Reflective movements in the professional development of teacher educators as supervisors of student research in higher education

ABSTRACT

Most professionalisation programmes to support teacher educators as research supervisors focus on the development of research skills. The methodology of practice-oriented research, in addition to a clear vision on the function, and purpose of student research often receives little attention. At the Amsterdam University of Applied Science, we developed such a vision and methodology and studied the development of 17 teacher educators as research supervisors during a programme that introduced this methodology. We questioned participants about affect, and understanding regarding their role as a student research supervisor, and their perception of their competences to perform that role. Results showed that teacher educators became more aware of their role, and became more critical about their own competencies. Growing awareness of the implications of their role as student research supervisors seemed to result in a lower self-efficacy regarding the performance of this role. Implications for the training of teacher educators are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Higher education
• teacher educators
• professional development
• student research
• practice-oriented research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bert Van Veldhuizen

Bert van Veldhuizen is researcher at the Centre for Applied Research in Education (CARE) at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. He is also assistant professor in Learning and Innovation at the Faculty of Education at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Ron Oostdam

Ron Oostdam is professor in Learning and Instruction and research director of the Centre for Applied Research in Education (CARE) at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands. He is also professor in Learning and Instruction at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education of the University of Amsterdam.

Mascha Enthoven

Mascha Enthoven is Professor of Education and Pedagogy at the Inholland University of Applied Sciences.

Marco Snoek

Marco Snoek is Professor of Teacher Development and School Innovation at the Centre for Applied Research in Education at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.