For many years, the Senior University Teaching Qualification trajectory has been one of the core professionalization trajectories that Risbo orgnizes for lecturers in higher education, especially those of Erasmus University Rotterdam. This trajectory is meant for experienced lecturers who are aiming to improve the fulfilment of their various senior teaching roles. Whereas the key components of the programme are pretty fixed, the SUTQ team is always looking for ways to update and improve the trajectory. For example by changing or adding features that enable them to differentiate towards the different profiles and needs of the participants. Last May they piloted with a new component: the SUTQ book club.
Sandra Lousberg, SUTQ coordinator at Risbo, explains the concept of the SUTQ book club: “The SUTQ book club was created because of two reasons: We were looking for another practical, didactical way to let participants apply what they have learned. Furthermore, we noticed that the standard observation didn't necessarily lead to an optimal learning experience for everyone. For example because of their functional mandate, or due to organizational constraints."
Book of choice
Sandra explains the set up of the book club: "We enable participants to actively work with a book of choice (which is included in the SUTQ) that relates to their own context and project. Additionally, by presenting their own experience and reflecting on those of others, they expand their view on education and inspire each other."
Madeleine Merkx, Professor of indirect taxes Erasmus School of Law and partner at Bureau Vaktechniek BDO, is one of the SUTQ participants who participated in the book club: "The SUTQ book club was fun! It provided a good incentive to get started on my book in a timely and concrete way. A nice element of the book club is also that you are divided into small groups, so you can really pay attention to each other."
Madeleine used Gamedidactiek by Martijn C. Koops, about using games in education, to develop two new games as part of her SUTQ education project. She was keen to include a concrete activity in her presentation, to make sure the insights would stick well with everyone: "After presenting the relevant learnings to my book club group, we actually played one of the games."
Personal learning goal
Even though the book club is offered as an alternative to the observation, Sandra and her colleagues noticed that there was a third option: "It was a nice surprise that several participants chose to do both the observation ánd the book club!” This was also the case for Madeleine, as she explains: I chose the book club because I knew the deadline would help me with my planning. But I also chose the observation, because that was more in line with my personal learning goal around dealing with feedback."
This relates nicely to Madeleines bigger ambition, and the reason to do the SUTQ trajectory: "I am doing the SUTQ because it is a great opportunity to develop myself personally and professionally. This is important to me, so once every few years I choose a programme or training that contributes to that goal."
- More information
Would you like to know more about the SUTQ? Have a look at the programme page on our website or get in touch with colleagues Sandra Lousberg or Katja Tas via sutq@risbo.eur.nl.
