This year Wageningen University is the best university of the Netherlands for the 10th time in a row. This fantastic result is made public by the study guide ‘Choice guide Universities 2015’ today.

All study programmes of Wageningen University received good reviews: 14 of the 19 bachelor programmes are qualified as being of top-quality. All programmes were rated by education experts and students. The two courses with the highest scores in the Netherlands are the Wageningen University bachelor programmes Plant Sciences and International Land and Water Management (both with a score of 94 out of 100). Congrats!!!

For more (in Dutch) see: http://www.keuzegids.org/download/141027_embargo_persbericht_keuzegids_universiteiten_2015.pdf

Anne Khaled vandaag gepromoveerd op ‘Innovations in hands-on simulations for competence development’. Paranimfen: Dr. Janna Cousijn; Ir. Carla Oonk; Copromotoren: Dr. Judith Gulikers; Dr. Harm Biemans. Examencommissie: Prof. dr. Renger Witkamp; Prof. dr. Regina Mulder; Prof. dr. Robert-Jan Simons; Dr. Sanne Akkerman. Plaatsvervangend Rector: Prof. dr. Yvonne Rietjens.

 

Ester Alake-Tuenter successfully defended her PhD-thesis ‘Inquiry-based science teaching competence of pre-service primary teachers’. Co-promoters were Dr. Harm Biemans and Dr. Hilde Tobi. Examiners were Dr. M. Svensson from Göteborg University, Prof. D. Beijaard from the TU Eindhoven, Dr. W. Kuiper from Utrecht University, and Prof. T. van Boekel from Wageningen University. Download dissertation via: http://edepot.wur.nl/315471

Continue reading Ester Alake-Tuenter completed PhD-project on science teaching competence

Mulder, M. (2001). Customer satisfaction with training programs, Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 25 Iss: 6, pp.321 – 331

Today I was going back to this study as my chair group has to provide a methodology for evaluating the quality of training programs for a practical training institute abroad. This study is precisely on that. It deals with courses in the private training sector. Three types of training programs were distinguished, those which were aimed at achieving: 1. learning results; 2. improved job performance; 3. organizational change. So we did not care about reactions of learners, as we were more interested in the real effects of the training. Indicators for program preparation, implementation and results were distinguished. The aggregated results for the first two types of training programs showed that program implementation has the strongest relationship with program results. Program preparation has an indirect effect on program results, and is of less importance. The direct relationship between program preparation and results is very low. These findings hold for programs which aim at achieving learning results and improved job performance. Projects which are aimed at achieving organisational change face more intermediating variables. The title of the article is a bit misleading. It is not so much on customer satisfaction.It would be better to speak about quality of tailor-made in-company training projects as perceived by the training project managers in the company.

To read the article: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/03090590110401791

 

LLLight in Europe, together with the Digital School of Leuphana University of Lüneburg and Zeppelin University, offers starting on October 8th this year a massive open online course (MOOC) entitled “Solution and Innovation Skills”. With this online-course, LLLight and the partner universities take up the topic of innovation and complex problem solving skills: participants learn how to develop and implement new ideas. The ten-week course is taught in English and is free and open to everybody. Systematic development and implementation of innovation is possible for everyone. Participants of this online course learn special techniques to do so while acquiring the skills to solve complex problems. The concept of the class is based on the latest results from the LLL-project. Wageningen University, together with researchers from such institutions as the Harvard Business School, the MIT Media Lab, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the TIAS School for Business and Society in the Netherlands, has developed the ideas for this course and will be delivering them during the course in autumn. For you and colleagues in your organization this is the opportunity to get first-hand experience of research and findings in this field, embedded in a proven didactic concept which allows you to not only learn about the skills, but also to learn how to use and apply them.
For more information about the course, the faculty and participating institutions, as well as how to register, visit http://www.innovation-skills-mooc.com/
For more information about the LLLight in Europe project please visit: www.lllightineurope.com

Full reference: Karimi Saeid Mr. , Biemans Harm J.A. Asst. Prof. , Lans Thomas Dr. , Chizari Mohammad Prof. , Mulder Martin Prof. , (2014) “Effects of role models and gender on students’ entrepreneurial intentions: “, European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 38 Iss: 8

 

Purpose

Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the present study explores the effects of entrepreneurial role models on entrepreneurial intention and its antecedents and examines the question of whether the effects vary by gender.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from a sample of 331 students at seven universities in Iran. Structural equation modelling and bootstrap procedure were used to analyse the data.

Findings

Consistent with the TPB, our results show entrepreneurial role models to indirectly influence entrepreneurial intentions via the antecedents of intention. No gender differences in the relationship between perceived behaviour control and entrepreneurial intentions was found, but gender did moderate the other relationships within the TPB. Attitude towards entrepreneurship was a weaker predictor and subjective norms a stronger predictor of entrepreneurial intentions for female students than for their male counterparts. Furthermore, perceived behaviour control and attitudes towards entrepreneurship were more strongly influenced by role models for females as opposed to male students.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies should go beyond examining the mere fact of knowing entrepreneurial role models to examine the mechanisms underlying the relationship between role models and entrepreneurial intentions.

Practical implications

The results of this study have clear implications for both educators and policy makers.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by incorporating entrepreneurial role models and gender into the TPB and investigating their mediating and moderating effects within the model.

 

Karimi, S., Biemans, H.J.A., Lans, Th., Chizari, M. & Mulder, M. (2014). The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education: A Study of Iranian Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions and Opportunity Identification. Journal of Small Business Management – DOI: 10.1111/jsbm.12137

‘Building on the theory of planned behavior, an ex ante and ex post survey was used to assess the impacts of elective and compulsory entrepreneurship education programs (EEPs) on students’ entrepreneurial intention and identification of opportunities. Data were collected by questionnaire from a sample of 205 participants in EEPs at six Iranian universities. Both types of EEPs had significant positive impacts on students’ subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Results also indicated that the elective EEPs significantly increased students’ entrepreneurial intention, although this increase was not significant for the compulsory EEPs. The findings contribute to the theory of planned behavior and have implications for the design and delivery of EEPs.’ Source: JSBM, 2014, DOI: 10.1111/jsbm.12137

14 november 2014, 12:30 – 18:30 uur, Symposium ter gelegenheid van het 50-jarig jubileum van de leerstoelgroep Educatie- en competentiestudies (ECS) en haar voorgangers. Thema: “Onderwijstheorie, –praktijk en –prestatie in agrifood en groene ruimte” Locatie: het nieuwe viersterren Hotel Wageningse Berg, Generaal Foulkesweg 96, 6703 DS Wageningen. Aanmelden d.m.v. een email naar office.ecs@wur.nl. Hier zijn geen kosten aan verbonden.

Continue reading 14 november 2014 Symposium 50 jaar ECS – aanmelding open

Impressions of the HETL conference in Anchorage, Alaska, US. Lots of good sessions about technology in Higher Education. Quite a different view from the conference venue than a couple of weeks ago in Miami.

Continue reading Impressions of the HETL conference in Anchorage, Alaska

Our paper, “ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN A SMALL BUSINESS CONTEXT: INSIGHTS FROM THE COMPETENCE-BASED APPROACH “, entered SSRN’s list of Top Ten download papers in the category Human Capital. Check the paper at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=1144291