This document is made to help you think about how best to implement the Thermos dashboard into your tutor program. In order to ensure the best form of implementation for your context, we have specified a number of steps to consider.

Think about the following steps for implementation:

1.Explore the Thermos dashboard.

When thinking about implementing the Thermos dashboard, it is important to have an understanding of its goal and functionalities. This will help you to get a clear understanding of the possibilities for implementation. First watch the introduction video and read the Thermos information sheet.
Log into the dashboard with your Solis-ID. If you already know study programs who implemented the Thermos dashboard, consider getting in touch with them for more information or watch the testimonials of tutors.

2. Explore the roadmap.

In order to support tutors when implementing the Thermos dashboard, we developed a roadmap. This roadmap contains several phases of use, with questions to deliberate per phase. The phases are:

Download the Thermos Implementation Roadmap, and give the questions some thought. By thinking about these questions, all aspects for successful implementation are thought through. Consider several possibilities and alternatives for implementation in your study program. You don’t have to fill it out as the definitive version yet, but think of the questions through different perspectives and take some notes.

3. Look at the modelling examples of roadmaps.

In the previous step, you considered the various options for implementing the Thermos dashboard in your study program. Now have a look at the roadmap modelling examples. These examples are based on study programs who already implemented the Thermos dashboard and provide various approaches to implementation. Looking at these examples will help you to think about which approach best suits your study program to successfully implement the Thermos dashboard.

4. Solicit feedback from important stakeholders.

Now that you have thought about different approaches to implementing the Thermos dashboard, it is important to ask input from key stakeholders. By doing so you may gain new insights, for instance by brainstorming with other tutors or perhaps students. It is also crucial to involve stakeholders in the implementation process, as they are ultimately (co)responsible for the way the dashboard is used.

5. Think about student use and reflection.

In phases three and four of the roadmap, you thought about how students will use the dashboard. The Thermos dashboard can help students gain insight and act upon those insights. To support students in their reflection process and help deepen their reflection, we developed several student activities. You can provide these activities to students, but you are of course free to develop other activities.

6. Think about tutor guidance.

Besides thinking about the students’ use of the dashboard, it is also important to establish clarity regarding the role of tutors in guiding students. Supporting students who’ve used the dashboard may be new for tutors, so we developed a tutor training and tutor activities. These help tutors think (collaboratively) about the guidance of students who’ve used the Thermos dashboard.

7. Fill in the roadmap.

After this thorough orientation of all the implementation possibilities presented throughout previous steps, it is now time to fill in the roadmap.

8. Roadmap validation with stakeholders.

When the roadmap is nearing definitive version and a plan for implementation is created, ask stakeholders (e.g. tutors) for final comments or feedback. This ensures there is a common view on the implementation and support of your colleagues for the current plan. If any major issues arise, discuss them.

9. Implementing the Thermos dashboard!

Once you’ve finished the preceding steps, it’s time to incorporate the Thermos dashboard into your study program! Do not forget to check out step 10 after implementation.

10. Evaluating and refining.

The last step of the road map should not be overlooked after the Thermos dashboard has been incorporated into the study program: evaluation. Plan a moment to evaluate the use of the Thermos dashboard with the team and with students. Perhaps there are suggestions for improvement.

 

If you have any questions concerning implementing the Thermos dashboard into your tutor program, please contact project manager Lars de Vreugd (l.b.devreugd-2@umcutrecht.nl).