Insight into your own study behavior and motivation with THERMOS
Planning methods, perseverance, focus, self-confidence – studying involves more than simply mastering the course material. Through the THERMOS dashboard, students can now gain insight into their study behavior and motivation. With practical feedback and the necessary support from THERMOS, this enables students to achieve effective self-regulation and study in the way that is most effective for them.
“THERMOS does not assume the ideal student, or that everyone should strive for that,” emphasizes project manager Lars de Vreugd. “Just consider the various study programs, each with its own culture. THERMOS offers reflection for each individual student, after which targeted action can be taken. This may or may not be done with the support of, for example, a tutor, student advisor, or in the ‘skills lab’.”
Honest answers, realistic insight
How does it work? “Every student with a Solis ID can log in the THERMOS dashboard”, Lars continues. “There you answer 54 questions. This seems like a lot, but it is done quickly. The results – regarding your study behavior, how you score on motivation, planning, group skills, and engagement, among other things – are displayed in a number of graphs. Subsequently, you can make use of the provided exercises, for example on planning and setting goals. There is also the so-called ‘additional support’, through which contact can be made with tutors and student coaches, among others.
In THERMOS, you can see both study behavior and study results. As a result, the system also shows how your study behavior relates to your study progress. Teachers or tutors cannot see the results, so we advise students to be honest when answering the questions. By answering honestly, you gain the most realistic insight.
Custom application
In principle, all students can log in to the dashboard, but THERMOS has opted for a different strategy. Lars: “It is better if the dashboard is offered by the study program itself. Every study program can differ in terms of culture, environment, requirements, expectations, etc. For instance, the support and student guidance for the Psychology program might look different from that of Computer Science. We want all students using the THERMOS dashboard to receive the guidance they need. Therefore, we offer study programs support in applying the dashboard within the tutoring or mentorship program. This clarifies the precise goal, for which academic years, and how students are informed about it. In collaboration with the study program, we then arrive at a customized dashboard application that best suits their students.”
In the 2022/23 academic year, 12 degree programs have now embedded THERMOS in their curriculum, including Medicine, Biomedical Sciences (Bachelor), and Clinical Health Sciences. The usability and effectiveness of THERMOS are being investigated in collaboration with students, lecturers, and program directors.
Information
You can find everything about THERMOS here.
If you have questions, comments, or need more specific information, please send an email to l.b.devreugd-2@umcutrecht.nl