Focal point and teaching projects
Innovative pilot projects in teaching
Focal point projects
Focal point projects address issues covered in the focal point themes, apply them in example scenarios, and assess their feasibility and value in the ETH context.
Focal point themes to choose from:
- Educational media for visualization and simulation
- Currently not available for selection
- AI in Teaching and Learning
- Transferable competencies
The following applies to focal point projects:
- Budget limit: kCHF 40
- Decision communicated after ca 1 1/2 months
- Maximum duration: 2 years
Teaching projects PAKETH-Edition
With a PAKETH teaching project, you pilot innovative solutions within degree programmes that are adapted in the context of PAKETH.
Compared to focal point projects, PAKETH teaching projects involve more parties, coordinate more extensively between learning units, and create greater transferability for other programs or departments.
PAKETH teaching projects:
- Address the didactic challenges of active learning, integrated performance assessments, and continuous feedback opportunities.
- Focus preferably on compulsory subjects (e,g, practicals, excursions, laboratory) involve several learning units and work preferably with larger learning units (>=3 ECTS). This ensures greater transferability for other degree programmes or departments.
- Incorporate available expertise and contributions from the Unit for Teaching and Learning (UTL), such as advice on teaching and curriculum development or evaluation.
- Proactively participate in experience exchange and dissemination.
Examples of PAKETH teaching projects:
- Optimizing the teaching of subject matter and the acquisition of skills (e.g. for computational competencies) by coordinating the content and methods of several consecutive courses.
- Implementation of a project-based learning unit over a semester that develops essential professional and interdisciplinary competencies among students for the entire degree programme.
- Supporting continuous learning with a distributed workload during the semester through extended exercises with automated feedback and integrated performance assessments staggered over time.
- Implementation of a learning and reflection offering that supports the comprehensive competence development of students throughout their studies.
- Promote activating teaching by redesigning suitable learning units for block teaching with a distributed examination load.
The following applies to PAKETH-Edition teaching project applications:
- Budget limit: kCHF 90
- Decision communicated after about 3 months
- Maximum duration: 2 years
- Submission period from 1.10.2024 until 1.10.2026
IMP0RTANT
Before submission please note the evaluation criteria of Focal point and Teaching projects.
Please see the Innovedum project rights.
Workflow
Would you like a consultation?
We look forward to a personal discussion!
Departmental contact
Departmental contact person (Educational Developer)
Contact at UTL
Team Innovedum:
Completing and submitting the proposal form
NOTE: ETH members who have at least a 50% post and a teaching assignment are eligible to apply.
- A preview of the information required for submitting the DownloadFocal Point Projects (PDF, 2 MB) and DownloadTeaching Projects (PDF, 2.8 MB) application.
- Submit your proposal to the online submission system.
Submission deadlines: 1 March, 1 October
Evaluation of the proposal
1. Selection
- The formal criteria are examined.
- Referees (one from the Executive Board Teaching Commission and up to two external experts) are designated
2. Review
- Referees assess the project according to the evaluation criteria and writes a report;
see sampel: Downloadevaluation report in the preview (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- One referee prepares a report which comprises all referee assessments.
3. Executive Board Teaching Commission
- A referee presents the report and the referees’ recommendation.
- The Executive Board Teaching Commission discusses the recommendation.
- The Executive Board Teaching Commission prepares a recommendation for the Rector.
4. The Rector makes the decision.
5. The applicant is informed of the decision in writing.
Project implementation and completion
Requirements
- Interim discussion: Approximately in the middle of the project UTL will contact you for an interim discussion.
- Final report: At the project end a form for the final report must be filled in the submission system.
- You can apply to present your project at the Innovation in Learning and Teaching Fair, participation is optional.
