Integrated curricula seem promising for the increase of attention on science and technology in primary education. A clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of integration efforts could help curriculum innovation. This review has focussed on integrated curricula in primary education from 1994 to 2011. The integrated curricula were categorized according to a taxonomy of integration types synthesized from the literature. The characteristics that we deemed important were related to learning outcomes and success/fail factors. A focus group was formed to facilitate the process of analysis and to test tentative conclusions. We concluded that the levels in our taxonomy were linked to (a) student knowledge and skills, the enthusiasm generated among students and teachers, and the teacher commitment that was generated; and (b) the teacher commitment needed, the duration of the innovation effort, the volume and comprehensiveness of required teacher professional development, the necessary teacher support, and the effort needed to overcome tensions with standard curricula. Almost all projects were effective in increasing the time spent on science at school. Our model resolves Czerniac’s definition problem of integrating curricula in a productive manner, and it forms a practical basis for decision-making by making clear what is needed and what output can be expected when plans are being formulated to implement integrated education.
Internationalizing curricula. Needs and wishes of alumni and employers with regard to international competencies. Internationalization has become of great importance for universities acrossthe globe. The labour market is becoming international, with internationalopportunities and international competition. Emerging markets such as India, China and Russia are gaining economic power. Global challenges demand world-wide solutions. Production and marketing networks span the globe and various forms of migration have resulted in a large cultural diversity within nations. As a result, societies and labour markets are changing as well. In order to deal with these societal changes adequately and to succeed in today’s labour market, graduates need to be equipped with international competencies. In a survey among 500 chief executives, ICM Research (on behalf of Think Global and The British Council, 2011) showed that employers strongly value staff members who are able to work in an international and multicultural environment. Similar results were found in Diamond et al. (2011), in which ‘multicultural teamwork’ was considered most important. The Hague University of Applied Sciences seeks to prepare its students adequately for the world of tomorrow. The University’s development plans (e.g. HogeschoolOntwikkelingsPlan, HOP 7, 2009-2013 and HOP 8, 2014-2017) indicate that its vision is to train students to be globally-minded professionals with an international and multicultural perspective, who are world-citizens, interested in global issues and able to deal with diversity in a constructive manner. They are to be professionals, who possess the competencies to function well in an international and intercultural environment. Internationalization is therefore high on the agenda of The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) which is illustrated by the fact that, as of 2014, new students in all academies have to fill 12.5% (30 ECTS) of their four-year Bachelor program with international activities. These activities can range from an internship or semester abroad (student mobility) to participating in full programs of study or minors in which English is the medium of instruction, or an internationally themed minor (Internationalization at Home, IaH). And this is only the beginning. Internationalization is a means, not an end. All THUAS courses are looking into ways in which they can internationalize their curriculum. And in doing so, they need to be innovative (Leask, 2009) and keep in mind the specific needs and wishes of alumni and their employers with regard to international competences. The THUAS research group International Cooperation supports these internationalization policy objectives by investigating various aspects, such as: • The acquisition and development of international competencies among students. • The extent to which lecturers possess international competencies and what their needs and wishes are for further development. • The international competencies THUAS graduates have acquired as part of their degree and how THUAS has stimulated this development. • The international competencies that employers and alumni consider important. Although international competencies and employability have received growing attention in internationalization research, existing studies have mainly focused on: • The effects of study abroad on the development of international competence (cf. Hoven & Walenkamp, 2013). • The effects of an experience abroad (study, internship, voluntary work) on employability. • A more general analysis of the skills employers look for in prospective employees.
Het ontwikkelen van geïntegreerde curricula waarin onderwijs, onderzoek en beroepspraktijk samenkomen, vraagt om het bijeenbrengen van expertise op elk van deze vlakken. Binnen het Comenius Leadership Project To Create Tomorrow Together ontwerpen teams van docenten, onderzoekers en studenten in co-creatie geïntegreerde curricula. Deze posterpresentatie richt zich op de ervaringen van elk van de drie groepen deelnemers met de samenwerking in het co-creatieproces. De resultaten volgen uit een kwalitatieve analyse van semi-gestructureerde interviews met vier teams (N=23). De overeenkomsten en verschillen in de ervaringen van deze groepen belichten obstakels én kansen in dit type samenwerking. Deze kennis kan handvatten bieden voor het effectief opzetten en ondersteunen van co-creatieprocessen. Implicaties voor het faciliteren van dit type samenwerking worden besproken.
Adolescenten brengen steeds meer vrije tijd door met het spelen van games en bevinden zich mede daardoor in een hybride leefwereld. Deze relatief nieuwe wereld brengt nieuwe uitdagingen mee rondom identiteitsontwikkeling en psychosociaal welzijn; voor gamende adolescenten zelf, maar ook hun (professionele) opvoeders. Wij onderzoeken de relatie tussen gamen, identiteitsontwikkeling en psychosociaal welzijn en de rol die (professionele) opvoeders hierin hebben.Doel Op dit moment ontbreekt kennis over de relatie tussen gamen, identiteitsontwikkeling en psychosociaal welzijn van adolescenten en is het onder andere lastig om handvatten voor (professionele) opvoeders te ontwikkelen. Handvatten kunnen helpen om beter aan te sluiten bij de leefwereld en behoeftes van gamende adolescenten. De resultaten van dit onderzoek kunnen bijdragen aan een positieve (sociale) identiteitsontwikkeling van gamende adolescenten in een hybride wereld. Resultaten Het promotieonderzoek gaat verschillende wetenschappelijke publicaties opleveren. We vertalen onze resultaten samen met professionals, opvoeders en adolescenten naar praktische handvatten voor (professionele) opvoeders. De betrokken praktijkpartners en opleidingen geven deze wetenschappelijk onderbouwde inzichten en handvatten een passende plaats in hun curricula en werkwijzen. Looptijd 01 september 2022 - 01 september 2026 Aanpak Dit promotieonderzoek heeft een praktijkgericht, mixed-methods design. Voor de kwantitatieve analyse maken we gebruik van longitudinale data van het Digital Youth project van Universiteit Utrecht. De kwalitatieve data wordt verzameld door symbolic netnography (een digitale variant van etnografisch onderzoek), interviews en participerende observaties met adolescenten en (professionele) opvoeders. In samenspraak met adolescenten en (professionele) opvoeders worden deze inzichten vertaald naar praktische handvatten.
Adolescenten brengen steeds meer vrije tijd door met het spelen van games en bevinden zich mede daardoor in een hybride leefwereld. Deze relatief nieuwe wereld brengt nieuwe uitdagingen mee rondom identiteitsontwikkeling en psychosociaal welzijn; voor gamende adolescenten zelf, maar ook hun (professionele) opvoeders. Wij onderzoeken de relatie tussen gamen, identiteitsontwikkeling en psychosociaal welzijn en de rol die (professionele) opvoeders hierin hebben.Doel Op dit moment ontbreekt kennis over de relatie tussen gamen, identiteitsontwikkeling en psychosociaal welzijn van adolescenten en is het onder andere lastig om handvatten voor (professionele) opvoeders te ontwikkelen. Handvatten kunnen helpen om beter aan te sluiten bij de leefwereld en behoeftes van gamende adolescenten. De resultaten van dit onderzoek kunnen bijdragen aan een positieve (sociale) identiteitsontwikkeling van gamende adolescenten in een hybride wereld. Resultaten Het promotieonderzoek gaat verschillende wetenschappelijke publicaties opleveren. We vertalen onze resultaten samen met professionals, opvoeders en adolescenten naar praktische handvatten voor (professionele) opvoeders. De betrokken praktijkpartners en opleidingen geven deze wetenschappelijk onderbouwde inzichten en handvatten een passende plaats in hun curricula en werkwijzen. Looptijd 01 september 2022 - 01 september 2026 Aanpak Dit promotieonderzoek heeft een praktijkgericht, mixed-methods design. Voor de kwantitatieve analyse maken we gebruik van longitudinale data van het Digital Youth project van Universiteit Utrecht. De kwalitatieve data wordt verzameld door symbolic netnography (een digitale variant van etnografisch onderzoek), interviews en participerende observaties met adolescenten en (professionele) opvoeders. In samenspraak met adolescenten en (professionele) opvoeders worden deze inzichten vertaald naar praktische handvatten.
The pressure on the European health care system is increasing considerably: more elderly people and patients with chronic diseases in need of (rehabilitation) care, a diminishing work force and health care costs continuing to rise. Several measures to counteract this are proposed, such as reduction of the length of stay in hospitals or rehabilitation centres by improving interprofessional and person-centred collaboration between health and social care professionals. Although there is a lot of attention for interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP), the consortium senses a gap between competence levels of future professionals and the levels needed in rehabilitation practice. Therefore, the transfer from tertiary education to practice concerning IPECP in rehabilitation is the central theme of the project. Regional bonds between higher education institutions and rehabilitation centres will be strengthened in order to align IPECP. On the one hand we deliver a set of basic and advanced modules on functioning according to the WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and a set of (assessment) tools on interprofessional skills training. Also, applications of this theory in promising approaches, both in education and in rehabilitation practice, are regionally being piloted and adapted for use in other regions. Field visits by professionals from practice to exchange experiences is included in this work package. We aim to deliver a range of learning materials, from modules on theory to guidelines on how to set up and run a student-run interprofessional learning ward in a rehabilitation centre. All tested outputs will be published on the INPRO-website and made available to be implemented in the core curricula in tertiary education and for lifelong learning in health care practice. This will ultimately contribute to improve functioning and health outcomes and quality of life of patients in rehabilitation centres and beyond.
