Course Preparation Time Optimization System for Improved Didactic Outcome

Due to the various demands for lecturers, there is only a limited time to prepare lectures and lab courses. Therefore, it is necessary to invest the time target-oriented for optimal student learning success. A theoretic model is developed to structure course preparation work regarding scientific content, didactic preparation, and course presentation. Model parameters have to be chosen for each course depending on topic complexity, the lecturer’s prior knowledge, and the already available preparation from the prior semesters. With these parameters, a course preparation model for a complete semester is developed. Analytic models for different optimization strategies are introduced according to the overall goal of the lecturer. Numerical optimization is done to find the appropriate course preparation times to reach an optimal course preparation for high student learning success. It is seen that due to the different optimization strategies, the preparation time results vary and no single truth is given. But this optimization system gives hints on how to invest preparation time target-oriented for high student learning success.