Introducing Tara Scheer, ESAB member 2023-2024

"Education is a stepping stone to progress"

Hi everyone! My name is Tara Scheer, and I am a proud representative of the Faculty of Science and Engineering in the Student Advisory Board (ESAB) at EDLAB. Throughout my studies at University College Maastricht, I had the privilege of shaping my own academic path, resulting in a mix of psychology, sociology, and policy. 

Because of my broad interests, I decided to investigate and merge these fields using a topic close to my heart: educational quality and access. Namely, I believe education is a stepping stone to progress, whether individual, group-level, or societal. 

ESAB opens up a space for students and staff to share and listen to each other’s perspectives on education, which I believe to be a crucial characteristic of successful educational programmes.

Cultivating an evidence-based, comparative perspective

Two things I highly appreciate about Maastricht University are its spirit of innovation and its international orientation. These components have undoubtedly contributed to my curiosity in taking comparative perspectives regarding educational innovation. I always intend to bring this comparative approach - focusing on best practices worldwide - into ESAB meetings and events. 

For instance, another ESAB member and I are organising a Community of Practice session to explore AI use at UM, seeking inspiration from existing, innovative models globally. 

Moreover, I am currently using a comparative perspective to research the research/teaching nexus, employing a comparative perspective to identify areas where UM can enhance its research-based teaching methodologies.

Learning at UM

Over my time at Maastricht University, I have grown fond of Maastricht’s Problem-Based Learning format. The small tutorial groups and student-centred way of teaching allow for cultivating independent learning and research skills and invite engagement. 

Plus, PBL requires students to constantly be on top of their work, which is challenging to get used to but incredibly valuable for the skills you gain. It has helped me to become a more proactive student and inspired me to seek ways to refine and enhance the PBL experience for future students.

Discoveries along the way

Overall, being part of ESAB’s unique platform strongly resonates with my academic interests and ambitions. However, more importantly, it provides a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue about challenges, changes, and improvements in the educational landscape with students who have similar passions but come from different academic backgrounds. I have gained a lot from this experience. 

For instance, some of the other ESAB members introduced me to gamified learning, which taught me about new approaches that can be used to improve learning for myself or others. 

I invite all interested students looking for similar learning experiences to join ESAB events or apply to be part of the team!

By Tara Scheer, ESAB member, Bachelor student UCM