Afrooz Rafiee: From Challenge to Balance: In(tro)specting methodological approaches in educational practices for improving the curricula
Methodological balance is not always guaranteed in all educational programs. The imbalance in qualitative-quantitative methodological practices in the educational context can come from the specific focus of a field or the available expertise in an organization. Such ‘imbalance’ can further increase under the effect of the budget cuts, for instance, and the changes that it forces into the adjustment of the curricula. However, neither do understanding the practical limitations guarantee satisfaction of the learners nor should the limitations entail there is no solution to improve educational experience for learners and practitioners. This STQ project is motivated by the underrepresentation of qualitative research (methods) in some of our educational programs, especially in light of explicit calls for more focus thereupon from both our students and evaluation committees which can offer an opportunity as much as it is a challenge. The perspective I take in this project is not an idealistic one in the sense that ‘we must reach a point that the methodological approach in our programs reaches a complete balance between quantitative and qualitative methods’. Rather, the implementation and improvement of qualitative research in(to) our educational programs will be researched through critically and collectively reflecting on where we have, can, and want to implement(ed) qualitative research into our programs. As such, the aim of this project is not to force qualitative research into our existing programs but rather to take a well-informed perspective towards methodological balance within programs, its suitability and implementation while focusing on the learning path for our students as well as the existing expertise, limitations and desires of our teaching staff in this regard.
Katharina Pabst: Building bridges while staying grounded: Future-proofing (inter)disciplinary education at the Faculty of Arts
Many of the most complex issues of the 21st century, such as climate change, threats to democracy, and the ethical use of AI require innovative solutions that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, leading a growing number of educational professionals to advocate for more interdisciplinary education. At the same time, many instructors are worried that such a shift may come at the expense of a solid foundation in one area of expertise, especially in light of recent budget cuts that have forced Dutch universities to reduce and combine their course offerings. This SUTQ project aims to address these concerns by examining what we can learn from the practices and experiences of instructors in the Faculty of Arts that are involved in teaching courses that bring together students from different disciplines. Specifically, the project will address the following questions:
- How many courses at the BA level are shared across major programs?
- Of these courses, how many cover subject matter that is shared between disciplines (for example, courses on the sound system of a particular language that are also relevant for students of general linguistics) and how many are truly interdisciplinary in nature?
- What can we learn from current instructors’ practices and experiences in both types of courses that will help us make informed decisions about our course offerings in the future?
The results of the project will be combined with recommendations from the research literature to prepare practical guidelines for instructors and decision-makers.
Nino Vallen: Difficult Conversations in Academic Education
Conversations about controversial topics play a productive role in learning process of both students and lecturers. In practice, however, these conversations are not always easy to conduct. Clashing opinions and escalating emotions lead to feelings of discomfort in the classroom and can be a reason to avoid controversial topics. Within the Faculty of Arts, differences exist between the departments on how to deal with the tensions produced by difficult conversations. Because the faculty is committed to increasing collaboration between programs, both lecturers and students may encounter different perspectives on dealing with complex, emotionally charged topics. This STQ project aims to provide teachers with tools to facilitate and initiate difficult conversations, even in these changing circumstances. It examines the current pedagogical debate on this topic, asks which norms and values we, as a community, want to let us guide us in these conversations, and identifies best practices that are already being used within and outside the faculty. The results of this research will be presented in the form of a manual that will present concrete working methods that can help lecturers to explain how friction can become productive and assist them in establishing ground rules for in-class interaction with their students. Ultimately, the manual aims to prompt the development of more subject-specific applications of these working methods to be deployed in courses or for students’ personal and professional development.