Prof. Dr. Gerald Kruse from Juniata College designed the course "Math Modeling" this year as a distance learning format. (Photo: FH Münster/Jana Schiller)
During the virtual lecture, Prof. Dr. Gerald Kruse wrote formulas and arithmetic operations on a piece of paper which he filmed at the same time. (Photo: FH Münster/Jana Schiller)
Münster/Steinfurt (June, 22, 2020). This summer semester, seminars via video conferencing have become part of the normal university routine at Münster University of Applied Sciences. But when Prof. Dr. Gerald Kruse talks to the students in his course "Mathematical Modeling" via webcam and headset on the computer, there is still one special feature - he and the course participants are separated by about 6300 kilometres air-line distance and six hours time difference. Since the American professor from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, was unable to come to Steinfurt as planned due to current travel restrictions, he designed his two-week block course for Computer Science students as a distance learning format.
In the English-speaking course, the students learned how to solve real problems such as population growth or account developments with mathematical models. "The course is very interactive", reported participant Sam Kastigen after the first sessions. "Jerry leaves plenty of room for questions." During the joint virtual lecture time - in Steinfurt from 2 p.m., in Huntingdon from 8 a.m. - Kruse, who is on a first-name basis with the students, wrote formulas and arithmetic operations on a sheet of paper which he filmed at the same time. In addition, the students worked in small groups on several practical exercises, for which they exchanged ideas about a conference programme, partly outside of seminar hours. Until September they also have to hand in a project before writing the final exam.
Kastigen has only rarely dealt with mathematical models. "But I have always enjoyed tinkering with mathematical tasks during my studies," he said, explaining his choice of course. He also likes to speak English. The period shortly before the exam phase was a challenge, but overall the compact course was well organised and structured. "The class feels like a real course and the atmosphere is good. For example, I like the fact that we can choose the programming language ourselves to solve the tasks," summarized Kastigen.
Kruse in turn was delighted with his course participants. "I have a very positive impression of the students at Münster University of Applied Sciences. They are intelligent and engaged in class, which in turn motivates me", said the long-standing guest lecturer. However, he very much missed riding a bike to the campus, having lunch with the students in the Mensa and being able to interact with them in person, as he usually does during his visits to Münsterland. "And most of all I miss staying with my friend Thomas, sitting on his back porch with him after dinner and eating Erdnuss Flippies, and meeting all our friends from the village of Leer," Kruse emphasized. This is Prof. Dr. Thomas Weik, who coordinates the international cooperation on the part of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Münster University of Applied Sciences, and with whom Kruse has been a friend for a long time. Both agree: "Continuing our tradition, even under these unusual circumstances, demonstrates the strong cooperation between Münster University of Applied Sciences and Juniata College.
On the subject:
The cooperation between the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Münster University of Applied Sciences and Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, has existed since 2005. Since then, Prof. Dr. Gerald Kruse and Prof. Dr. Loren K. Rhodes have been teaching a compact course for students of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science on the Steinfurt campus every summer. The exchange is also active in the field of student mobility: Usually two students from Münster University of Applied Sciences attend Juniata College every spring and vice versa.