Last fall, the Faculty of Law launched a pilot project to involve student-teachers in education, in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning. Fifteen students who teach within the Bachelor of Law program underwent intensive basic didactic training. The student-teachers have now completed this training and received their StuKO edubadges. This edubadge is a nationally recognized certificate. This educational innovation seamlessly aligns with the ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) to engage students as active partners in education.
Value of Student-Teachers
Student-teachers enrich regular education because they are still students themselves. As experts by experience, they understand better than anyone else the struggles students face and what they need. This sentiment is echoed by student-teacher Ouimama el Ouarit, one of the fifteen student-teachers who received her StuKO edubadge on March 14. She stated, "This allows me to assess how the course material can be effectively conveyed in an understandable manner. Additionally, due to the small age difference, I am closer to the students' world than a regular teacher, which reduced the barrier for students to approach me."
Jantien Stuifbergen, the educational director of the Faculty of Law, acknowledges the benefits of employing student-teachers in education. "We are extremely pleased with the commitment of our student-teachers. Not only are they approachable, but they also have a positive effect on student motivation and the sense of community. I am very proud that our faculty has conducted this pilot."
Didactic Training
According to trainer Klaas de Zwaan from the VU Centre for Teaching and Learning, student-teachers are a true asset to education, if they receive proper guidance and training. The didactic training undertaken by Ouimama and the other student-teachers was specially developed by educational experts from the national StuKO project. It provided them with tips and insights to enhance their teaching skills. Ouimama stated, "We learned how to create a safe learning environment and how to engage students. It also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my teaching skills. I recognized my strengths but also identified areas for improvement. The knowledge from the training helps me work on those aspects."
De Zwaan emphasizes the importance of thorough didactic training: "Instruction and practice pay off. Student-teachers become more confident and expand their didactic toolkit."
Students as Active Partners
According to De Zwaan, the Faculty of Law and the VU are leading the way in recognizing and appreciating student-teachers through this educational innovation. "We aim to be a university where students are not passive consumers but engaged, active partners. At all levels, including in the lecture halls. The goal is to provide all student-teachers at the VU with the right teaching tasks, guidance, and training so that they can teach their near peers even better."
About StuKo-approved Edubadge
A unique aspect of this educational innovation at the Faculty of Law is the digital 'StuKo-approved' certificate edubadge that student-teachers receive upon completing the basic didactic training. This nationally recognized certificate serves as a form of recognition and appreciation for student-teachers. It guarantees that participants have undergone thorough didactic training. The learning objectives and content of the training are aligned across almost all universities.
Photo: presentation of edubadges to student-teachers of the Faculty of Law at Bar Boele.