IMT trains teaching staff of its graduate schools on developments in teaching practices
After considering the profile of the engineer in 2030, IMT is now looking at the development of teaching and learning practices in the all-digital and MOOC era. This was the subject of its MEDIANE* winter school, held last January, which brought together teachers, educational advisers, ICT engineers and education experts. It was an innovative training initiative within the wider context of higher education in France.
3 days for evaluating innovative teaching practices.
The aim of this event was to provide IMT professors with a time of reflection devoted to educational practices that foster students’ engagement in their learning during initial and lifelong training. Over the course of the 3 days the professors of the Mines and Télécom schools were able to exchange views with education experts, with Bruno Duvauchelle as the main contributor at the event. The teaching staff were also able to learn about a variety of teaching practices such as flipped classrooms, MOOCs, integrative projects, the use of individual electronic voting clickers in classrooms, flexible learning practices and knowledge mind-maps, plus the use of scientific debates and project and problem-based approaches.
This training seminar was also designed as a place for exchanging teaching practices and where experienced professors and those who had recently joined the schools could meet – an opportunity offered by the scale of the IMT, encompassing the Mines and Télécom schools since 2012 and representing more than 1,400 professors.
A key investment for teaching educational methods
Bertrand Bonte, the Development and Careers Director of IMT, explained that, “because we train the engineers and managers of the future, training and educational methods have been important themes of our strategy ever since the creation of our institute in 2012. This was the reason for this investment, which is so crucial for an establishment like ours in order to offer spaces and opportunities for experiences and exchanges that are absolutely essential. Moreover, this initiative is to be continued in the long term. We are already inviting our schools’ professors to next year’s event.”
Testimonies
Sylvie Pires da Rocha, in charge of the training and professionalization of professors at Mines Nantes
“For me, these days capitalized on the innovation work in teaching methods carried out in the schools over the past 10 years. It brought together teaching and training professionals, as well as providing an important time for exchanging views on teaching and learning practices in the institute’s schools. What has stayed with me most from MEDIANE is the professors’ strong desire to continue expanding the development of teaching methods in the institute’s schools.”
Isabelle Zaquine, professor at Télécom Paris
“It was really nice, a good opportunity to exchange views with colleagues from the institute’s other schools on what we all knew to be a common concern. We all clicked really quickly because everyone got into the inter-school mixing. I have to say that the organization was irreproachable, and it gave us plenty of opportunities to share possible experiments in different ways. I am delighted with the experience and I really hope that all the teaching staff who wish to can regularly take part in this sort of event. It is, in my view, a deeply uniting occasion for the institute’s professors.”
Jannik Laval, professor at Mines Douai
“MEDIANE is an important time for teaching staff who are interested in the renewal of teaching methods. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that so many teaching staff from different fields came together over current issues in teaching methods. Discussions during the seminar were particularly constructive and positive.
As a learner, I was able to see different points of view on MOOCs, the types of assessment and feedback on experiences of the teaching practices.
As a teacher, it was the first time that had I trained such pro-active learners. No-one hesitated to criticize and offer their opinion on the training, and all this in a convivial atmosphere where the comments were constructive. After MEDIANE, I think that the teaching staff network should be structured in order to continue the sharing of our experiences.”
* MEDIANE is the acronym of “Métier d’Enseignant : Développement, Innovation, Apprentissage, Numérique, Enseignement” (Teaching Professions: Development, Innovation, Learning, Digital Technology and Teaching)
