'We all run into the same problems as teachers. How do you captivate students? How do you still get them to come to campus after the corona crisis, even when more students continue to live at home and thus have to travel further for attending lectures? As a teacher, you want to educate your students well and give them experience. This means you have to remain critical of the way you teach,' says Jolanda Schieving. Jolanda herself works half a week as a teacher and education coordinator. She spends the other days of her workweek as a paediatric neurologist at the Amalia Children's Hospital at Radboudumc.
Learning from the Scots
Together with Femmie de Vegt, Associate professor of Epidemiology education, Jolanda was allowed to participate in the 2024 Educational Leaderschip Programme, which included a study trip to Scotland. 'In Scotland, they think the concept of the student as partner is very important. And that is slightly different from how we set it up in the Netherlands,' Jolanda explains. 'Of course we now involve our students through the year representation and ask for feedback. But if you talk about the student as a partner, then the student is really at the table in the development of your education. Then they help think about what works best and also have a role in implementation. So despite the difference in knowledge, you are on the same level and together you think about the best education to offer'. With enthusiasm, she adds: ‘They are the people who get the education so it is quite strange that the education is developed for them and not with them’.
Investing in partnership
'In Scotland, they take partnership with students very seriously. For example, they ensure that students receive extra training so that they can also think well as partners. Students are also paid for the hours they spend on educational development. At the medical faculty, we have certainly already made strides when it comes to involving students, Jolanda says with satisfaction. 'For example, students sit at the table when revising a master's degree and think critically. We are now exploring how to roll this out further. Our workshop during The Education Days will also contribute to this. It is also nice to involve the other educational institutions, because there too, colleagues are working on this development'.
Workshop
‘During the session, we hope to have participants from all educational organisations. That morning, using the SOAR analysis, we look at the Strenghts, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results: a positive way of determining what is already going well and how we can expand that. You can take the knowledge gained back to your own practice to inspire other teachers and educationalists'.
Will you visit The Education Days?
The workshop ‘‘Student as partner, growing together for optimal education!’ of Jolanda and Femmie is on Tuesday morning 1 April from 9:30-11:00 at the Experience Center.