Photo: Thomas Hjort Jensen

New game to promote good teaching

Two experienced DTU lecturers have developed the game T-mind for technology lecturers.

Five lecturers, a game board shaped like a target, and a stack of cards with 50 different statements about teaching all of which are authentic and spoken by lecturers at DTU. These are the ingredients in the game T-mind which Associate Professors Claus Thorp Hansen from DTU Mechanical Engineering and Lars Bogø Jensen from DTU Food have developed.

T-mind stands for ‘Teachers’ mind about teaching and learning’ and the whole idea is to get lecturers to reflect on and discuss their teaching methods and student learning.

“Normally, people find it easy talking about their subject, but there aren’t many forums where people discuss their teaching methods,” explains Lars Bogø Jensen.

“When people just sit down together and freely discuss what constitutes good teaching, the manager usually ends up having the final word. In the game, everyone is equal and is allotted the same speaking time. There is no winner or final solution. The prize is simply that you gain insight into your own teaching methods and those of your colleagues.”

The starting point for the game is the question: ‘What constitutes good teaching on your course?’ Players are given 15 minutes to find the five statements that best match their perception of good teaching. However, they can also proffer their own statements and write them down on a blank card. The players arrange the cards face up with the most important closest to the middle—and as they do so, they explain their choices to the other players.

Consensus
T-mind is intended as a tool for lecturers on a course or study programme who want to establish consensus on values and educational methods. But the most important thing is that they and their colleagues reflect on why they do what they do.

“In the course of the game, players find focus areas across the range of cards, and finally select the five cards that support the group’s consensus. This enables you to create a common mindset about teaching,” explains Lars Bogø Jensen.

“And if you don’t arrive at a common consensus, you will at least be aware of the different teaching methods the students can experience on the course.”

Currently, T-mind is only available from the two developers, who also present and facilitate the game. So far, they have presented it to an international and very diverse group at teaching conferences in Finland and the Netherlands. Naturally, they have also played the game with lecturers at DTU, and they have established contact with various technical colleges that are interested in trying it out.