Biology and programming
In addition to teaching the elective course Introduction to R Programming in Biology, Jelle Hilbers also investigates the human impact on biodiversity as part of his own research. Explaining this relationship, he says: "As a researcher, I use the R programming language to develop and visualise models and statistical relationships. At the same time, the demand for data analysis, management and visualisation is increasing, both within the university and the field at large. This makes R a useful programming language and the reason why this course was created. Students can really benefit from it in their future careers. The grant will help us tailor the course to their specific needs.”
Inspiring and motivating
"Programming is pretty abstract and many students see it as a means to an end in other fields," explains Jelle. “This makes them more likely to drop the course. It's also the reason why we wanted to make the course more inspiring and motivating, to help students learn in a way that suits them. The grant gives us room to set up a team and create a curriculum that is tailored to their needs. By personalising the programme, putting students first, and giving them more options to choose from, we can increase their intrinsic motivation. I think it’s great!”
Diversity as a driver for change
The elective course has grown in popularity in recent years. “As the course became more popular, it also became more diverse,” says Jelle. “In addition to biology students, it started attracting students from other faculties as well -- from third-year students to pre-Master’s and Master’s students. Some have basic programming skills, while others are entirely new to the field. So that’s where we’re seeing a difference and where we can make a difference.”
Personalising the course
The course will be personalised in terms of level, time, and content. “There will be levels for beginners and advanced students,” explains Jelle. “Not all students benefit from an on-campus course offered at a specific time, so we plan to offer the course year-round. We also plan to personalise the course content by giving students the opportunity to take an interest- and programme-specific approach and choose subjects that relate to their courses instead of generic exercises.”
Competing against the boss
Jelle and his team are also introducing new elements to the programme, such as gamification. “One idea is to develop an escape room in which students work together on programming assignments. This creates a sense of togetherness and group cohesion. Students can also earn badges each time they complete a module. This is a great way to visualise their progress and inspire them to keep going. We’re also working on assignments that pit students against a ‘boss’ and solve timed questions. In this case, the boss is me,” Jelle says with a laugh.
Doing what’s best for the students
The new course will give students more options and with that, more freedom and more responsibility. “We expect them to take this seriously,” says Jelle. “We’ll keep a close eye on their progress, support them along the way, and organise regular Q&A sessions.” The professor can also expect some changes with this new course. “Personally, I love teaching big groups, but I’ll consider it a compliment if they learn to work independently. It’s about them, not me. I just want to do what’s best for them.”
Over the next eighteen months, Jelle and his team will work to prepare, develop and implement the new course, which will be offered to students in September 2024.
Text: Pleuni van Keulen for Radboud Recharge. Picture by Gerd Altmann via Pixabay