Preparing for Masters´ Studies: A Web Based Tool for Self-Assessment and Knowledge Gap Mitigation

Abstract

This paper presents a project, conducted by three European universities and a software company, funded by Erasmus +, Strategic Partnership. The project addresses the problem that sometime masters´ students do not get their degree within the allocated time, if at all. Apparently some students with the formal prerequisites to register for a master's programme still lacked the actual abilities to manage their studies. The solution was to design an online HTML5 platform to house self-assessment and learning resource modules for four different master's programmes in Europe. The modules were intended to illustrate the level and abilities that potential applicants were supposed to bring into their studies by a selfassessment test. In case lacking abilities were revealed, the modules offer learning resources to mitigate those gaps. The access modules provides potential students with a visualization of twelve different skills and knowledge as compared to those identified by lecturers as necessary for study on the master's course. If there are weak spots identified, the students are presented with a series of learning interventions designed to remedy their ability flaws. The authors suggest that providing potential students with this kind of material can raise their awareness of what the programme really takes. In this way students with false expectations can be avoided and the ones who applies come better prepared, which the use of access modules potentially can leads to improved enrolment, completion rate, time-to-degree and retention in a wide range of academic programmes.