A basis course in computer science, University of Freiberg, Saxony. A student taps on his Smartphone around. No SMS to friends, no check football results.
Since this semester, the students directly with the instructor via their smartphones and tablets are connected. A new feature of the already existing myTU app can the students now in real time – so during the current lecture – their Professor assess and communicate with him. About smileys, they signal whether it conveys the content understandable and with appropriate speed.
And for the emergency, the feature has been equipped with a stop button. “Should press this button within two minutes several students the teacher Gets an acoustic or optical indication that the topic did not understand many and should he explain it again,” says developer Frank Gommlich. The PhD student has developed the app with students and upgraded gradually.
The objective is to involve students more in the lecture, says Konrad Froitzheim, Professor for operating systems and communication technology. “Especially in large lectures many students don’t dare, to sign, if they have not understood something.” When the rating system via mobile phone, the sender remain basically anonymous.
The rating system by mobile phone help also the teachers, says Froitzheim. So, they could directly query the mood in the room and react to it. He constantly had its Smartphone to receive and look at regular intervals, whether students have announced and he says how they would evaluate the current pace of the lecture. That is not only a concentration and exercise question was disturbing. “I would like, students would more often use the app”, says Froitzheim which already has a soft spot for modern methods of communication as a Professor of computer science.
the 6100 6000 TU members have installed the app
Soon it should be also possible to send be short about the app questions to the lecturers – assuming you have a Smartphone. It seems however not to scheitern: 5.698 students, 86 professors and 316 scientific employees would have a total 6,000 installed the uni app and would regularly use, Garcia says.
Tested and evaluated the system initially only in the computer science introductory lecture. It is unlocked but for all lectures at the University of the mountain, says Garcia. The inventors don’t worry about abuse. The app works only in the auditorium where the lecture is currently running. Via GPS or Wi-Fi spots could collect exactly whether the student is actually present.
The entire myTU app is available since October, 2011, initially only with lecture and maps of the University. Later was added the feature most popular to this day, the cafeteria menu. Also has been linked to the database of the library, students can research possible title and information on appointed or overdue books.
Image courtesy of twicepix