Education Fellows

RevAImping the Literature Research 

The goal of this project is to redesign the current set-up of the Literature Research course within the MSc Robotics incorporating the advancements of increased online literature availability and searchability as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and the need for accountability, transparency, and traceability that comes with these advancements whilst at the same time embracing the opportunities for innovations this brings.

The purpose of this project is twofold: 1) to create a multimedia Instructable for MSc students to assist them in writing their literature research efficiently and responsibly, including the responsible use of AI. 2) to create a set of recommendations for responsible lecturers and supervisors of literature research and theses containing literature research to allow for accountability, transparency,and traceability in student deliverables in a rapidly changing field of literature research due to the implementation of AI technology.

EDU-LLM: Responsible Integration of Large Language Models in Academic Teaching

in partnership with 4TU.CEE

The EDU-LLM project explores the innovative use of Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, to enhance teaching and learning experiences at TU Delft. Recognizing the disruptive potential of LLMs in education, this initiative aims to develop reliable, responsible strategies for their integration, focusing on two main objectives. First, EDU-LLM seeks to promote active learning by redesigning assignments that incorporate LLMs in ways that require critical thinking and problem-solving. By supporting tasks with LLM feedback while encouraging validation of LLM-generated responses, students can engage deeply with course material. Second, the project addresses the need to optimize teaching resources. By employing LLMs to assist with routine student questions under TA supervision, EDU-LLM reduces the teaching burden, allowing educators to prioritize high-impact interactions with students.

Bridging the skills gap: Employability skills in engineering education

Bridging the gap between skills acquired in higher education and those required by employers is essential for our graduates to enhance their employability. In order to be an effective professional, the literature describes the need for good role models and development of a consistent Professional Self-Image. Enterprises are increasingly asking for the full range of transferable skills, attitudes and behaviour, and as a result, learners need to know what these skills are and how to demonstrate them.

I will bridge this gap by developing a new learning line that provides vocabulary to students to describe their abilities, and challenges students to take responsibility in their personal development preparing them to “manage” their own careers and be self-reliant. The envisioned project follows up on my Senior University Teaching Qualification-trajectory in the MSc program Technical Medicine (TM), jointly offered by Leiden, Delft and Erasmus. I will further develop the new learning line and I will explore applicability to other (inter-/multi-/transdisciplinary) programs.

AI-enhanced programming education for applied scientists

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into education presents unique challenges and opportunities. How can AI be effectively embedded into curricula? How does it impact student learning, and how should educational goals be adapted to account for this technology’s influence?

As students increasingly rely on AI in their academic lives, a proactive approach of the educators is essential. Without structured guidance, students risk using AI without understanding its limitations or critically assessing its outputs. Embedding AI thoughtfully into education can help students develop the skills to use it effectively, transforming AI from a potential crutch into a valuable learning tool.

This project will investigate the integration of ChatGPT, a leading conversational AI, into the Nanobiology introductory Python course. It will aim to foster responsible AI use, guiding students to evaluate AI-generated responses critically and apply ChatGPT effectively within programming exercises. Through tailored assignments, students will explore ChatGPT's capabilities and limits, enhancing their problem-solving skills, learning outcomes, and readiness to use AI as a meaningful part of their educational journey.

Towards Better Learning: Evaluating the Educational Impact of Coherent Curriculum Reform in Engineering Education

The impact of curriculum changes in higher education, on student learning and well-being is often overlooked. Traditional evaluation metrics, such as study duration and dropout rates, do not capture the full picture of educational effectiveness.

This project aims to evaluate the educational impact of a thematic curriculum reform in the BSc Applied Physics program at TU Delft. By focusing on student learning outcomes and teacher experiences, the study will provide insights into the effectiveness of this approach.

Careful analysis of the data collected, will contribute to a better understanding of the factors influencing the success of curriculum reforms and provide evidence-based recommendations for future improvements in engineering education.

A transdisciplinary education service

in partnership with the Convergence

While the potential merits of transdisciplinary education are evident, currently, transdisciplinary teaching programs are scarce and the organizational structures of university are not ready for hosting transdisciplinary educational programs. Existing educational programs have their own constructive alignment, and associated EC’s, and will have difficulty hosting transdisciplinary education within their existing structure.

In this Fellowship, we aim to create the transdisciplinary education service; an architecture within the Convergence to develop and host transdisciplinary education and connect it to transdisciplinary research.  The transdisciplinary education service connects educational expertise to the educational needs that emerge based on transdisciplinary research results within the Healthy Start research projects.

This Fellowship furthermore focuses on the financial architecture of the transdisciplinary educational service, as we recognize that resources are scarce and financial independence is a prerequisite for being able to complement our transdisciplinary research as well as our more traditional educational programs with transdisciplinary education. The transdisciplinary education center has the potential to become one of the pillars of the convergence, firmly placing education within the heart of where new knowledge is generated and needed.

Transdisciplinary Teaching & Learning

in partnership with the Convergence

Part of our teaching efforts at TU Delft revolve around teaching students to contribute to solving relevant and real-life (societal and/or scientific/engineering) problems. But as such problems are growing into more difficult volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) societal issues, this also changes what the expected roles of our future students will be: they will more and more be expected to place engineered ‘solutions’ in a societal landscape of different views and values of the different stakeholders involved in such problems.

This requires students to develop competencies to look across the boundaries of their own discipline, broader societal awareness, the ability to shape responsible actions, integrate viewpoints. The overarching embodiment of such competencies are at the root of what we call ‘transdisciplinarity’.

Yet, the question is how do we best teach students transdisciplinarity? The explicit goal of this project is to empower teachers and program coordinators in establishing a strategy for transdisciplinary teaching and learning in their own courses and curricula. Particular value of such a taxonomical overview may be found in the development of novel programs that emerge out of the Convergence Initiative.