Professionalisation works better in co-creation
This active role – not just educating, but also sketching, fitting, measuring, creating and building together – suits the university well. Calijn believes it is important that the university can now also profile itself effectively within NAPL and in the educational regions as a sparring partner and co-creator. She herself is a member of the NAPL group that is working on defining expert roles for teachers at the national level. ‘What I like so much is that every party in this group – schools, training programmes, the professional group – has something to contribute that makes the others wiser. And that helps us move forward together. We complement each other, combine science with practice and thus also professionalise each other.’
From question to solution
Calijn gives an example: "Radboud University has a wealth of knowledge about digital literacy and artificial intelligence. If schools in the region want to explore how they can embed digital skills in their subjects, we can deploy our experts and subject teachers to help them do so. And vice versa: a school that is at the forefront in this area can invite us to contribute our expertise so that we can design a scientifically based practical programme together.”
Vanessa adds: "It's always about that joint search for what works. What is the question or challenge? What is already in place and what is still missing? Who do we need to help us with this? If we do this assessment properly together and work together on shared solutions, we can develop a continuous learning pathway in which existing initiatives are strengthened and new ones get off the ground."
Schools cannot do this alone, educators cannot do this alone; we really need to tackle this issue together.
Resolving bottlenecks
Vanessa and Calijn are positive, but point out that many teachers are unable to find time for professional development precisely because of the teacher shortage. Vanessa: "It's wonderful that so much money is being made available for professional development. But if teachers say, “I can't or don't want to leave my class alone right now,” then we won't get very far. The teacher shortage will then further exacerbate the teacher shortage. That's a bottleneck we need to solve together. That's another reason why it's so good that we're working together on this in a structural way. Schools can't do this on their own, and neither can trainers. We really need to tackle this issue together.
Making a difference together
"The teacher shortage is a problem for which we, as a university, take responsibility," says Calijn. "It is part of our social duty." The university also takes responsibility in other areas, such as healthcare and government, where the combination of science, practice and social engagement is essential to finding solutions that really make a difference. Calijn: "Still, I think many people don't know what a university has to offer when it comes to tackling such issues. Of course, we train students and lateral entrants, offer continuing education to professionals and conduct a wide range of research. But we are also a good partner for initiating design and development processes. We can help ask the right questions, make connections between science and practice, and focus on shared social interests. In this way, we can really make a difference through collaboration and co-creation."
Are you interested in a collaboration or would you like to know more about the (tailor-made) possibilities? Please feel free to contact us.
