Teaching Methods

The most crucial factor in determining a well-structured and effective educational program is the development of appropriate learning objectives and the corresponding teaching methods.

According to academic literature, an educational objective is defined as:
"The performance that we expect students to be capable of demonstrating before we consider them competent."

In other words, it is essential to clearly define learning objectives as well as the methods through which these objectives will be achieved.

However, the concept of education is often confused with teaching and is rarely distinguished from knowledge, training, and learning.

According to Professor Moundokalakis in his book Medical Education (Parisianos Publications, 2019):

Teaching is the process of transmitting knowledge from the instructor to the student.
Knowledge refers to being aware of a specific subject matter.
Education encompasses the broader set of acquired knowledge from various sources.
Training refers to the systematic process of transmitting knowledge and developing skills in a specific field.
Taking these definitions into account, the desired education within a Master’s Program, such as the "Physical Principles of Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Protection", should focus on modifying behavior in a desirable direction through specialized knowledge. This behavioral modification should not be limited to knowledge transmission but should also be complemented by the acquisition of skills, critical thinking, and analytical evaluation to effectively apply these skills in clinical practice.

Student-centered learning plays a crucial role in enhancing student motivation, self-assessment, and active participation in the learning process. This approach necessitates continuous monitoring of curriculum implementation and evaluation of its outcomes.

Educational Material & Teaching Approaches

Lectures are tailored to the knowledge level of students. Faculty members are briefed in advance about the students’ academic background, allowing them to adjust the content of their lectures accordingly. All educational material is submitted to the Program Secretariat, ensuring timely availability on MS TEAMS or e-Class.

The primary teaching method is face-to-face lectures, supplemented by:

Educational videos and additional instructional materials integrated into or outside of lectures.
Academic lectures, clinical workshops, literature reviews, and hands-on training, depending on the subject matter.
Group counseling sessions, teamwork, and problem-solving exercises, which encourage active feedback and interactive learning.
Use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including an interactive e-learning platform with multimedia tools (PowerPoint, video content, etc.), multiple-choice question databases, and specialized software for lecture presentations and image/video projection.
Each course outline includes recommended bibliography, course details, faculty members, learning objectives, and assessment methods.
Additional educational videos, recorded scientific lectures, and supplementary resources are uploaded in the course’s electronic archive, ensuring students have autonomous access to learning materials.

Examinations – Evaluation – Assessment Methods

Based on the above, the teaching approach in the design of the Master’s Program was initially structured by defining the educational objectives. Subsequently, teaching methods and assessment techniques were selected to optimally promote skill acquisition.

Each module follows a structured sequence for assessment and evaluation:

Face-to-face lectures, supplemented by interactive multiple-choice questions at the end of each session, allowing students to vote on their answers via mobile devices or computers.

Weekly tutorial sessions to address student questions, including discussions and multiple-choice exercises related to the coursework.

Individual coursework assignments, designed as formative assessments, ensuring knowledge retention and encouraging students to explore relevant scientific literature. These assignments also foster peer-to-peer interaction.

Hands-on training and practical exercises, conducted in computer labs, as well as participation in specialized clinical demonstration seminars, expert lectures, and workshops. Clinical demonstrations take place at the University Hospital of Larissa.

The Master’s Program collaborates with leading biomedical imaging companies (e.g., Philips, Siemens, General Electric, Bioemtech), allowing students to explore the latest advancements and future applications in the field.

Final summative assessments, consisting of graded multiple-choice questions of varying difficulty levels.

Additionally, electronic communication between students and faculty is encouraged, ensuring timely resolution of questions. The academic advisor plays a key role in supporting students throughout their studies.

All lectures are recorded and made available for asynchronous learning, allowing students to review content at their own pace.

Evaluation & Grading
Assessments include:

Written exams and coursework

Master’s Dissertation Evaluation

Grading follows a 0-10 scale, with a minimum passing grade of 5. Detailed assessment criteria are outlined in each Course Syllabus.

Publication of Exam Results

Each instructor is responsible for publishing results in the online student portal. Students can access their grades using their personal credentials.

Evaluation Process of the Master’s Thesis

Upon entering the third semester, where students are required to write their Master’s Thesis, they receive guidance and supervision from their advisor. A Thesis Writing Guide is available, providing clear step-by-step instructions for thesis preparation.

The evaluation process is detailed in Sections 8 and 9 of the guide. A summary is provided below:

Thesis Submission and Examination Process

The final version of the thesis must be submitted to the supervisor by January 20, allowing sufficient time for potential revisions.
After the supervisor's final approval, the thesis undergoes a plagiarism check. The acceptable plagiarism limit is up to 25%. If a thesis does not pass this check, the student is given time to make necessary corrections.
The thesis defense takes place on a pre-determined date set by the program’s administration, usually one month after the submission deadline.
The thesis is evaluated by a three-member examination committee, which includes the supervisor.

Thesis Grading

The grade awarded for the thesis represents approximately one-third (1/3) of the total final grade for the Master’s Program (30 ECTS).
The thesis is graded on a scale from 0 to 10, with 5 as the minimum passing grade.
If a thesis is not approved, a new evaluation date is set by the Program Committee, at least three (3) months after the initial review.
Once approved by the Examination Committee, the thesis is mandatory to be published on the Institutional Repository of the University of Thessaly (http://ir.lib.uth.gr) and the Master’s Program website.

Evaluation of Teaching Quality

At the end of each teaching module, students receive a Course Evaluation Questionnaire to assess the course they attended. The Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP) of the University of Thessaly implements a standardized course evaluation system, which is also applied to postgraduate programs.

The evaluation of an academic program by students is crucial for drawing meaningful conclusions and implementing corrective measures, ensuring the achievement of predefined learning objectives.

However, for this process to be effective, certain conditions must be met:

A. Evaluations should be conducted at regular intervals and, particularly in postgraduate programs with distinct learning modules, at the end of each module, ensuring accurate and representative results.

B. Maximum student participation should be ensured.

C. The evaluation process should allow assessment for each instructor separately.

D. The results should be easily accessible and reproducible.

E. Evaluations should be conducted anonymously.

Since 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Thessaly has implemented a centralized evaluation system at specific intervals, sending evaluation links exclusively to institutional emails. This system is fixed, meaning that:

The questionnaire format cannot be modified or expanded.
It does not allow for the evaluation of multiple instructors within a single course.

Implementation of an Improved Evaluation System

Following an in-depth discussion, and considering the limitations of the centralized university evaluation system, the Program Coordination Committee decided to develop an alternative evaluation system using MS Teams, for the following reasons:

More user-friendly, allowing full customization of questionnaires based on program needs.
Enables the evaluation of multiple instructors per course.
Can be used at any time, providing flexibility.
Allows for easy extraction and analysis of results.
The evaluation link is automatically sent to all students’ emails.

With this new evaluation system, student participation has reached 80%, significantly enhancing the effectiveness of the feedback process.