Academicus 2016:
Innovative ideas for TUM
The jury selected a total number of four concepts that – despite the differences – have something in common: they are innovative, creative, viable, and will help to improve teaching and studying at TUM.
The winners:
Schwarm – the intelligent planning assistant for TUMonline
“Schwarm” serves to create a timetable that is optimized for content and time, based on individual criteria. Drawing on data from other students, it is possible to achieve a better representation of subject matter interests and specialist fields. The effect: improved long-term planning regarding the course of studies (i.e. credits, semesters abroad, etc.).
The idea was submitted by Andreas Heimrath, a Master’s student of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, together with Andreas Notz, Valeria Bopp, and Dimitri Reisler, who are Master’s students of Ergonomics / Human Factors Engineering.
A prevention concept for students who aren’t very successful in their course of studies
Arno Buchner, an employee of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, submitted the idea of a concept to identify students who are at risk of dropping out of their course of studies – and to provide support at an early stage. The aim is to address students who – knowingly or unknowingly – are at risk of failing to manage their course of studies, based on test data from TUMonline. The aim is to reduce the drop-out rate in the medium term by providing information regarding support and counseling services before it’s too late.
Exchange of knowledge via online platforms
- AUTO-TRAIN – A platform for autonomous learning
Annika Kreil, who is enrolled in the WITEC Master’s program, proposed to build up a digital infrastructure that students can use to exchange learning materials with other students. It can also be used as an “archive” for the following student generations. The platform provides learning materials and explanations for individual lecture courses, and the students can add information according to individual needs. Quality assurance is provided by students and tutors, based on a voting system.
- Tutorial: An introduction to editing Wikipedia
Victor Movileanu, a Master’s student of Biochemistry, had the idea of using Wikipedia in the scope of lecture courses – as an attempt to make expertise available to a wider public.
“Academicus”, the academic competition
The TUM’s ideas competition “Academicus” was first held in 2002. All members of TUM – from the “fresher” and the employee to the alumna or the emeritus professor – are invited to submit proposals to improve teaching and studying. The Academicus is endowed with a prize money of 500 Euros for every winner. After an initial evaluation by the faculties, the submissions are discussed and evaluated in an anonymous procedure. This year, the jury settled on four projects that were awarded with the “Academicus award 2016”.
More information:
Academicus - The TUM ideas competition