In the first place, he does not appear to be on the cutting edge dress-wise. Not with the classic tennis socks in open sandals. And secondly because the rest of Per Thorsen’s outfit fits the classic slightly dusty model of an associate professor with a pair of loose jeans with side pockets, textured shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a pair of neutral, wire-framed glasses with intelligent eyes behind them.

The Aarhus University Anniversary Foundation Prize of Honour for Pedagogics

But on the Monday morning where Omnibus takes a seat at the back of at the Peter Bøgh Andersen’s auditorium for a lecture at the Aarhus University School of Engineering at Katrinebjerg in Aarhus, the reason why Per Thorsen has just received the Aarhus University Anniversary Foundation Prize of Honour for Pedagogics quickly becomes apparent. As does one of the many reasons for the award, i.e. his IT didactic approach to teaching.  

And why the associate professor, when asked about his philosophy of life, without a second’s hesitation replies: “If it’s new it’s got to be tried."

Not much note-taking

Almost all of the approximately 200 students filling the auditorium this morning sit with their laptops. But only a few of them are taking notes on their laptops during the associate professor's rapidly progressing lecture on the subject ‘introduction to electric circuit theory’ as part of the electronics course.

YouTube videos

"No need, because they know they can watch the videos I upload from this and all the other lectures afterwards. So they don’t need to spend time taking notes during a lesson," explains Thorsen later over a cup of coffee in his office.

Records short sequences

He makes sure he records the lesson in the auditorium in manageable sequences so that the students get a number of short features instead of one long video. That saves the students a lot of time spooling back and forth to find the parts they want to review.

Must already be familiar with the material

Even before the lecture, Thorsen uploaded videos on YouTube that students can use to familiarise themselves with the topic for the two upcoming 45-minute sessions. The students have also been equipped with a PDF textbook.

"So I also expect the students to be familiar with the material, and that’s why I go over the calculations relatively quickly," says the associate professor.

Looking down from Omnibus’ position in the back row of the auditorium, it appears that Facebook and various online news media are being checked during the lecture. Despite this, the students appear to be paying attention to Per Thorsen’s calculations. 

Any questions?

The associate professor looks around the auditorium with a quizzical gaze after finishing his lecture.

“Any questions?”

"Yes, what are we supposed to use this for?" asks a student at the front of the auditorium.

Thorsen looks happy, as this is precisely the kind of question he likes to hear from the students. In the hear and now, such questions are a chance to make sure that the students have understood the theory.

"Can you follow the calculation seen in isolation?," he asks the student. When the student nods, Thorsen explains that in the afternoon the class will be given some exercises to test the theory in practice.

No free ride

Thorsen makes a great effort to involve the students by several times asking whether they have any questions about the material. And he takes time to answer them. But his pedagogical approach is not a free ride that the students can use to disclaim responsibility for their own learning.

Understand what you do not understand

"When they ask a question, they must be able to explain to me exactly where they have a problem either in the video they’ve seen, or by pointing to the line they don’t understand in the textbook. I want them to be clear about what they understand and what they don’t understand," says Thorsen. He continues:

"And by insisting that the students specifically pinpoint what it is they don’t understand, I find time and again that during this process, they find the answer to their question themselves."

Ongoing pedagogical discussions

For Thorsen, the question like the one asked by the student in the auditorium is also a significant input for the ongoing pedagogical discussions among the associate professors at the Aarhus University School of Engineering.

But we leave this topic along with Per Thorsen’s colleague, Associate Professor Tore Arne Skogberg, who has to briefly leave the office the two associate professors share. We return to the topic when Skogberg gets back to the office, as he plays a role in this part of the story.

Touchscreen computer

Per Thorsen’s most important technological tool during the lessons is a touchscreen computer. He uses a cable in the control desk to connect the computer to a large monitor in the auditorium. He then uses his pen to draw on the computer monitor while the students watch on the large monitor.

Took a little getting used to  

"It takes a little time to get used to using a pen when you’re used to chalk. But you quickly get the hang of it, even though my students have criticised me because they can’t see the difference between my ‘m’ and my ‘n’. But then again I’m from a time when we still wrote in cursive," laughs the associate professor.

Must not be problematic

His application for the funds to purchase a computer with a touch screen has to do with the central idea that using new technology must not be difficult. Per Thorsen quickly discovered that using the large screens installed in several of the auditoriums in the modern buildings housing the School of Engineering was a bother. 

"Too complicated and too much trouble using them. I can only speak for myself but that’s my experience of them," says Thorsen.

Documentary-style course materials

Thorsen also supports producing course material that’s easy for students to use. He insists on only reusing his material in situations where he is able to guarantee that it will not influence the students' experience of his teaching.

Falling into the trap

"As a teacher you have to be careful not to spend too much time on the videos because you risk falling into the trap of not being willing to change your teaching material. So it has to be genuine hand-held documentary style. It’s important that what you present for the students isn’t videos from lectures held last year, says Thorsen.

A mirror of a conversation

He goes on to explain the background for his position:

"When I teach the students I like to know that the material I upload for them is a mirror of the conversation that I have had with precisely these students.”

Per Thorsen continues with a smile:

"Uhmms and Aahs are also included so in that way you have to get used to being a public figure. But it’s not a problem if I say some nonsense as long as I also correct myself."

On the other hand, he reuses the videos in which he explains a topic to the students, as they need to be told the same from year to year.

Practice before theory

When Tore Arne Skogberg shows up at the office again, he hardly manages to sit down behind his desk before Per Thorsen asks:

"Isn’t it correct that you have also decided to take the practical exercises first again this year, and then take the theory behind them later?”

Skogberg nods. Due to an error in the allocation of rooms last year, he was unable to conduct his lectures in the usual way, i.e. whereby the students first acquire theoretical understanding before being thrown into practical exercises.

"When I complained to Per about it he suggested that I should just do the exercises first and then explain the theories to the students afterwards," says Skogberg.

Skogberg followed that advice and found out the students developed a very good understanding of the material.

Abstract and specific 

Thorsen’s eagerness is almost overwhelming as he takes over from Skogberg.

"There is a tendency today for us to take an abstract approach instead of a practical approach. And that’s good for people who find it easy to understand abstractions. But there are also students who can progress quite far in a field who need to put their hand on the hotplate before they can understand that it’s warm."

Translated by Peter Lambourne