More about the course

• [course code TBA] - Teach like a scientist: Put your scientific mindset to work to innovate and improve teaching in science and engineering

• Lecturers: Deniz Haydar (course coordinator) (Teacher education, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences) and Sofie Van den Eynde (Centre for Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Science and Engineering)

• 5 ECTS

• Block 1a, 2026-2027

• Open to all 3rd year BSc students of FSE. 

• Capacity: maximum 30 students, with a maximum of 6 students per degree programme 

Course description

Teaching is a creative, complex and impactful activity, just like research. In Teach like a Scientist, you will explore the intersection of scientific thinking and educational innovation. During this project-based course you will collaborate with your peers and with lecturers to tackle real teaching challenges, e.g. investigating a persistent learning barrier, designing an evidence-based solution, or evaluating a new teaching approach.

The skills and knowledge you will gain in this course are useful not only for careers in academia (where education is a central part of the job) and teaching secondary school science, but also in industry, consultancy and the public sector, where a lot of work is project based and presenting results is a part of most jobs. 

Central to this course is the project you do with two fellow students. It revolves around a real-world teaching challenge, proposed by an FSE lecturer. While working on this project, you will be supported by a project mentor. Parallel to this, you will participate in lectures and workshops that provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to complete your project successfully. By engaging in this evidence-informed project, you will experience how scientific principles can be applied to teaching. 

At the end of the course, your work will culminate in an exhibition, where you will share the results of your projects with a wider network of educators, researchers, and students in the teaching and learning community at the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, you will be able to…

1. Identify, analyse and address real teaching challenges in your own discipline, i.e. formulating research-informed questions, designing evidence-based interventions, or evaluating their effectiveness in science and engineering education.

2. Critically engage with educational theory and research by synthesizing insights from scientific literature, the course content, and expert input to inform your project work.

3. Communicate your findings and innovations effectively to diverse audiences, including peers, faculty, and the broader teaching and learning community.

4. Reflect on the role of teaching in scientific careers, by articulating how educational innovation complements and enhances research, professional practice, and societal impact in science and engineering.