dr. M (Maaike) de Jong

In my current position as Education innovator & Lecturer at the Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group (PEN) and the Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group (FEM), I aim to improve our education to better fit the recent increase in student numbers at Wageningen University, by using innovative teaching methods, both online and offline.

Together with course coordinators and lecturers, I evaluate their course and pinpoint where changes may be needed. In most cases we try out some new elements during the current academic year. Some examples are; changing to closed questions in exams, using scan forms for scoring exams, changing the logistics and organisation of excursions, introducing peer feedback as part of a group assignment and designing formative assessments in addition to practicals. For the next academic year, we make a plan for further development or redesign of the course. Improvements in or assistance with general course structure, organisation and logistics are often also part of this. More specifically, I assist course coordinators with the move to the new learning management system Brightspace, which at the same time creates the opportunity to seek advice from involved educationalists on (parts of) the course design.

Apart from this work on bachelor and master programme courses, I am involved in the logistics around theses and internships, the organisation of a ‘thesis ring’ for peer feedback during the thesis writing process and promotional activities such as thesis and internship markets. Also, I am part of the Strategic Partnership ABBEE, a cooperation between WUR and German, Danish and Finnish universities, focussing on transferring and implementing innovative practices in the field of bio-based economy education and exchanging experiences at a European level.