Informatik

Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university

Prof. Dr. Klaus G. Troitzsch Universitt Koblenz-Landau, Germany

23/04/2012

Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university

Informatik

The Bologna programme in Germany

Germany aims at the finalisation of the transition to Bologna by 2010 --- with the exception of some disciplines with state examinations (medicine, law and several others). The process started in the late 1990s. The University of Koblenz-Landau was among the first to enter in to this transition process, and the first to have a BSc/MSc study programme accredited.
23/04/2012 Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university 2/10

Informatik

Traditional study programmes

Traditionally, study programmes in the sciences were one-tier, comprised nine semesters (with an intermediate examination after four semesters) and led to the Diplom degree (in engineering, mathematics, , political science and psychology), study programmes in the humanities were of the same structure but led to a Magister degree (M.A.), and where state examinations are requested, study programmes comprised between seven (pharmacy, plus three years of internships), eight (law and teaching, with two years of internship) and twelve semesters (medicine) --- these did not lead to proper academic degrees except a doctoral degree after additional research.
23/04/2012 Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university 3/10

Informatik

The transition
In 1998, by the fourth amendment to the national higher education legislation it became possible to design experimental study programmes according to the Bologna ideas, with BSc or BA programmes typically comprising six semesters and consecutive MSc or MA programmes comprising another four semesters. One of the motivations was to reduce drop-out rates and give students an opportunity to enter the employment sector earlier than at the typical graduating age of 25+ years. Another was to give study programmes, mainly in the humanities, a stricter structure, and to enhance compatibility among European universities.
23/04/2012 Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university 4/10

Informatik

Motivation in universities
Early in the Bologna process, German universities had additional motivations:
ministries of education would support the development of new study structures with special funding while no standards had been passed at that time, universities and faculties were rather free in designing new study structures colleagues with strong international ties had seen Bologna-like structures working properly in other countries
23/04/2012 Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university 5/10

Informatik

The way to Bologna

The wrong way: just cast the old contents into the new structure. The better way: invent something entirely new; examples:
information management B.Sc. and M.Sc. programmes at UKL (accredited in 2000, reaccredited in 2006) two-tiered teachers training, B.Ed. and M.Ed. programmes at UKL and other universities in Rhineland-Palatinate (accredited in 2008)
23/04/2012 Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university 6/10

23/04/2012

3 years Bachelor
10% mathematics

2 years Master

20 % computer science
20 % information systems, social aspects, research methods

20% computer science

20% information systems, social aspects, research methods

20% integration

Information Management at UKL

Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university

50% management science and economics

40 % management science and economics

one semester abroad

Informatik

at least six weeks internship in a firm, preferably abroad

7/10

Informatik

Semester

Curriculum Bachelor
mathematics mathematics computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science IS, social aspects, research meth. basics of management science and economics

1 2 3
internship

basics of management science and economics

general management general management special aspects, e.g. finance, e-commerce special aspects

4 5 6

IS, social aspects, research meth.

IS, social aspects, research meth. IS, social aspects, research meth.

Curriculum Master

1st semester 2nd semester perhaps abroad 3rd semester perhaps abroad 4th semester
23/04/2012

computer science information systems computer science

information systems

management specials
management specials management specials management specials

project

specialisation computer science

specalisation computer science specialisation information systems

specialisation information systems Master thesis

Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university

8/10

Informatik

Teacher training in Rhineland-Palatinate

Master of Education awarded and state examination passed

4th semester MEd 3rd semester MEd

partly different for future teachers of different school types common for future teachers of all school types
23/04/2012

education science

first subject (to be taught at school)

second subject (to be taught at school)

2nd semester MEd

1st semester MEd

Bachelor of Education awarded

6th semester BEd

5th semester BEd

4th semester BEd 3rd semester BEd

different kinds of internship in different kinds and levels of school

2nd semester BEd

1st semester BEd

Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university

9/10

Informatik

Are we happy with the new system?

The evaluation of the experience with the Bologna system in Germany is controversial:
higher workload for both teachers and students more bureaucracy, better information for students examination per term and per subject, no comprehensive (oral) examination at the end of the programme better and more graphic structure, less autonomy for students semester abroad for bachelor students nearly impossible syllabi more transparent, module handbooks more informative and reliable than any earlier course descriptions employability of bachelors in some disciplines (particularly in school education!) questionable, in others granted
23/04/2012 Introducing Bologna study programmes in a German university 10/10

Informatik

Evaluating universities
The object of evaluation (and quality assurance) is the core product of a university:
the responsible
refers to responsibility towards students / disciplines / societies

warranty
content-related and organisational securing of processes, less than guarantee, more than just provision

on a functional study process

not necessarily successful, as success can only be judged ex post

for all enrolled students

23/04/2012 Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau 11/10

Informatik

Identify evaluation goals

quality aspects have to be defined this is the task of the departments / faculties of a university who define the desired contents of a study programme departments / faculties include both professors/lecturers and students

23/04/2012

Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau

12/10

Informatik

Guidelines for data collection

quality assurance is an empirical process empirical data about the courses offered and the progress of individual students have to be collected and analysed keep track of all offered courses with number of students participating, marks received by students and by teachers keep track of the progress of individual students

23/04/2012

Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau

13/10

Informatik

Indicators and instruments

warranty: workload questionnaire (standardised) responsiveness:
achievement questionnaire (standardised) narrative interviews and focus groups (nonstandardised) discussion among the faculty members of a study programme

study process: statistical data of the examination office students: entrance questionnaire
23/04/2012 Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau 14/10

Informatik

Questionnaires used
The questionnaire on workload and feasibility of studies (WLS;
is a three-part questionnaire that is completed at different times during a running semester. This is done online. The students are asked by email to participate .

The Trierer Inventory on lecture evaluation (TRIL)

is available in three versions (s. Appendix B): for evaluation of input events (usually lectures: TRIL2BM1), discussion events (usually seminars: TRIL2BM2) and exercises (TRIL2BM3). The questionnaire is completed on paper in the lesson, ideally approx. 4-6 weeks before the end of the lecture period. Thus, the lecturers receive feedback in time to talk about it with their students.

The questionnaire on achieving the learning objective

is the result of a multi-stage procedure. In a first step, the lecturers indicate the qualification objectives from the module description that are relevant for their lectures. In teaching-related courses of study, this also includes whether or not the curricular standards of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate are implemented. In a second step, the lecturers phrase teaching objectives assigned to the qualification objectives. Then these learning objectives are rendered as a questionnaire by the method centre. Finally, the questionnaire is completed by the students around the end of the semester. The appendix includes an example for a lecturer questionnaire (Appendix C) and the resulting student questionnaire including the teaching objectives phrased by the lecturer (Appendix D).

The initial studies survey (StEiB)

is used to ask freshmen on the transfer from school to university (selection of subject and location of studies, taking up studies and usefulness of information given by university facilities), the study requirements (financing, dealing with typical initial problems; previous performance, acquisition of key competences in school and their relevance for studies) and objectives in studies. This questionnaire is to be distributed in large freshmen lessons and either completed on site (with the consent of the lecturer) or at home and handed in at a central office. Time for completion is approx. 30 minutes. The departments are able to add subject-specific questions.

An alumni survey
is already regularly performed with all graduates of the state of Rhineland Palatinate by the Zentrum fr Qualittssicherung of the Mainz university (ZQ, also see Hochschulevaluierungsverbund Sdwest e.V.). Graduates of the university of Koblenz-Landau who completed university in 2005 were the first to take part in the survey. The survey includes not only information on subject, type and location of graduation, but also questions on a general final assessment of the studies (satisfaction with and success of studies, realisation of original objectives) and on the transfer from studies to working life, acquisition of key competences by the studies and their relevance in working life. Further graduates are to be asked in future. If applicable, surveys are to be performed by the universities directly in future. The departments are able to add subject-specific questions.

23/04/2012

Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau

15/10

Informatik

Collect data
subjective evaluation of courses by students data about the progress of individual students distribution of
students per study programme and semester, marks given in each module, general marks at the final examination, numbers of students in each course, drop-out rates

23/04/2012

Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau

16/10

Informatik

Explore and analyse data

explore: simple statistics, mainly univariate analyse: find out dependencies between variables data mining: use different statistical methods for classifying students, teachers, courses

23/04/2012

Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau

17/10

Informatik

Feedback results to the stakeholders

discuss the student evaluation results among faculty members offer help to faculty members with negative best evaluated teacher .. worst evaluated teacher evaluation results find out which students need mentoring find out which modules are attractive / difficult / boring and which are not
Boxplots show the distribution of general marks given by students to teachers. The median of the best evaluated teacher is one standard deviation above the mean, the evaluation of the worst evaluated teacher is 2.5 standard deviations below the mean (-2 is good, +4 is bad).
23/04/2012 Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau 18/10

Informatik

Our current electronic questionnaire

Currently the computer science faculty uses an electronic questionnaire whose results look much like the following

23/04/2012

Quality assessment at the University of Koblenz-Landau

19/10