Student centred education

Summary
The educational vision forms the foundation of student centred education at Fontys ICT. We apply the HILL principles to tailor education to the diverse needs of students and align it with professional practice.

Fontys RACI ICT
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Fontys ICT embraces a learning vision in which student centred education is key. The core principles are linked to the High Impact Learning that Lasts (HILL) framework (Dochy, Berghmans, Koenen & Segers, 2015), which provides structure for shaping the didactics of our education.

Student centred education emphasizes :

Meaningful and practice-oriented learning
Student centred education encourages mutual inspiration among students, lecturers, and work field partners, fostering their talents. Education is linked to research and integrated with professional practice, including international influences. Students work on impactful projects and are prepared for their future careers.

Talent-oriented and personalised learning
Education at Fontys ICT recognizes the individual characteristics and learning processes of all students. It provides space for talent development for students, lecturers, and work field partners. Students choose learning experiences that match their interests and needs, with appropriate guidance when necessary.

Social learning
Dialogue between students, lecturers, and work field partners is essential in learning and knowledge creation. Interaction is central: learning with and from each other. Students, lecturers, researchers, and work field partners collaborate in an informal and accessible way, enriching the learning experience. Students learn in a mainly multicultural environment, allowing them to develop a global perspective.

The HILL framework strengthens our educational vision through seven key principles:

1. Urgency, gaps, and problems: Learning starts with real-world challenges to enhance motivation;
2. Self-management & learner agency: Students take responsibility for their learning and develop self-regulation;
3. Cooperation, interaction & coaching: Lecturers guide students and facilitate collaboration in a network of social interactions;
4. Hybrid learning: Online and offline learning moments are integrated;
5. Action & knowledge sharing: Learning occurs through active participation and collaboration in meaningful contexts;
6. Flexible learning spaces: Formal and informal learning environments respond to different learning needs;
7. Assessment as learning & Assessment for learning: Assessment is integral to education. Guidance and evaluation support the student's learning process, with feedback aimed at facilitating their development.

We encourage the development of individual student talents. The focus is on helping students excel in their strengths while supporting their overall growth (Grotendorst, 2012). We achieve this by offering didactic choices, aligned with student preferences. Each semester, students select a learning unit that best matches their learning needs, considering levels of autonomy, structure, and content.

Education is designed according to project-based learning (Visscher-Voerman, 2018) principles, where students collaborate in projects while simultaneously learning from and with each other. This occurs through authentic challenges from professional practice that encourage deep learning. We stimulate student self-regulation, gradually increasing their ownership of their learning journey. This progress is monitored through student centred assessment where learning processes take precedence. Guidance and evaluation serve learning rather than merely measuring it.

Table 1 below provides an overview of the didactics within the vision of Fontys ICT student centred education per level of the study programme.

Table 1
Didactics within the vision of Fontys ICT student centred education per level of study programme.

Fontys ICT also offers students the opportunity to independently shape their learning through Open Learning. This approach follows the same didactic principles as above, but allows students to create a personalised curriculum. Open Learning is characterised by high levels of self-regulation and autonomy, where students define their own learning outcomes, activities, and materials in dialogue with a coach. Their personal ambitions and development needs are central to this process.

Dochy, F. J. R. C., Berghmans, I., Koenen, A. K., & Segers, M. (2015). Bouwstenen voor high impact learning: het leren van de toekomst in onderwijs en organisaties. Boom.

Grotendorst, A. (2012). Lev Vygotsky: Zone van de naaste ontwikkeling. In: Ruijters, M., & Simons, R.J. (red.), Canon van het leren (p. 623-637). Vakmedianet Management B.V.

Visscher-Voerman, J. I. (2018). Perspectieven op curriculuminnovatie in het hoger onderwijs. Saxion Hogeschool.