problem-Based E-Learning in Practice: Digital Laboratories Provide Pathways from E-Science to High Schools. World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2011, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. October 17–21: AACE, 1947-1954.
- Faessler L. (2011). Gymnasialer ICT-Unterricht im digitalen Datenlabor. Technical Report 743, ETH Zürich, Information Technology and Education.
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Dahinden M. & Faessler L. (2011). Monitoring Blended Learning Environments based on Performance Data. IADIS International Conference e-Learning 2011, 20.-23. July 2011, Rome Italy, Vol. 1, 401-408.
Best Research Paper - Dahinden M. (2010). Anleitung zur Erstellung von problembasierten Pruefungsfragen fuer den ICT-Unterricht. Technical Report 710, ETH Zürich, Information Technology and Education.
- Dahinden M. & Hinterberger H. (2010). Computer-basierte high-stake Leistungskontrolle mit Sioux: Planung, Durchfuehrung und Auswertung einer Basispruefung mit 269 Studierenden. Technical Report 689, ETH Zürich, Information Technology and Education.
- Hinterberger H. (2010). Making Informatics Work for Everyone - Teaching Computer Competences for the Natural Sciences at ETH. Technical Report 686, ETH Zürich, Information Technology and Education.
- Scheuner B. & Faessler L. (2010). Log-File Evaluation of a Problem Based e-Learning Unit on Visual Literacy. IADIS International Conference e-Learning 2010, 22.-29. July 2010, Freiburg Germany, Vol. 2, 171-176.
- Faessler L. (2009). Einsatz von ETH-Lernmaterialien im gymnasialen ICT-Unterricht im Rahmen der informatischen Grundbildung. Technical Report 641, ETH Zürich, Information Technology and Education.
- Faessler L. (2007). Das 4-Schritte-Modell: Grundlage für ein kompetenzorientiertes e-Learning. Diss. ETH Nr. 17521.
- Hinterberger H. (2007). E-Learnig: Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler. Afr. Tehnol. Dev. Forum Journal, Vol. 4, Issue 2, July, 2007.
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Faessler L., Hinterberger H., Dahinden M., Wyss M. (2006). Evaluating student motivation in constructivistic, problem-based introductory computer science courses. World Conference on E-Learning, Hawaii, 2006, 1178.
Awarded Paper - Faessler L., Hinterberger H., Bosia L., Dahinden M. (2005). Assessment as an Instrument to Evaluate Quality of Instruction. World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2005, 3555-3562.
- Hinterberger H., Faessler L., Bauer-Messmer B. (2004). From Hybrid Courses to Blended Learning: A Case Study. ICNEE 2004.
- Faessler L., Hinterberger H., Bauer-Messmer B. (2004). The Application Guide: Each Student His Own Tutor. World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2004 (1), 2371-2373.
Our team
We all currently work at the department of computer science at the ETH Zürich.
Lukas Fässler
Instructional design
David Sichau
Learning Analytics
Markus Dahinden
Online Exams
In addition we have the support of many persoans and institurions.