Research group Working in Education
The teacher shortage, the changing and versatility of roles, the limited diversity of teachers, managers and administrators, and the current working conditions put pressure on education professionals. Despite many initiatives, such as hybrid teaching environments, task differentiation and salary scale promotions, work pressure and personnel shortages are increasing and talents are underutilized. Our first line of research focuses on how education professionals can further develop their professional group in a sustainable way, i.e. by redefining the professional group and by exploring various career paths that fit personal, educational organizational and societal needs.
There are many negative associations with working in education, such as dispersed responsibilities, overloaded professionals and limited opportunity to manage matters themselves . The working environment is becoming more complex and that requires even more flexibility. New ways of organization are needed, with more attention for what is needed and works to realize future-oriented education. Our second line of research focuses on how education professionals can develop their educational organization, i.e. through more self-organization and shared leadership, in line with the specific context and teaching assignment.
Good schooling and professionalizing is essential to both development of professional groups and educational organization, as well as to attracting and keeping educational talent. Collaborations between educational programmes, the teaching field, and research centres are essential. How do we develop (post)-initial education that is in line, both in form and content, with heterogeneous students, their desired competences and the social urgencies such as sustainability and diversity? Our third line of research focuses on how education professionals can teach and professionalize their (future) colleagues, and which competences are needed for that.
Education
The research group will collaborate with teacher education programmes, HR, and Higher Vocational Education teachers, and will work on the focus point Education at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU). Our research is a collaboration between education professionals (teachers, managers, supporting roles), researchers and students, and is carried out on the basis of questions from the field.
“We do research on development of and career possibilities for education professionals, and the way their work is organized. In collaboration with the field, we want to explore and discover new possibilities for differentiated career paths, more shared leadership and the development of a more attractive and inclusive professional image.”
Mieke Koeslag-Kreunen Professor Working in Education
Partners
The research group works on HU focus point Education and will collaborate with various educational programmes, Teaching & Learning Network, HR and Centre of Expertise Talent & Skill, as well as regional, national and international partners in education and research.
