From September 2021, students following one of the ten applied graduate programs at IFP School have been able to personalize some aspects of their learning experience.
They now have the opportunity to take elective modules and/or request an exemption from certain modules. In the latter case, students can choose to carry out a project either individually or as part of a team.
"As an applied graduate engineering school, IFP School encourages its students to play an active role in their own education," explains Pierre-Yves Déquirez, a lecturer at the Georesources and Energy Center and project manager.
"With this new approach, students become more independent and have the opportunity to adapt their learning experience to their career objectives," he continues.
The origin of the project
This innovation is one of the 40 proposals selected by IFP School’s Board of directors as part of the reflection process concerning its future teaching: "École 40 ou l’École dans laquelle j’aimerais apprendre demain" (School 40 or the School I would like to study at in the future), initiated in 2018.
Building on this project and with an eye to adapting the teaching provision to students’ expectations, in January 2019, a multidisciplinary working group conducted a survey focusing on the personalization of learning among the 2018 and 2019 student intakes.
"81% of students expressed an interest in à la carte learning," underlines Frédérique Fournier, director of the Georesources and Energy Center, and Project Leader of the working group.
The group held a series of meetings, but the Covid-19 health crisis forced the team to postpone the roll-out of the initiative to the start of the 2021-2022 academic year.
Elective modules
This measure only concerns apprentices and work/study program students with 5 years of higher education (with the exception of students based in the Georesources and Energy Center, for whom the work-study schedule is different).
In December, after having completed their last in-company period, students have the option to take one or two elective modules from the six on offer, delivered in English.
Around one hundred apprentices and work/study program students with 5 years of higher education have been the first to personalize their learning, selecting from the following modules: econometrics, energy and climate change, hydrogen applied to mobility, the fundamentals of geostatistics, international project management and the gas value chain.
"These are designed to be introductory modules aimed at helping students explore fields outside their specific programs," explains Frédérique Fournier.
For 2022, the School plans to increase the modules on offer by introducing additional themes.
Module exemptions
With the agreement of the Program Supervisor and the center’s management, students can be granted an exemption from some modules, at the suggestion of the teacher responsible for delivering the module in question. To be eligible, students must demonstrate that they have already acquired expertise and knowledge in a specific area, in their school/university of origin.
Supervised by a coach, they can then reinforce their knowledge in the chosen field by working on a project, either individually or as part of a team.
"This option enables them to go into greater depth and build on their career objectives. It’s also an opportunity for them to enjoy additional mentoring and exchange with their colleagues within the context of a group project," notes Pierre-Yves Déquirez.
Author of the article: Meyling Siu