Planning, implementation and evaluation of a new academic curriculum: the case of the Geoinformatics and Surveying Department at the TEI of Serres

Abstract

In this article, the author seeks to assess the design, development and three-year operation of a new course curriculum in applied technology in a Greek Technological Educational Institute (TEI). The constant increase in demand for spatial information and the technology for managing this information provided a challenge in forming an independent undergraduate academic curriculum in applied sciences, similar to other departments in peer European and worldwide academic institutions. In the article, the author analyses the structure of the curriculum and the methodology behind its design. Quantitative data from the first evaluation of the operation of the Department at the TEI of Serres is also presented, along with data from a survey was conducted on students of the Department. The survey explored the way that current students evaluated the academic curriculum’s structure and the benefits it afforded them. The results of the survey revealed that a strong appraisal of the new academic curriculum seemed to be the case for the student, academic and professional communities in Greece.