Wageningen University provides education and generates knowledge in the field of life sciences and natural resources. Sustainability is one of the main topics of research and education. ACT teams consisting of students from different masters’ programmes execute assignments commissioned by external professional organizations – businesses, governmental organizations and NGO’s. ACT aims to enhance the abilities of students to function in professional teams, show leadership and apply their academic knowledge in complex contexts where both technical and non-technical arguments and processes should be considered. Students receive communication skills training, coach guidance and peer feedback to reflect on and improve their academic competences. The modular skills training (MOS) teaches skills that are necessary for graduates to function professionally at MSc level. An assessment is made on which skills are mastered and which are necessary to develop (more).
Students from most masters’ programmes in the areas of life sciences, environmental sciences, social sciences and food & technology sciences participate. Projects are acquired by university staff, through their network in external professional organizations – businesses, governmental organizations and NGO’s. Staff of these organizations will commission the project. Commissioners indicate the mix of expertise they would like within the project team. Commissioners pay for any project costs (10%), not for the hours the students or their supervisory staff (90%). Each team is assigned a coach who focuses on the process. This includes observations on the way the group and individuals function, assessment of reflective reports from students and interviews about expectations and self assessment (midterm and final). Coaching also includes an assessment of both working attitude and academic attitude towards working on the project, listening to and questioning of the commissioner during the early project phase or when incongruence is observed between what the project team considers the best way forward and what the commissioner requests. At the start specific sessions are organized to strengthen the teams in the way they elaborate their project plans. Students can consult staff of Wageningen University about (trans)disciplinary issues and for sparring about the content of their work and best approaches to be followed to get to a final product. Teams are following team building sessions in which they are stimulated to analyze and communicate about the way the team and each individual functions. Coaches are aware of these training sessions and refer to what was trained if when relevant for the progress of the team or communication within the team or between the team and external partners like the commissioner. Individual students improve their academic, professional and/or team skills by following MOS courses and thereby contribute to the whole functioning of the team.
Wageningen University believes that in an interconnected world academics need competences of creating sustainable working relations while addressing complex issues on a high knowledge level. The objectives behind the learning outcomes of the courses are therefore that students have better understanding, attitude & skills as an academic professional (consultant) towards working in a (trans)multidisciplinary group in an ever changing world.
The objective behind the ACT and MOS is that students have better understanding, attitude & skills as an academic professional (consultant) towards working in a (trans)multidisciplinary group in an ever changing world. ACT aims to enhance the abilities of students to function in professional teams, show leadership and apply their academic knowledge in complex contexts where both technical and non-technical arguments and processes should be considered. Students receive communication skills training, coach guidance and peer feedback to reflect on and improve their academic competences. Students work on a project commissioned by an external professional organization. It can include the preparation of a business plan, propositions for improved company policies as well as definitions of a functional design for an improved technology. To form project teams students are requested a formal application letter to their project of first choice. Project teams are composed on the basis of both the project preferences of the students and the required disciplinary mix for each project. Students need to apply for one of four team functions in their project team:
Project manager: The project manager is responsible for the general coordination and functioning of the project team, for defining the project goals and for the contacts with the commissioner and third parties.
Secretary: The secretary is responsible for the planning and preparation of team meetings (together with the project manager) and for the minutes, administration, correspondence , public relations and follow-up of meetings.
Controller: The controller is responsible for planning, budgeting and controlling of both the team work and the project.
Project member: The team members are the ones who should guard the quality of the work so this is the more content related function. They are responsible for general and specific tasks, like exploring available sources of information and the correct selection and analysis of relevant data. Students and their teams are expected to deliver several products to either their coach, the commissioner or both.
Self-assessment dossier (individual): To structure the monitoring of progress on the learning outcomes and the self-defined additional learning outcomes each student to keeps dossier. The coach will give the student feedback that should help to assess and monitor progress. The dossier should at least contain the following items:
Application letter
Expectation paper
Reflection forms for at least three events
Midterm reflection paper
Final reflection paper
There are three scheduled interviews which discuss (elements from) the dossier with the coach. These are individual interviews. In addition students may ask others to give feedback on elements from the dossier.
The project proposal (team): During the “Proposal Writing” (PW) workshops the background for this template will be discussed. The draft project proposal is assessed by the PW lecturer, the coach and the expert. The final project proposal will of course also be submitted to the commissioner (for signature) and the coach.
Final product(team): The final product(s) will be a report, and/or a CD, a web-site, or any other product agreed with the commissioner and an oral presentation.
Every year 700 students follow the ACT course and at least 1,400 students follow MOS courses. The impact on the study program at master level is big. The acquired experience in academic group work has an positive impact on other courses and programs within Wageningen University. The relation between Wageningen University and organizations in its network is strengthened through active cooperation on project designed research by ACT project teams of students. The students' appreciation of the courses is high and has grown over time. It answers to the students needs to empower them to collaborate with peers on complex issues in a pleasant and efficient way. Besides these positive effects of training soft skills, students are getting insight in a part of the professional life. Internships, jobs and research position are often acquired by students in organizations that act as commissioner. Commissioners and latter employers of graduates of Wageningen University emphasize that graduates in general posses a high level of professional competence. We believe this is partly the result of the ACT and MOS courses.
Most important for its success is the combination of a “real life” project for academic students with the focus on personal development of academic and professional competences. It developed into a opportunity for students to work within multicultural and –disciplinary teams. Process guidance, communication skills training and reflective skills became part the curriculum and therefore tools for the individual students and project teams. The quality of their work increased because students became more creative, decisive, able to deal with complexity and socially receptive & adaptable. Students (have to) take responsibility for their process and the result of the project. Learning how to (pro) actively deal with this responsibility in a complex setting is a learning opportunity they rarely experience.
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