Delta

Summary
A description of the history and design of the Delta programme. In addition, descriptions are given of the conditions and accessibility, the programme and the assessment.

The Fontys ICT Delta programme offers driven and ambitious students from the 2nd year onwards the opportunity to develop further. To this end, they receive exemption from the regular programme of the basic route and work in multidisciplinary teams on a multitude of projects. On average, a Delta (-student) does about 10 long- and short-term projects in a year. These are “real” projects that will be used in the work field. The Delta programme focuses on talent development and developing the ability to learn by making optimal use of the time available in which extra knowledge, skills and experience are gained, resulting in an excellent portfolio.

Delta is an excellence project within Fontys ICT that started at the same time as setting up ICT & Media Design in 2003. Students from all types of Fontys ICT education can potentially join. Information : video about Delta

The Delta Programme focuses on talent development and excellent learning ability by making optimal use of the time available in which extra knowledge, skills and experience are gained, resulting in an excellent portfolio and broader development of the competences profile.

A Delta student ¹⁾ is able to go through the subject matter at a faster pace with minimal interference from the lecturer. In addition, there is active ambition and hunger to learn, to be able, to do and to explore more. Delta students are proactive, enteprising and have high self-regulation skills.

The conditions set for the selection of Delta students:

• No study delay;
• Received a motivated recommendation from at least 2 lecturers;
• Application with a motivation letter;
• Intake interview.

• Delta completely replaces the education of the route the student is currently in. The required competence growth is demonstrated within the Delta route. They can also follow regular components in their route if desired.
• Competence growth is measured through competence profiling.
• Delta students work on open assignments from partners and start-ups.
• Deltas invest extra curricular time;
• Own Delta space (Lab/work space);

Deltas carry out projects with different lead times (not time-bound). This can vary from 3 weeks to 9 months or more. Deltas can propose projects themselves. Also paid projects or exploration projects can be carried out. In addition, the coaches will always try to offer some high-profile projects (e.g. GLOW, VPRO, STRP, DDW). A Delta participates in somewhere between 4 and 9 projects during a year.

Delta students follow the Delta programme to replace the basic profile in consultation with the Programme Manager (CE).

Deltas are assessed on the basis of the learning objectives and assessment criteria of the original study component, which form the basis of the assessment. Delta's demonstrate learning objectives portfolio-based through longitudinal assessments based on:

• Competence document;
• Performance impression;
• Peer reviews;
• Portfolio.

The assessment always takes place by 2 Delta assessors. At the final assessment, this is supplemented by an additional assessor appointed by the examination chamber from the basic profile. The assessment is included by the appointed assessor in the assessors meeting of the relevant profile of the student. The Delta assessors are available on call for that meeting.

Successful completion (at least 2 semesters, including at least 1 in the end phase of the study programme) of the Delta programme leads to obtaining a Delta certificate upon graduation.

For the better and more ambitious students, little or nothing extra is usually done in education. In other countries (e.g. the US and Germany) extra attention is explicitly paid to excellent students. Attention goes quite easily to students who perform mediocre to moderate. Better enterprising students are generally not explicitly served by their talent and challenged accordingly (each student has the same program). For better students, this means:

• That they have difficulty differentiating themselves. Going off-track is virtually not allowed or rewarded;
• Lack of challenge resulting in boredom and abandonment;
• That they can develop their talent far from optimally within the university of applied sciences and therefore not do it or do it outside the university.

From this perspective, a number of options for excellence (talent development) were examined. A cocktail has been compiled from this, which the Delta programme has yielded. The options that have been considered:

1. An accelerated programme
   At a number of educational institutions, accelerated programmes are offered under the name of excellence programmes. The aim of the Delta programme is not to accelerate but to make optimum use of the time available for talent development;
2. Switching program for connecting universities
   Switching programs concern advancement, which often has to do with more ambitious and better students, but is not about talent development. Delta explicitly does not focus on advancement;
3. Scientific development / additional topics
   Offering additional topics is supply-driven development and has more specific knowledge as a target. This means that it is not necessarily focused on talent development;
4. Tailor-made for Research & Development departments
   R&D departments can provide exciting environments for students to innovate on the edge of what is possible to learn and develop. Delta embraces opportunities that come from this corner, but will not commit itself to specific organisations. It is also not the intention to specifically train people for one environment;
   
5. Optimal exhaustion of available study time
   Delta aims to make as much use as possible of the available study time and to make the most of it. So also the time that is freed up by students going through the matter faster;
   
6. Building up an excellent portfolio
   Delta's get a multitude of assignments and experiments, also for external clients, to choose from, with which they can build a broad and externally validated portfolio. They are also involved in events, educational development, congresses, etc. from within the university of applied sciences. Anything that makes their portfolio stronger;
   
7. Additional building up of experience, knowledge and skills
   Additional building up of knowledge and skills, but within the broad context of the study programme and aimed at the development of the talents of the individual. In addition, make this explicitly demonstrable in the portfolio by diving deeper into matter and gaining insights. (So this is different from offering additional topics).

The Delta Programme focuses on talent development by making the best use of available time (5) in which extra knowledge, skills and experience (7) are gained resulting in an excellent portfolio (6).

Lecturers can register students as potential Delta. Students who think they are Delta can also apply. A selection process is initiated based on these applications. This looks as follows:

• Deltas may not be behind in studies. By the time of intake for the 2nd year, the P must be obtained;
• Potentials must pick up a motivated recommendation from at least 2 lecturers;
• Potentials should apply with a cover letter. Referring to their portfolio (that which they are proud of), nominations and their personal reason for becoming Delta;
• If the above conditions are met, an intake interview will follow. In this interview the motivation letter is discussed, portfolio material is examined and qualities such as passion, creativity, etc. are gauged. The Delta working method is explicitly discussed and the student is questioned about this and whether this working method suits the student;
• When in doubt after the interview, other lecturers are consulted if necessary to get the full picture.

If potentials score well on the components, sufficient nominations, motivation, portfolio and intake and have no study deficits, they will be invited to participate in the programme. Those who drop out will be informed of this with a short motivation. Rejected students are always free to retake intake one semester later. Those who are invited are not obliged to participate in the programme. If they still have doubts, they can still follow the regular track (and possibly have a second interview).

The Delta assessors communicate to the exam rooms of the respective routes each semester which students are taking the delta programme. The PLOUs are included in this line to further streamline communication. The Delta coaches fulfill the role of Semester coach.

To successfully implement the Delta Programme, a number of resources will be released.

Pursuing education is a more or less full time occupation. Within that framework, time must be found to work on Delta. This time is found in various ways.

• Aligned Delta to Basic Programme: Delta replaces the full basic programme with the student always retaining the option of taking parts of this programme;
• Faster through content: Deltas earn time by completing regular topics faster;
• Synergy: In all research and projects that Deltas conduct, the deliverables are considered to complete (parts of) regular topics and assessments;
• Extracurricular time: Deltas are expected to invest their own time in Delta as well.

Deltas have their own space which they may set up as their own lab, home or study. Here Deltas from different years and basic routes sit together and form multidisciplinary teams.

Deltas do exploration projects that require or require specific hardware to be built in addition to projects that take place entirely within the computer. Resources for this are provided. (Example: AVSwarm and Interactive Ellie). In addition, Deltas have access to a number of support resources.

Deltas prove their competencies throughout the year and therefore are not tied to the logistics of one project per term or semester. On average, Deltas run somewhere between 5 and 9 projects per year. This usually involves several running in parallel. Each Delta is a project leader at least once. Projects always involve real clients. Efforts are made each year to arrange some exciting projects with high visibility. Think of projects at the De Dutch Design Week or STRP, for the VPRO or Glow.

Students take the Delta Programme to replace the basic profile. The learning objectives and assessment criteria of the original course of study form the basis of assessment.

Testing and assessment is done by using a mix of components.

• Performance impressions
  Deltas are continuously monitored. The Delta coaches form a picture of each Delta's performance (Longitudinal) at these many times;
• Peer reviews
  There are peer or group reviews. The impression from these is factored into judgments about performance;
• Competency document
  Deltas keep track of what they are working on and use this to complete a competency document with evidence. This is discussed once or twice a period which ensures progress and evidence;
• Competence Profiling
  ALL work submitted is assessed within the HBO-i competency model and provides a development profile of each Delta as an ICT professional;
• Assessors
  Delta students are assessed by their assessors. These are the Delta supervisor(s) and an exam room designated assessor from the basic route or PLOU and another lecturer from the relevant semester;
• Assessors meeting
  The designated assessor from the examination room will take the final assessment to the assessors meeting of the respective route. Delta assessors are available on call for that meeting;
• Delta Certificate
  Upon successful completion of the Delta track in at least 2 semesters, at least 1 of which must be in the final phase, a Delta Certificate will be issued upon graduation.