INCO_SMRT

Developing interdisciplinary competencies for Smart Logistics

Universities must improve skills formation not only through the development of new curricula but also through different teaching and assessment forms. 

The need for greater emphasis on and recognition of “teaching excellence” is a priority for the Educational Systems over the world. It becomes even more pressing and essential at the tertiary level of studies that is facing on one side a diverse student body in terms of social, economic and cultural aspects (including lifelong learners, part-time and non-traditional students) and on the other side a fast and revolutionary transformation of the job market requiring graduates with new and inter-disciplinary key competences.  

There is no one definition of teaching excellence since it depends on several variables, but, when focusing on the higher education of students, however, there are common characteristics: 

(1) Positive student-faculty contact (gets to know them, in and out of the classroom, helps students learn outside of class, promotes cooperation among students), 

(2) Effective active learning (encourages students to be self-directed, independent lifelong learners, engages students in disciplinary thinking and encourages higher-order thinking) 

(3) Achievable, yet high expectations (acknowledges student expectations and what students can expect from the teacher, creates a safe yet challenging learning environment, emphasizes time on task) 

(4) Respect of diverse talents and ways of learning (demonstrates respect for students and their individuality/differences) 

(5) Effective communication skills (demonstrates passion, enthusiasm, charisma, offers something substantive to say and knows how to say it, raises provocative and significant questions instead of just providing answers commands student attention and maintains it, inspires/motivates students, is compassionate, caring) 

(6) Commitment to teaching well (engages in activities to continue to develop teaching skills, invites and accepts feedback to improve, tries new techniques to promote learning) 

Given that a primary mission of colleges and universities is education, that is helping students to learn, improved performance by educators should contribute to increased learning. 

The project will consider that “the most meaningful measure of teaching is student learning.” Thus specific measurement indicators will be adopted