Work Schedule

The association has developed a common work platform which is based on a work schedule referred to as the Milestone Plan. The Milestone Plan consists of three segments:

Development - Testing- Consolidation

Milestone Plan

Development phase (academic year 1998/99)

Main strategic areas:

• Definition of the module concept, the characteristics of a module and their formalization
  
• Investigations of forms of descriptions of modules in different courses and stages of study
  
• Implementation concept: teaching plan in a module-pool and a corresponding access mechanism for different uses, such as Bachelor's, Master's, and Diploma programs and also courses for business
  
• Discussion of the content of modules based on subject areas, the weighting of modules, the introduction of the credit-point-system (CPS) in the computer science programs, the coordination of prerequisites, interfaces and transfer for modules to avoid unjustified overlap or repetition of content with the goal of establishing module management
  
• Creation of criteria to ensure the quality for the education and the degrees of the different modularization suggestions
  
• Study of existing modularization systems and how they award credit and observe the international comparability of degrees and their mutual acceptance
  
• Design of a curriculum for the Bachelor's/Master's course of studies and orienta- tion on the ECTS of the EU in the awarding of credits, transfer and accumulation of credits
  
• Investigations of the uses of modules for part-time students

Technical and organizational measures:

• Establishing (installation, testing) a multimedia work platform with a database for the use of all association members
  
• Creation of the technical requirements for distributed on-line meetings with electronic whiteboards
  
• Planning of a virtual lecture hall
  
• Survey on the acceptance of the modularization and the credit point system among instructors and students
  
• Development of accompanying evaluation criteria
  
• Preparation of module-based programs of study
  
• Examinations of the modularization of the diploma program
  
• Preparation of publications / information material on the model program of study

Testing phase (academic year 1999/2000)

Main strategic points:

• Introduction of module-based model programs of study:
  Bachelor's / Master's programs
  
• Step-by-step, trial introduction of new curricula and the credit point system for the diploma program
  
• Use of an electronic registration, examination, and administration system and module-oriented examination management
  
• Transfer criteria between the different colleges and universities and the different types of colleges and universities (university - polytechnic)
  
• Inclusion of international partner colleges and universities in relation to mutual recognition of course content and degrees
  
• Analysis of the acceptance of degrees by business and the students
  
• Preparation of accreditation criteria in coordination with the Faculty- / Subject Area Congress
  
• Multiple use of the module-pool for other programs of study but also for continuing professional education and course systems of businesses.

Special measures:

• Introduction of a diploma program in media computer science
  
• Multiple use of modules in different programs of study, such as technical computer science and media computer science
  
• Holding the workshop on the modularization of computer science programs in the 4th quarter of 1999.

Consolidation phase (academic year 2000/01)

Main Strategic Points:

• Exchange of information on experiences regarding instruction in modular computer science programs, including areas of emphasis in programs of study, internship semesters, and semesters of study abroad
  
• Exchange of information on the use of multimedia components in instruction and for self-study, such as the providing of iteractive instructional material, the cooperation among colleges and universities in the association in the area of teleteaching and distance learning
  
• Examination of the results and the preparation of recommendations for pilot pro- jects, the modification on the basis of results and adaptation in current programs of study
  
• Evaluation of the pilot examination and study regulations, and of the education goals of the tested modular programs of study
  
• Development of a general introduction and transition strategy for the modules, degrees and the credit point system
  
• Verification of the flexibility, transparency and mobility of the modular computer science programs
  
• Contributions to the definition of professions and degrees
  
• Catalogue and forum describing the modules offered for potential users in industry and businesses.

Current Activities in the Association

• Semi-annual consultations as forums for discussions on the results and the strategic coordination
  
• Cooperation with the study and examination commissions
  
• Continuing quality assurance through the evaluation of the model programs
  
• Annual interim reports, especially regarding the aspect of results that are ready for implementation
  
• Exchange of information on experience connected with mathematics tutorials and a media computer science program
  
• Participation of the association members in congresses on the relevant contents of the modularization in the area of education, assessment by the providing of information in the association's document-server
  
• Final report corresponding to the guidelines of the Bund-Länder-Kommission (Federal-State-Commission) for education planning and research support (project group - innovations in education) with the goals of analyzing and ensuring the results, using necessary modifications and revisions, recommendations for transitions.