The teacher as a crucial factor in curriculum innovation the case of Utrecht University

1. The teacher as a crucial factor in curriculum innovationthe case of Utrecht University • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion Albert Pilot Institute of Education (IVLOS) & Freudenthal Instiitute for Science and Mathematics Education Utrecht University, the Netherlands a.pilot@ivlos.uu.nl

2. Perspective1. Introduction2. Conceptual framework3. Innovation processes4. Three Strategies & six clusters of measures 5. Focus on the changing role of teachers: authentic practices 6. Discussion and conclusions

3. Teaching in a research university • Is the quality of personnel the capital in our business: university education? • Is the teacher the crucial factor in curriculum innovation? • Can this be the focus in univertsity policy and activities? • How should this be done? • What are good indicators? • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

4. Research question: • What strategies are feasible to enhance the competencies and motivation of teachers in a research university on a large scale? Or: • How to enhance the empowerment of teachers? • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

5. Answering the question: • Conceptual framework • 3 strategies and 6 clusters of measures are described. • Analysis of implemented activities and results. • Focus on authentic practices as a new framework for linking teaching and research • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

6. Conceptual framework • Curriculum innovations require changes in teacher practice, but • experienced teachers do not change current practice because it is rooted in their beliefs and expertise. • Teachers need to be empowered for curriculum innovations in content and educational methods. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

7. Empowerment Dimensions of empowerment: • Involvement in decision-making • Teacher impact • Teacher status • Autonomy • Professional growth • Self-efficacy • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

8. Linking research and teaching • High rate of dynamics in disciplines and professions, and changing demands on quality of education. • Implications: * linking teaching and research (knowledge development) in a new model or paradigm * focus on the professional development of the teacher in a learning organisation. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

9. Authority in innovations needs empowerment • From expertise on educational innovations: Authority, Infrastructure & Concensus. • Teachers are content specific experts: in university the criterion for authority. • Teachers should also focus on design and management of eduducational innovations: co-ownership, empowerment. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

10. About 1990 Utrecht University decided: • Quality of education is our core business (next to quality of research). • Educational innovation is necessary on a permanent basis. • Enhancement of quality and status of education as ‘core business’ needs high competencies and motivation of teachers. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

11. Perspective Bologna • UU Perspective of the major curriculum innovation processes in 2000-2007 is: • introducing the Bachelor Master / Bologna framework in the Netherlands, and • strengthening higher order learning, broadening academic development of students, facilitating highly talented students. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

12. Context of the innovation process in UU: • the concept of the learning organisation. • The capacity of an organisation to learn is a necessary condition to adapt to a fast developing and changing environment (characteristic for the research based UU). • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

13. Learning capacity • Enhancement of learning capacity of teachers is considered to be the main goal • All innovation activities should contribute to this goal • From the context of the theoretical framework 3 strategies are also structuring the analysis of results: • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

14. 1. The quality of the teacher as starting point for the educational policy • Explicit requirements about quality in appointments and promotion (basic & senior quaifications are necessary), in authority and rewarding, and in external and internal quality assurance of education • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

15. 2. The teacher as designer and developer of education: • Teachers are responsible and authorised to design and develop the educational constructs. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

16. 3. The teacher as professional expert in his community of practice • Give the teacher in the Community of Practice in his domain and profession a central position in his educational roles and tasks: authentic, stimulating dynamic input, non-scholastic assessment. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

17. The situation in 1990 at Utrecht University • Faculty members’ research quality was the only justification of all professional behaviour, not pedagogical qualities. • Staff members were highly "change-resistant" • Students expected teachers to be pedagogically qualified. • Low results in national rankings (students, quality assurance system) • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

18. Strategy 1, the quality of the teacher as starting point for policy: Qualifications • Qualifications on Teaching in Higher Education and training programs • Human relations policy: all teachers had to comply with basic THE-qualification, professors with senior THE-qualification. • Assessment based on portfolios, committees of high authority, but details were decided on the level of the departments. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

19. Strategy 1, the quality of the teacher: Qualifications • Implementation by the Board and Deans (thousands of teachers!). • Procedures for new personnel in perspective of appointments etc. • Results: Now a standard, fully accepted procedure and keystone in UU-policy. In May 2007 (after 12 years!) mutual acknowledgement in 9 Dutch Universities • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

20. Shortlist of Teacher in Higher Education qualifications UU • Capabilities regarding discipline … • Pedagogical capabilities:The teacher is capable to design teaching programs from the point of view that teaching programs support study programs of students. He/she is capable to perform various teaching activities both for groups of students and individuals, to assess learning results, and evaluate his/her own teaching. • Organising capabilities … • General capabilities… • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

21. Strategy 1, the quality of the teacher: Quality Assurance, accreditation • Quality assurance. In the system of external quality assurance in Dutch universities quality of teachers important criterion, decisive for accreditation. • The internal quality assurance system in UU complies with this by the qualifications strategy. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

22. Some results: appreciation by students Appreciation by students of Programmes of Utrecht University in the national rankings of Elsevier: percentage of first places in 1996-2004: Year % 1e places 1996 0 1998 20 1999 0 2000 0 2001 17 2002 18 2003 40 2004 33 • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

23. Strategy 1, the quality of the teacher: Excellence in University Teaching • Excellence in University Teaching: developing a think tank and innovation force. • Permanent educational innovation in UU needs a group of teachers to provide the leadership in education and in innovation projects. • Focus on high potentials, selected by Deans and Programme Board. • Every year 15 participants. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

24. Strategy 1, the quality of the teacher: Excellence in University Teaching • Programme of 15 months, 1,5 day each month, coached project activities in their departments, study visits to universities in Europe and North-America etc. Working conference with Board and deans (authority!). • Results: positions of trainees now: programme directors, development of new programmes and initiatives, key persons in educational leadership. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

25. Strategy 2, the teachers as designers and developers of education • This perspective seems self-evident, but … • from 1970-1990 a strong tendency to industrial model: teachers executing educational constructs developed by others: CAI-programmes, sets of test items, top-down decided innovations, etc. • Resulting in … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

26. Strategy 2, the teachers as designers and developers of education Teachers delivering educational constructs, developed by others results in ….. failures in implementation. So we decided teachers should be the principal designers and developers of education, within the concept of ‘learning organisation’: teachers as learning professionals in teams with responsibility and authority to design and develop. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

27. Strategy 2, the teacher as designer and developer of education Results: New strategic plan for 2006-2010: “Teachers will get more possibilities to develop education in collegial exchange of ideas and from their own professional expertise, and to organise instruction in a small scale set up to well-organised groups of students”. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

28. Strategy 2, the teacher as designer and developer of education Results, also: different position and expertise of educational researchers and consultants. IVLOS, Institute of Education, changed into consultant, supporting teachers and management. Teachers are owners of educational problems; co-operative responsibility for innovations, scenarios agreements, concerted investments. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

29. Strategy 2, teachers as designers and developers: Fostering excellence in learning and teaching Founding of Utrecht University College, Honours College, English, international, residential, 600 students, selective, specific educational concept, Bachelor programme, years before the whole UU changed into BaMa. Outstanding UU-teachers were invited with authority amongst their peers;reported experiences were decisive in UU policy on design of BaMa programme structures. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

30. Strategy 2, teachers as designer and developer: Fostering excellence in learning and teaching Utrecht University College was a laboratory for innovations, that were next implemented on large scale in UU. Also many disciplinary Honours Programmes were implemented. Results: Recent developments to more Colleges (down scaling!) are a further elaboration of the original vision. Initiatives do come from teachers, influence of ‘CEUT high potentials’ is striking. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

31. Strategy 3, the teacher as professional expert in the authentic practice, characteristic in discipline and profession Different vision on higher education, on relation between teaching and research: involving selection of content, choice of methods, assessment, role of the teacher. Change of paradigm. Communities of Practice in the domain with characteristic tasks are given a key position in the curriculum. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

32. Broadening the aims of the curriculum … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion Students: “Miss, why do we have to do this assignment, why should we learn this? I want to become a physician …” Teacher: “Euh, yes, no, maybe, euh, …, yes, no, …”

33. Strategy 3, the teacher as professional expert in the authentic practice Examples: in Computer Science: a project to develop a software product and a business case; in Chemistry and Physics: research projects. In Veterinary Science: Clinical reasoning etc. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

34. Strategy 3, the teacher as senior and students as juniors in communities of practice Role of the teacher: expert from the discipline, needs up-to-date expertise in authentic tasks, related to external client or assessor. The teacher in his project activities and in his learning process should be involved in the dynamics of the practice of his own domain of competence. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

35. Strategy 3, the teacher as senior and students as juniors in communities of practice Role of the teacher: For students he is the guide on the side, expert in issue knowledge, organising peer-assessment; shows the way to criteria of external assessors. Results: Development until now not at large scale, but steadily going on, and shown to be irreversible: understanding by teachers and management of the far-reaching consequences. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

36. ? ? Knowing why having learned in retrospect Secondary education Higher education Professional and adult life Secondary education Higher education Meaningful learning … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion motive motive

37. Authenticity … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

38. Structure of the course • Phases in a course: • Orientation on an authentic practice • Focus on exemplary problem • Extending knowledge to solve the problem • Refocus on the other problems • Describe plan of action for the solution of another problem • Exemple of a case: R&D team in beverage industry: investing in an innovative separation technology or not? • Concepts of mass transfer processes & reactor design • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

39. What is the authentic practice? • Company Friedel produces fruit juices • New policy: Consumer wants ‘Fresh Juices!’ • Research team of the company: • Analysis of process & identification of problem • Two alternatives: new innovative membrane process (pervaporation) or more conventional but costly fractional distillation • What to advice? How to communicate with engineering companies? What assignment for them? And how to evaluate their specifications? • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

40. Adaptation of authentic practice • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion For the purpose of learning certain concepts /skills / etc.In five subsequent phases

41. Structure of course: phase 1 • Orientation on practice: ‘stage setting’ • What is the professional situation? What kind of problems do they deal with? What do they do? • Few exemplary problems (always more than one!): • Preserving food aroma components in fresh juice • Less thorough pasteurisation process • Worthwhile to identify with the R&D people of Friedel • Need to know about … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion motive

42. Aroma concentrate stream Multiple stage evaporator Separator Raw material stream: fruit juice Product stream: concentrated juice Orientation on example: phase 2 • Focus on preservation of aroma components in fresh juice: dimensions of innovative separator • Course must focus students on analysis: • What steps to take & Need to know more about … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion motive

43. Extension of knowledge for solving the case: Step by step in phase 3 • What are essential components of fruit juices to preserve in the product stream? • What is this separator? How does it work? • What (semi-) commercial types may be available? • How to relate essentials of the separation technique to this problem? Choice of membrane (hydrophilic / hydrophobic)? • How to calculate the required dimensions of the separator: flux, ΔP, membrane area (A) • What steps to take next = • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion motive

44. Feed Retentate Vapour Permeate 1. 2. 30 mm PDMS (silicone rubber) filled with zeolite crystals 10 mm PDMS (silicone rubber) 200 – 500 mm PAN (polyacrylonitril) 200 – 500 mm PAN (polyacrylonitril) Some details: Separator & Membrane • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

45. Refocus on other problem: phase 4 • Presentation of advice to board of directors for the exemplary case • Get another assignment, since the new route seems feasible / promising • Need to know … about • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion motive

46. Reflection on plan of action: phase 5 • for looking back – forward: what have we done / learned to apply this for a new problem • In plan of action for new case: Students make essential steps explicit for such a design problem:express a typical design procedure • And perhaps … a need to know more about … • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion motive

47. Framework: Five phases in learning • Broad orientation: confrontation with several cases.  motivation to get involved in practice, wanting to solve such cases • Focus on exemplary problem  content related motive, need-to-know how this in practice exactly is done (authentic practice as source of information) • Extension of this knowledge when solving the exemplary problem • Look back & forward: what have we done, with the perspective to solving another case • Make plan for another case, generalising knowledge • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

48. Not all authentic practices are suitable for adaptation … ! • Students appreciate and recognize the characteristic goals (problems) associated with the authentic practice • Characteristic procedure to be used, can be expressed by students in common sense notions • Students are aware of the issue & disciplinary knowledge that is needed to solve the problems in outlines • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

49. Other examples at UU • Physics research project 2nd year Physics Education, department of Physics and Astronomy • Software ‘Companies’, 4th year education in department of Computer Sciences • Chemistry research projects: esters, research in all departmental groups, making proposal on virus research, 1st, 2nd, 3rd year Chemistry Education • Social Sciences: analysis of homeless persons in town for municipality • Law: adapted authentic practice in court, supported by members of the court and lawyers. • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion

50. Comparison of projects • Research project: • Structured according to a typical research procedure with decision worksheets • Judged by paper and presentation in seminar (to staff !) • Software companies • Structured according to business plan (delivering intermediate products – presentation) • Teacher acts as CEO;board of directors: external • Introduction • Conceptual framework • Innovation processes • Strategies, measures • Authentic practices • Conclusion