"Friday is short and yet somehow long" – insights from Christina Pavin into her university weekend at IB Hochschule
"Friday is the shortest lecture day – and yet it's somehow long," Christina Pavin says with a laugh. For her, the university weekend starts in online format – and although that's practical, she sometimes wishes for more variety. But once the in-person phase begins, the real magic of the university weekend begins.
Teaching in the part-time Health Education programmes or the training-integrated Applied Therapy Science programme takes place at university weekends. Unlike the full-time Psychology or Digital Health programmes with teaching times within the week, students spend a lot of time together from Friday to Sunday.
In-person teaching on weekends brings many advantages – such as personal contact and exchange, and always a lot of fun in addition to the intensive study. Group work is possible at a whole different level.
How does such a university weekend proceed? – Usually a weekend starts for me on Friday afternoon as online format. Although Friday is the shortest lecture day, it is sometimes still long. Online teaching is challenging for everyone and it's not so easy to design methodically diverse. But what I also want to say is that I really appreciate these online Fridays for my work and family life and am very glad to have this possibility from home.
What is special about a university weekend? – I study Health Education and am incredibly happy not only to have theoretical content on pedagogy taught, but also to experience pedagogy from the different lecturers and to be able to try it out myself in the different phases of the lecture. Didactics can be learned theoretically, but teaching experiences must be gathered. My cohort is a space for me where I dare to try out methods in presentations.
An important part of my university weekends is the joint big walk in the Wuhletal with a fellow student. Here I can clear my head and gather strength for the rest of the day. The location of IB Hochschule is best suited for such relaxation opportunities.
Does one benefit from being on-site or is it tiring? – Presence is the most important building block for me. Group dynamics and synergies can hardly be established online at the screen. We have become a tight community as a cohort and have often motivated each other – all the more so since all students complete the programme part-time. And our shared meal designs for the university weekend would also not be possible without presence.
Many thanks Christina Pavin! This insight impressively shows us how diverse, intensive and enriching a part-time programme at IB Hochschule can be – between online teaching, in-person phases and personal development steps.