Taking the TU Delft Carpentries Workshops Online

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands (TU Delft) stopped its activities on campus until autumn 2021 and moved all teaching activities to an online setting. This article describes the challenges and lessons learned from successfully moving basic programming workshops, Software Carpentry workshops, online. The article details the local TU Delft context, the online workshop tools that were employed, and the roles that the organising team played to organise and run these online workshops. To successfully adapt to the online context, it was important to adjust the original planning and programme for the Carpentry workshops. General challenges of online workshops and solutions that worked for the TU Delft team are also shared. Through iteratively developing the online workshops over the past year, the team has enhanced both learners’ and organisers’ experience. The lessons learned will continue to be valuable when the workshops are transitioned back to a physical setting when COVID-19 protective measures are lifted.

Keywords

• Carpentries
• online workshops
• online education
• programming course
• Software Carpentry Workshop