E-learn Weblog of Willem van Valkenburg

Since 2013 Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) offers online courses for a global population of lifelong learners (MOOCs, ProfEd, and MSc courses). This year we reached 640K enrollments. Online education can be used as a catalyzer for gaining knowledge on learning and learning processes, due to a large amount of data on student behavior. For this reason, TU Delft is looking for external researchers who are interested in creating joint research projects on quality and efficacy / effectiveness of open and online education.

The goal of TU Delft would be to create win-win research projects, where research results can be used by TU Delft and at the same time help the researcher in his / her own research ambitions.

Short-cyclical research projects

External researchers are invited to cooperate with TU Delft through short-cyclical research projects. Such projects provide researchers with ample opportunity for exploration and analysis of a particular research topic, but also aim for output within a relatively short time-span (i.e. six months).
External researchers have the freedom to define their own research project, research questions, and approach within agreed upon constraints (i.e. topic, time, budget). Preferred research themes are:

• Didactics of online learning
• Learning content
• Teacher roles and styles
• Online group dynamics
• Learner support

What do we expect?

• An interested external researcher is invited to write a concise project proposal (max. 4 pages), with support from our research coordinator.
• A project proposal should consist of the research question that will be answered, the methodology that will be used for this, the type and amount of data that needs to be studied, an overview of resources the TU Delft should provide, and any associated costs / remuneration.
• Project deliverables are a research report and scientific papers.
• Potential external researchers can be international or domestic, and can have expertise ranging from social science to engineering science. Delft University of Technology offers opportunities for both ‘short-stay arrangements’ and for researchers to work from their native country and visit TU Delft at set moments.

What do we offer?

TU Delft offers the opportunity to work on pioneering science and education, the opportunity to work with a salient data set, the opportunity to write unique papers with good exposure potential, and a chance to cooperate closely with instructors in creating and facilitating courses to make them better for students. Use of university resources and remuneration are an option.

Available data includes:

• Online education student data based on 635K enrollments.
• Pre-survey, mid-survey, and post-survey data on 30+ MOOCs, ProfEd, and MSc courses (60K+ responses).
• Blackboard and edX course data on 30+ MOOCs, ProfEd, and MSc courses.

Contact

For more information contact our research coordinator: dr.ir. J.P. (Jan-Paul) van Staalduinen.