{"id":123276,"date":"2021-02-19T14:10:46","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T13:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=123276"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:24","slug":"binge-watching-casa-loco-while-attending-online-lectures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/02\/19\/binge-watching-casa-loco-while-attending-online-lectures\/","title":{"rendered":"Binge-watching Casa Loco<\/em> while attending online lectures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting students to binge-watch lectures \u2013 that is what Professor of Labour Law Ruben Houweling and his colleagues are hoping to achieve with the educational drama series Casa Loco<\/em>. The series \u2013 largely created by students for a student audience \u2013 is shown during lectures for the Master\u2019s degree in Labour Law and is meant to make online lectures more fun. \u201cI hope that students lying in their beds at night will think: you know what, I\u2019ll watch another episode,\u201d Professor of Labour Law Ruben Houweling told EM TV<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Still from the first episode of Casa Loco.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>

In the fictional student house Casa Loco<\/em>, life is full of arguments, drama and love. The educational series, which focuses on the lives of the housemates, is not just a fun show to watch, \u2018but it\u2019s also very educational,\u2019 says Houweling, who came up with the idea for the show. The professor uses brief clips from the show in his lectures to help his students understand theoretical subjects by turning them into situations they might actually encounter in daily life. For example: \u201cIn the first episode, Eva breaks her arm. She is worried that she won\u2019t have any income for the next six weeks. But is it true that she won\u2019t have an income? Those are the kinds of questions I\u2019ll ask my students.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to specific knowledge on a particular topic, students get to learn more about more general student-life-related issues. \u201cFor instance, we\u2019re not afraid to tackle subjects such as inclusiveness, loneliness and student loan debt. But while all that is being discussed, the main thing everyone wants to know, obviously, is whether Joyce and Sjoerd will end up together.\u201d Students are not the only persons benefitting from the series. \u201cThe show provides information on a lot of things. It will tackle many different subjects. As a result, I\u2019m collaborating more with colleagues representing other disciplines, such as economics.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Professor Ruben Houweling<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Houweling came up with the idea for the series quite a while ago, but the pandemic caused the plans to be set in motion more quickly. After all, it is high time online lectures became a little more exciting, says Houweling. \u201cSo exciting that I hope students lying in bed at night will think: you know what, I\u2019ll watch another episode.\u201d So far, only two episodes have been released, but according to Houweling, the first reactions to Casa Loco <\/em>have been favourable. \u201cMany students are already curious to see more, and they love the quality of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Students learn more from high-quality images\u2019<\/h2>
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Still from Casa Loco.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Fair is fair, a lot of time, money and energy is being expended on the production of the show. So far, the Casa Loco<\/em> episodes made have cost between \u20ac6,000 and \u20ac8,000 each. Is the show actually worth all that? Houweling thinks it is. \u201cAbsolutely. You\u2019ll quickly lose your students\u2019 attention if you ask them to listen to a pastor delivering a thirty-minute sermon.\u201d Houweling also believes that students learn more from beautiful, high-quality images. \u201cThey\u2019d rather watch a slick YouTube video than something recorded on a webcam.\u201d<\/p>\n

To make sure the show\u2019s subject matter is up to scratch, two colleagues of Houweling\u2019s who are also involved in the Master\u2019s degree in Labour Law also work on the show. Furthermore, the project is supported by the Community for Learning & Innovation (CLI). CLI\u2019s mission is to make the classes taught at EUR more innovative.<\/p>\n

Toekomstmuziek<\/h2>

For now, the plan is to release at least three or four more full seasons. \u201cDown the track I\u2019d like to collaborate with students even more intensively.\u201d For instance, Houweling would like to collaborate with Media Psychology students. \u201cThey might be able to determine, say, what impact the show is having on students.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if I\u2019m allowed to dream even bigger dreams, I\u2019d like to make the show something that transcends Rotterdam. Wouldn\u2019t it be wonderful if students in Groningen were to watch it, as well? And then we\u2019d be able to say: that show was shot in Rotterdam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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Watch EM TV about Casa Loco<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t