Windesheim Educational Concept

W i n d e s h e i m m a k e s k n o w l e d g e w o r k

CONTENT, DESIGN AND ORGANIZATION

This is a publication of Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. Photography by: Department of Marketing and Communication

N.B. In the event of discrepancies or ambiguity between the original Dutch version of this document and the English translation presented here, the Dutch text shall prevail.

Colofon T A B L E O F C O N T E N T SIntroduction 21. Windesheim’s educational vision 42. Exploration of the future 83. Learning outcomes 124. Educational environment 165. Educational organization 246. Assessment 32Literature 36Appendix: Intended learning outcomes 38

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IntroductionThis document presents Windesheim’s educational concept. In June of 2013, the Executive Board commissioned a project group to develop a new Windesheim educational concept for full-time and part-time Bachelor’s programmes, Associate degree and Master’s programmes.

W H Y ?In late 2012 the university of applied sciences defined a new edu-cational vision, containing key concepts such as ambitious study climate, valuable/principled professional, personalized student counselling and high educational quality. This vision was further developed and has resulted in this educational concept.

Society needs graduates who are not only qualified in their profes-sion, but also prepared for a rapidly changing society. Many will be working in professions that do not yet exist, or that will change drastically in the future, for instance due to technological develop-ments that are difficult to predict. Even the students themselves

have changed. Or maybe we should just acknowledge the fact that students are not all alike; in fact, they vary greatly in age, experi-ence, cultural background, desires and needs.

Windesheim has formulated this educational concept to address the above developments and to provide structure and direction to its education, based on the Windesheim’s mission and vision. The concept also underlines the significance of education in 21st-century skills and hence emphasizes educational content, while professional competences continue to be important as well. The educational concept also describes the three aspects of the educational environment characteristic of Windesheim education. The concept emphasizes the importance of educational flexibility as a tool to provide personalized solutions to students, but also indicates its limitations. The educational concept is quite clearly intended to offer ample scope to the professionals in the degree programmes to fine-tune educational structure and content.

H O W ?The project group started by analysing future scenarios, fully real-izing that the future is unpredictable. Even though we do not really know what the future holds, it is possible to make some general predictions. Based on developments over the past decade, the 21st-century skills needed by future graduates can also be predicted to a certain degree. The process resulting in the new educational concept started off with interviews with students, staff members (lecturers, managers and educational experts), the Executive Board and others (both internal and external experts), to gain inspiration and collect input. These interviews resulted in an exploration of the future and a first draft of our educational concept, which was submitted to various university representatives in January/Febru-ary 2014. The (often positive) feedback received was discussed in detail and resulted in a first draft. Subsequently, this draft version was discussed with the Executive Board and the directors and afterwards within the divisions and service units and then comple-mented and fine-tuned on the basis of the input collected. In June

2014 the document was submitted to the Executive Board for de-cision-making, accompanied by a first draft of an implementation plan. The educational concept was adopted in December 2014.

D O C U M E N T S T R U C T U R EThis document starts off with a summary of Windesheim’s educa-tional vision, one of the pillars on which the educational concept was built. Chapter 2 reviews possible future developments, the implications of which are discussed in Chapter 3. This chapter deals with 21st-century skills, which we link to the Dublin descrip-tors and the interpretation of the concept of the valuable/princi-pled professional. Chapter 4 analyses the educational environment Windesheim aims to provide. The actors are addressed as well: students, lecturers and professional field. Chapter 5 discusses the educational organization, covering such aspects as student coun-selling, the major/minor model and increased flexibility. The final chapter explains assessment.

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1. Windesheim’s educational vision

The educational concept is based on Windesheim’s educational vision, which was established in 2012. This vision positions Windesheim as a broad-based knowledge organization aspiring to provide an inspirational higher-education environment. The univer-sity of applied sciences offers students a high-quality professional education that prepares them in theory as well as in practice for a successful career. Windesheim conducts applied research to promote knowledge development in (and outside) the Zwolle area and to give educational development a further boost. Knowledge and skills are continuously field-tested through collaboration with businesses and non-profit organizations as well as by means of enterprise. Enterprise is also a means to valorize research results. This mix of education, research and enterprise results in reinforced positioning.

Figure 1.

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Windesheim’s educational vision consists of the following four elements.

A M B I T I O U S S T U D Y C L I M A T EWindesheim offers students opportunities, encourages them to broaden their horizons and make the most of their studies. Pro-fessional practice is the basis from which challenging educational assignments are derived. To do justice to their various talents and ambitions, the curriculum offers students a number of electives to broaden, intensify or specialize their own educational programme. This is possible because of the options available to the student and increased flexibility of course offerings in this educational concept.

V A L U A B L E / P R I N C I P L E D P R O F E S S I O N A LWindesheim educates professionals who are able to reflect critically and account for their own professional actions. The professional graduated at Windesheim uses personal, institutional and legal norms and values in doing so. Because of his inquisitive and reflective attitude he continuously develops his profession-alism, based on his ideals on what society ought to be like. With his own professional skills and critical reflection he contributes to the quality of society. He is a professional with expert knowledge in his field and is well prepared for the ever-changing professional practice. He can spot opportunities and knows how to use them, is able to innovate and take initiatives. Windesheim also aspires to be a valuable and principled organization and strives to reflect this theme in its organizational culture.

Chapter 3 on learning outcomes and the corresponding appendix contain more specific information on valuable/principled profes-sionalism in education.

P E R S O N A L I Z E D S T U D E N T C O U N S E L L I N GWindesheim offers students adequate and personalized counsel-ling in an environment where they can work optimally on their development. The university focuses on management by results, so students can complete their studies successfully. Both gifted students and those with specific functional limitations are catered for. The educational concept stresses the importance of a safe and optimally designed learning environment, in which the student feels acknowledged. Small-scale, but offering the facilities and provisions of a large university of applied sciences.

H I G H - Q U A L I T Y E D U C A T I O NWindesheim maintains and continuously improves its educational practice. The student works with lecturers who are well qualified in didactics, highly skilled in their professional field and maintain close links with professional practice. To be able to work on the basis of the state of the art in the various fields, degree pro-grammes are connected to research centres and/or Centres of Expertise. Education, research and enterprise are thus integrated and mutually reinforce one another’s quality and innovative power. Finally, Windesheim encourages students to gain international experience in their studies.

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2. Exploration of the futureThinking about the future, there’s one thing you can be certain of: it’s unpredictable. However, it can be glimpsed in broad outline by observing notable changes in society and their impact on higher professional education.

2.1 Environmental factors

1. In the Netherlands and surrounding nations we can see two clear demographic trends: dejuvenation (decreasing birth rates) and ageing. The former trend causes labour scarcity in the employ-ment market, leading to a risk of halting economic growth (SCP, 2013). Ageing results in increasing use being made of health care and medical provisions and corresponding public funds. More-over, ageing has a significant impact on housing construction, infrastructure, technology etc. (WRR, 2013).

2. Technological developments have a huge impact. Groundbreak-ing technologies fundamentally change society with their impact on production of commodities and services, organization of companies and people’s lifestyles. At the same time, however, it is virtually impossible to predict these technological developments.

3. The work environment is changing drastically. Many of our future graduates will be working in professions that do not yet exist. Most likely, they will also change employers and jobs frequently (Commissie Rinnooy Kan, 2014). All this is happening in a society in which urban areas with their concentrations of economic and socio-cultural activities dominate, engaging in mutual global competition while at the same time being strongly dependent on one another. Moreover, the global citizen is expected to attri bute a great deal of value to his own region (WRR, 2013).

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4. Depletion of natural resources and the associated significance of sustainability is expected to be a factor of growing influence on society in the future. This will reflect on the professions we train our students for (WRR, 2013).

5. The X, Y, Z, Einstein generation... Windesheim does not like to generalize, but it can be observed that from around the turn of the century youths have started to grow up surrounded by computers and have grown used to being continually online.

2.2 Higher professional education in the future

Developments in higher professional education - partly resulting from the factors described in the previous section and partly autonomous - are outlined below.

1. Information is available anywhere, often in bits and pieces. High-quality course material (e.g. through Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs) will be available worldwide. The student will have more options to choose from. The regional higher- education institute will see its monopoly on information dwindle.

2. There will be more competition in the higher-education market than is now the case (Texeira, Rocha, Biscaia & Cardoso, 2013). The student will increasingly need to pay for his own studies, which will force him to act more and more as a higher-education ‘consumer’. Forced by budget cuts, the government will allocate less and less funds to higher education and research. This means that the collection of funds from private and commercial parties will become more and more important. Highly regarded knowledge institutes can recruit good researchers and lecturers and possibly differentiate in tuition fees for students (Jong-bloed, 2003).

3. A university of applied sciences must meet strict requirements to maintain its position in the interplay of forces of mutually competing higher-education institutes (Vos, Gruber & Szmigin, 2007). It must provide excellent education, conduct high-level applied research in close involvement with the surrounding area and simultaneously have a strong international focus (Mon-tesinos, Carot, Martinez & Mora, 2008). This is also what the professional field expects from graduates (Schuiling, 2012).

4. Decreasing birth rates (dejuvenation) will lead to dropping intake rates of students moving straight from their prior edu-cation (havo1, vwo2 or mbo3) to higher education (WRR, 2013). At the same time, a growth market will develop among adults. The Netherlands is currently falling far behind other knowl-edge economies when it comes to adult education (Commissie Rinnooy Kan, 2014).

5. The target group for higher education will become increasingly diverse in terms of age, experience, prior education and cultural background. The student - school-leaver and professional alike - wants not only a clear structure, but also personalized education, matching his individual desires and circumstances (Naidoo, Shankar & Veer, 2011). Distance learning, independent of time and location, as well as workplace learning for those who hold jobs, could be promising options (Commissie Rinnooy Kan, 2014).

6. The world is changing rapidly and social, cultural and economic developments elsewhere have a great impact on professional practice. Yesterday’s ‘standard solution’ often no longer works, which requires creativity and flexibility to find solutions (togeth-er with others) to the often complex problems the professional faces. This means that higher professional education must pay a good deal of attention to innovative skills (Lutters, 2013).

7. Technological developments have a huge impact on education. Students must be prepared not only for the impact of technolog-ical developments on their profession, but also for changes as yet unknown. Students and lecturers must be able to assess and deal with the impact this is likely to have on the profession and on society. Education will (need to) use technological develop-ments to promote quality and flexibility.

1Senior general secondary education2University preparatory education3Senior secondary vocational education and training

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3. Learning outcomesThis chapter outlines the generic learning outcomes of the Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. As a result of the exploration of the future we now need to reconsider the learning outcomes of Windesheim’s degree programmes. This chapter connects the 21st-century skills to the Dublin descriptors4 and the interpretation of the concept of the valuable/principled professionalism.

3.1 21st-century skills

Several well-known institutes have studied the future and identi-fied the competences the future professional should possess with a view to the rapidly changing society (Voogt & Pareja Roblin, 2010).The 21st-century skills named (in various terms) in all models are:

• Social and cultural skills; personal and social responsibility, cultural awareness.

• Critical thinking and analytical skills.• Demonstrating leadership and taking responsibility.• Being innovative, inquisitive, creative and flexible (Lutters, 2013).• Initiative-taking; spotting opportunities and having an entrepre-

neurial spirit.• Co-operation; interpersonal skills and a problem-solving mindset.• Communicative, effective, accurate, using modern technology to

good effect.• Being able to find, use and evaluate information and effectively

use modern technological aids (Voogt & Pareja Roblin, 2010.

4 The Dublin descriptors specify the learning outcomes of higher education, in which knowledge, the application and communication of knowledge, are some of the core concepts.

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3.2 The valuable/principled professional

Windesheim alumni reflect on what their professional and meaningful contributions are to their direct working environment, occupational group and society at large. This shows that they take responsibility for their professional actions within a relevant and social context. They do not start by assuming they are right and are prepared to assess and use judgements of others. Moreover, Windesheim-educated professionals have a critical and analytical attitude, aiming to achieve reasoned improvements to professional practice. They are not swayed by the issues of the day.

3.3 Dublin descriptors

The 21st-century skills and the valuable/principled professional can be classified under the Dublin descriptors to define the level at which these skills are to be mastered.The Dublin descriptors break down into:

• Knowledge and understanding• Application of knowledge and understanding• Judgment• Communication• Learning skills

Windesheim-educated professionals possess thorough knowledge of their field and make sure they keep up to date. They also collect, interpret and apply new knowledge, based on their own professi-onal context. Windesheim alumni weigh relevant social, scientific and ethical aspects against each other. This is how they connect their profession with society at large. They may also decide to pursue further studies to enhance their knowledge and skills.Moreover, Windesheim-educated professionals are capable of effectively presenting information and ideas to colleagues or adapting them to individuals outside the professional context, using modern technology if necessary.

3.4 Connection between 21st-century skills and

valuable/principled professional

Appendix links the 21st-century skills with the valuable/principled professional, including the Dublin descriptor indicators where possible. The 21st-century skills apply to all types of education worldwide, but the central position of the valuable/principled professional gives these learning outcomes at Windesheim a special character. The appendix to this chapter serves as a guide for the study departments to establish appropriate programme learning outcomes and the position thereof relative to the degree programme qualifications. Study departments translate these learning outcomes in terms of their own context and professional competences and use the specific learning outcomes formulated as a basis for the curriculum and subordinate study units to be set up.

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Windesheim offers high-quality education. This high quality is reflected in the way students appreciate the education, in the appreciation of the professional field with regard to the level of our graduates and the appreciation of our fellow educators in the accreditation of our degree programmes. This chapter describes three aspects of the educational environment Windesheim offers. These aspects provide structure to Windesheim’s educational programmes:

1. Windesheim strives to create an inspirational and challenging educational environment, where

2. student interaction leads to3. a broad perspective of their professional domain.

The goals underlying these three aspects can be realized only by means of organic interaction between education, research and enterprise. This is how the learning outcomes outlined in Chapter 3 will be achieved. The study departments have been asked to incorporate the three aspects into their didactic models in line with students’ wishes and the needs of the professional field.

4. Educational environment

Figure 2.

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4.1 Interaction

Windesheim’s teaching philosophy focuses on education through interaction. Lecturers and students are part of an interrelated community together with the professional field (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012).The interaction between these three groups is essential and is achieved for instance by enabling staff and students to participate in joint research and enterprise. Research and enterprise support the education provided to students (Schuiling, 2012).Windesheim chooses to make interaction a central element in its educational environment. This way students learn about ideas and opinions of lecturers and their fellow students, they gain critical reflection and debating skills (Hattie, 2009). Attention is

also given to diversity. Students enrich and expand their views on developments in society and their professional field. Willingness to participate is expected of them, so they can engage in a long-term and constructive relationship (Biesta, 2014). Through interaction students and staff members develop into valuable/principled professionals with 21st-century skills.Interaction also serves to contribute to a small-scale educational environment, in which the student feels recognized; after all, students benefit from cohesion (Tinto, 2012).To promote interaction, the degree programmes employ various teaching methods based on interactive learning. These methods may be set either on campus, in a digital learning environment, or in the workplace.

4.2 Inspirational and challenging educational

environment

Windesheim challenges students to make the most of their talents and offers them an educational environment in which they are encouraged to seize opportunities (Hattie, 2009). The teaching/learning situation is designed to create tension between the present and the next level of competence, challenging students to leave their comfort zone and broaden their horizons. This is done, for instance, by presenting various role models, incentives and situations in a high-opportunity educational environment in which every student feels challenged to perform (Biesta, 2014). In developing its educational environment, Windesheim employs an international perspective, so as to enable students and staff to learn how to operate in an international context.

Windesheim has an entrepreneurial culture. Improvements are always possible, in any occupation and any professional field. The educational environment invites students and lecturers to find solutions to problems. They spot and seize opportunities, take initiatives, make connections with their environment to reach their goals. Windesheim is a safe environment for both students and lecturers. Personal development is about taking risks and being allowed to make mistakes. Staff and students feel a joint responsibility to achieve results, encourage one another and give each other feedback.

Windesheim also has an inquisitive culture. Staff members and students are curious by nature, they need to know and understand things. Besides improving professional practice, applied research also serves to promote the development of education. Knowledge gained through research is continually field-tested through enter-prise, co-operation with companies and non-profit organizations in the Zwolle area.

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4.3 Broad perspective of the professional domain

A broad perspective to Windesheim means that it teaches its students to look at developments from various perspectives. Applied research and enterprise, in a regional and international context, support this and contribute to the multi-perspective view of students and staff. In the future students will be working in professions we do not know yet, or in occupations that will be structured differently by then. They will also change jobs more of-ten (WRR, 2013). It is important for students to thoroughly master their professional competences and corresponding professional

expertise. From this sound basis, students receive a broad educa-tion and are able to adapt flexibly to the rapidly changing society and developments in their professional field. Study departments keep looking for the best ways to respond to new developments and thus help shape students’ attitude to adapt continually to changing circumstances. Students and staff need to be able to cooperate with other relevant disciplines, to put input by others into the proper perspective, to evaluate the significance of that input and to act upon it. Windesheim succeeds in making this con-nection by making interaction a central element in its organization.

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4.4 Actors in the educational environment

- The studentWindesheim has great variety in its student intake, in prior-educa-tion level, age, cultural backgrounds, personal situations and pos-sible jobs. Students choose a certain degree programme because it will give them a starting qualification in a certain professional field, or because it enables them to expand or broaden their pro-fessional competences. With interaction in learning – with other students and lecturers – as a central element in the educational structure, cohesion can be created and students will get more intrinsically motivated (Tinto, 2012).

Students want to be able to identify with the degree programme’s objective, to influence their own study success – where possible even the way in which they can achieve their learning goals – and to feel connected to their fellow students and lecturers (Hattie, 2009). Students want an attractive and challenging study programme in line with current developments in their future pro-fessional field. To gain research experience and expand their view of current developments, students participate in applied research of research centres or conduct their own research. This way they develop an inquisitive attitude, learn how to reflect critically on research results and developments in the field and develop into reflective practitioners.

- The lecturerWindesheim lecturers are double-discipline professionals: they are competent in their professional discipline as well as expert in didactics. They facilitate the students’ learning process with a vari-ety of different lecturer’s roles: coach, teacher, researcher, expert, colleague. A lecturer could never do this all by himself (Vermeulen, 2009), which is why teams of lecturers are central at Windesheim. A team of lecturers is responsible for the teaching of a degree programme. Together, the team is capable of performing this task and fulfilling the lecturers’ roles.Every team participates in applied research and transfers the results to the educational setting. The lecturer coaches, facilitates and inspires the student towards the learning outcomes set, such as the professional competences and the 21st-century skills. This implies that the lecturers too master these 21st-century skills. Windesheim lecturers act as valuable/principled professionals and are role models for their students.

All this requires constant orientation and reflection of the lecturers’ teams on their professional development.

- The professional fieldThe professional field is a natural partner for Windesheim’s degree programmes and research centres. The intensive contacts with the professional field ensure that there is knowledge circulation and that innovations find their way into the curriculum. In consulta -

tive meetings with the professional field the study departments are advised on developments in the professional field and on the curriculum. Representatives from the professional field are involved in validating the final products of study units in which the student demonstrates that he possesses the required exit level. The professional field is an important learning environment for students, since not all qualifications can be obtained within the setting of the university of applied sciences. Windesheim enters into long-term alliances with the professional field so students can learn in practice with proper coaching.

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5. Educational organizationThis chapter describes the parameters of the organization in which the education is provided to achieve the objectives outlined in the previous chapters. Windesheim’s educational organization is small-scale, flexible and high-quality. This means that the education should be organized as closely as possible to the student and the content and that the university supports this small-scale character and renders it effective. This creates room for flexibility in education. Within Windesheim the optimum balance between university-wide arrangements and programme-specific room for manoeuvre is always sought in mutual consultation.

5.1 Small-scale character and student counselling

Windesheim demands a willingness to participate from its students. It offers students a small-scale and high-opportunity educational environment in which individual attention and inter-action are central. Student counselling is therefore an important

element in the educational environment. Student counselling is understood to refer to counselling of students during their studies, aiming to promote their study success. Upon request, students can also receive counselling on choices they need to make during their studies. Essential aspects of student counselling are identification of factors delaying study progress, initiating appropriate interven-tions where necessary and increasing students’ self-management of their studies and career. Student counselling is specified by each study department separately (in collaboration with university experts) and always takes the form of a dialogue. The essence of this dialogue is study success in relation to personal well-being. Student counselling gives students individual attention and is personalized. The student feels noticed and recognized. Study success is obviously not just a study department responsibility, it is a mutual responsibility of the degree programme and the student.

Figure 3.

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5.2 Increased flexibility

The degree programmes enable increased flexibility for all students; for professionals, for students combining work and study, but also for full-time students. This way the university provides the perso-nalized approach requested by students. Highly talented students, for example, can take a fast track and complete their studies six months earlier. They can broaden their personal study programme by taking an extra language course, choosing a minor programme or composing one themselves from available study units.

Students combining work and study can choose certain curriculum parts (modules) and combine them to form a collection that will lead to a certificate. With this increased flexibility Windesheim con-tributes to the objective to increase the number of highly-educated individuals in the Netherlands, while it also stays in touch with this group of students. This is important to retain the regional function of knowledge institute (Commissie Rinnooy Kan, 2014).

Increased flexibility can be structured in various ways. Windesheim distinguishes between flexibility in time, structure (including location and study pace), content and assessment.

• Flexibility in time means students can reach their learning outcomes at a time of their own choosing.

• Flexibility in structure means students can reach their learning outcomes in the way they prefer. Where possible, the student chooses (partly or entirely) either a digital learning environment, a learning environment allowing more face-to-face contact with lecturers and students, or a learning environment in the workplace.

• Flexibility in content specifies degrees in which students are free to set their own learning outcomes.

• Flexibility in assessment is explained in Chapter 6.

There are study units that students can complete (partly) inde-pendently, or at a different educational institute. They are likely to be mostly ‘supporting’ study units with a large knowledge component. This is flexibility in time and or in educational struc-ture. Moreover, there are study units whose learning outcomes (i.e. content and level) make them eminently suitable for flexibility in an internship or workplace.

Flexibility in content happens for instance when students explore in depth – within specified parameters – a theme that fits their in-terests, or when they do research at their internship or workplace. Minors and other electives within the degree programme also fall under ‘flexibility in content’.

Degree programmes are increasing the flexibility of the education they provide. Naturally, this is done responsibly, since not all ed-ucation can be made more flexible in the same manner. There are likely to be study units that do not allow greater flexibility because of their learning outcomes, the required specific type of interaction or the role to be played by the professional field. In study units of

that type an increase in flexibility may affect educational quality. In the first year of the degree programme the promotion of social cohesion is very important. This may be another reason not to increase flexibility by certain methods in the first year. Study departments increase educational flexibility wherever they can do so responsibly and they account for the choices they have made.

Digitization: a tool to increase flexibilityEducation in digital form helps study programmes to achieve greater organizational flexibility. Students can benefit from the independence of time and location that a digital learning environment offers. This is especially true for study units involving a major knowledge component. Where these study units require student-lecturer contact, this can also be done digitally. Interaction can also be facilitated by digital means, but if it concerns interaction between students, this imposes a restriction on indepen-dence of time.

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5.3 The major/minor model

Windesheim offers its educational programmes in a major/minor model structure. In the major phase students acquire the competences specified in the Central Register of Higher-Education Programmes (CROHO), which forms the programme’s statutory basis. The major phase comprises 180 or 210 credits, according to the degree programme’s choice depending on the demands the professional competences make on the curriculum.

The minor phase consists of one or more electives, allowing students to broaden or intensify their individual study programme. Students either choose a minor programme (consisting of a consistent set of study units) or use the scope to make individual choices. A minor programme enables students to look beyond the exit qualifications of their degree programme.

Windesheim encourages students to choose minors that address current issues and developments in society or the professional field and are interdisciplinary (i.e. with students from different degree

programmes participating). Windesheim offers various minors with these characteristics. They are suitable for and attractive to stu-dents from various study domains. Students are free to choose the minor programme they prefer, subject to the examination board’s approval. At any rate, the minor programme (or set of study units) is offered by a higher-education institute. Free choice for students means that they can do minors offered by other Windesheim divi-sions and/or other higher-education institutes in the Netherlands as well as abroad. The students can submit their choices to the examination board for approval.

The free scope for students is either 30 or 60 credits, depending on the scope of the major programme. A Windesheim minor programme starts and ends in the same semester and consists of either 15 or 30 credits.

Associate degree and Master’s programmes do not by definition offer minors.

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5.4 Broadening, intensification and support

Windesheim offers students a high-opportunity educational environment. Students can accelerate their study pace, broaden their scope and catch up any study delay.

Electives are offered to give all students the opportunity to develop beyond the professional competences of their own degree programme. They can choose to incorporate these electives into their curriculum (scope for individual choice outside the major programme) or do them on top of their full curriculum (as extra-curricular modules). For completed electives students are awarded a certificate. Moreover, talented students can take part in honours programmes.

Windesheim also provides a number of support modules to help students catch up their study delays. They receive feedback on their progress by means of tests and are then alerted to the existence and possibilities of these support modules.

5.5 Year calendar

Windesheim’s education is structured in two semesters and an additional summer period. The two semesters start on the first Monday in September and the first Monday in February, respectively. Students can use the summer period to accelerate, to catch up or to broaden their study scope. Degree programmes can decide to use the summer period to allow students extra oppor-tunities to complete certain study units, or to offer these digitally in this particular period. Moreover, Windesheim has certain weeks when no lectures are timetabled. In principle, students are not on campus during these weeks, although educational activities of a broadening or supportive nature may be timetabled. In other weeks both lecturers and students are scheduled in the timetable to attend and participate in activities in the educational environ-ment. The year calendar, including a summer period and the weeks with no lectures, is set by the university.

Within this structure, study departments are free to schedule their study units (including assessment); for the sake of programme feasibility, a limited number of study units is scheduled per week (Bruijns, 2014).

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6. AssessmentAssessment serves several purposes (Van Berkel, 2013). Its main purpose is to manage the learning process. Tests should give both lecturers and students information on the learning process and results. This concerns the feedback students and lecturers give each other to improve their learning and teaching, respectively. In this way assessment supports the learning process. Ideally, ‘learning’ and ‘test preparation’ are synonymous. Society wants guarantees that graduates actually do possess certain competen-ces (accountability). The study departments want to know if students are sufficiently competent (selection). Finally, the students want to know to what degree they master the learning outcomes and what they can do to continue their development.

The challenging educational environment that Windesheim offers focuses on promoting the students’ learning process. Promotion of learning is done by giving students frequent feedback on their learning results (Tinto, 2012). Formative5 assessment provides students with ‘in-process’ feedback on their progress. In this way formative assessment enables students to adapt and optimize their learning behaviour in time (Bruijns, 2014). Degree programmes ensure that the students’ curriculum contains sufficient formative tests at relevant intervals.

5 Assessment is called formative if students receive feedback on their learning results. Summative assessment results in a mark that ‘counts’. This mark reflects the degree to which students have mastered the learning outcomes.

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6.1 Flexibility of assessment

The need for greater flexibility has been described in detail in the previous chapter. Greater flexibility in the education provided also has implications for the need to increase the flexibility of assess-ment. Assessment can be done flexibly for a number of study units.

Greater assessment flexibility can be accomplished in several ways:• Flexibility in time means students can complete a study unit at a

time of their own choosing (within certain organizational limits). The support study units with a major knowledge component, also mentioned in Chapter 5, are very suitable in this respect. Computer testing, offering frequent opportunities to do tests and certain test types (e.g. essays) are examples of how to increase flexibility in time.

• Flexibility in level means that learning outcomes to be mastered by students at different levels (e.g. language skills and/or

internships) are tested independent of level. The result of this test reflects the student’s level of mastery. This can be done for example by means of assessments.

• Flexibility in structure means that students are offered various alternative ways to complete a study unit.

Study units that in view of their learning outcomes are operated mainly in an internship or workplace may be suitable for one or more of the above types of increased flexibility. All types of flexibility increase take place within statutory parameters. The possibilities are specified in the Education and Examination Regulations.

To be able to offer personalized programmes, the study depart-ments strive to maximize the number of tests administered flexibly. However, there may be restrictions due to test content and organization.

6.2 Assessment and periodicity

Education and assessment are inseparably linked. Research has demonstrated that study success rates are increased if the tests follow the teaching phase as soon as possible (Bruijns, 2014). Hence, Windesheim has decided that education and assessment have to be programmed as closely together as possible. Degree programmes prepare their own test timetable, with resits offered as soon as possible after the first test so as to promote study success.

6.3 Diplomas and certificates

Windesheim provides diplomas at the levels of Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. To do justice to excellent students and promote an ambitious study climate, cum-laude diplomas are awarded as well. Students distinguishing themselves by completing extra-curricular study units/minors on top of their regular programme are awarded a certificate with their diploma. Honours-programme students are also awarded a separate certifi-cate. Recognition of such efforts by means of certificates serves to promote an ambitious study climate.

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LiteratureBiesta, G. J. J. (2014). The beautiful risk of education. Boulder:

Paradigm Publishers. Bruijns, V. (2014). Het effect van tussentijds toetsen op studie-

rendement; een literatuurstudie. (The effect of in-process testing on study success rate; a literature study, in Dutch), Onderzoek van onderwijs, 43 (May 2014), 15 - 20.

Commissie Rinnooy Kan, C. R. (2014). Flexibel hoger onderwijs voor volwassenen. (Flexible higher education for adults, in Dutch). The Hague: Commissie Flexibel Hoger Onderwijs voor Werkenden.

Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning, a synthesis of over 800 meta -analyses relating to achievement. London: Routledge.

Jongbloed, B. (2003). Marketisation in Higher Education, Clark's Triangle and the Essential Ingredients of Markets. Higher Education Quarterly, 57(2), 110.

Lutters, J. (2013). University 21: Creativiteit als noodzaak (Univer-sity 21: Creativity as a necessity, in Dutch) (Vol. 44). Zwolle: Christelijke Hogeschool Windesheim.

Montesinos, P., Carot, J. M., Martinez, J.-M., & Mora, F. (2008). Third Mission Ranking for World Class Universities: Beyond Teaching and Research. Higher Education in Europe, 33(2/3), 259.

Naidoo, R., Shankar, A., & Veer, E. (2011). The consumerist turn in higher education: Policy aspirations and outcomes. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(11/12), 1142-1162.

Schuiling, G. (2012). Vijf uitdagingen voor de volgende tien jaar: aanzet voor een organisatieontwikkelingsagenda van hoge-scholen. (Five challenges for the next ten years: initiative to set up an organizational development agenda for universi-ties of applied sciences, in Dutch). Th&ma, 19(5), 11 - 16.

SCP. (2013). Aanbod van arbeid 2012 (a. SCP (2013) Aanbod van arbeid 2012 (Labour supply 2012, in Dutch). The Hague: Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau Ed.). The Hague: Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau.

Teixeira, P., Rocha, V., Biscaia, R., & Cardoso, M. F. (2013). Competition and diversification in public and private higher education. Applied Economics, 45(35), 4949-4958.

Tinto, V. (2012). Completing college: rethinking institutional action. Chicago: The university of Chicago Press.

Berkel van, H. J. M. (2013). Toetsen in het hoger onderwijs (Vol. 3e) (Testing in higher education, in Dutch). Houten: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum.

Vermeulen, M. (2009). Vrijheid, gelijkheid en eenzaamheid (Liberty, equality and solitude, in Dutch). In D. Van de Berg & R. Vandenberge (Eds.), Onderwijsinnovatie: geen verzegelde lippen meer (Educational innovation: no more sealed lips) Antwerpen/Apeldoorn: Garant-Uitgevers.

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Appendix 1: Intended learning outcomes

1. Social and cultural skills, personal and social responsibility, culturally aware

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates are able to reflect systematically on their professional and qualitative

contributions within their immediate work environment, their professional group and society,

with due regard for social differences and diversity between individuals.

Dublin descriptor 2.

Knowledge application

(cf. NLQF levels 5, 6 and

7: Knowledge application;

problem-solving skills)

Bachelor: ... have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study)

to inform judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.

Master: ... have the ability to formulate judgements with incomplete or limited information,

but that include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their

knowledge and judgements.

2. Critical thinking and analytical skills

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates are able to reflect systematically on their professional and qualitative

contributions within their immediate work environment, their professional group and society.

They reserve judgment and are aware of their own presuppositions.

3. Making judgments

(cf. NLQF levels 5, 6 and 7:

Knowledge application;

problem-solving skills;

Responsibility and

independence)

Bachelor: ... can apply their knowledge and understanding in a manner that indicates a professional

approach to their work or vocation, and have competences typically demonstrated through devising

and sustaining arguments and solving problems within their field of study.

... have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) to inform

judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.

Master: ... can apply their knowledge and understanding, and problem solving abilities in new or

unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study;

have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity.

... have the ability to formulate judgements with incomplete or limited information, but that include

reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and

judgements.

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3. Demonstrating leadership and taking responsibility

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates are capable of taking the lead within their professional context and

accounting for the relevance and significance of their actions. They can give and receive

constructive and specific feedback and know how to deal with this adequately.

4. Being innovative, inquisitive, creative and flexible

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates have an inquisitive attitude. They are able to suggest and implement

reasoned innovations, using existing and validated knowledge. They are up to date on the latest

trends, can assess their significance and know how to integrate them to improve their professional

practice, without getting carried away by hypes.

Dublin descriptor 1.

Knowledge and understand-

ing (cf. NLQF levels 5, 6 and

7: Knowledge)

Bachelor: ... have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in a field of study that builds upon

and extends their general secondary education and is typically at a level that, whilst supported by

advanced textbooks, includes some aspects that will be informed by knowledge of the forefront of

their field of study.

Master: ... have demonstrated knowledge and understanding that is founded upon and extends and/

or enhances that typically associated with Bachelor’s level, and that provides a basis or opportunity

for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context.

5. Initiative-taking; spotting opportunities and having an entrepreneurial spirit

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates are capable of making functional connections between their immediate

professional context and the outside world. They demonstrate their awareness of the ethical aspects

of enterprise and act accordingly. They show entrepreneurial behaviour resulting in added value to

society, without allowing personal interests to prevail.

6. Co-operation; interpersonal skills and a problem-solving mindset

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates are capable of co-operation; they can strike a balance between their

personal goals, norms and values and those of their organization, professional group and society.

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7. Communicative, effective, accurate, using modern technology to good effect

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates are capable of communicating professionally using well-considered means

with – and adapting to – their target group(s) and/or clients, while treating them with respect.

4. Communication (cf. NLQF

levels 5, 6 and 7: Information

skills; Communication skills)

Bachelor: ... can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and

non-specialist audiences.

Master: ... can communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these,

to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously.

8. Being able to find, use and evaluate information and effectively use modern technological aids

Windesheim educates

valuable/principled

professionals

Windesheim graduates make effective use of modern technology in their information searches.

They are able to assess the true value of information found and translate this in terms of their pro-

fessional practice. They can account for the ethical aspects of their search methods and results, in

consultation with the other parties (client, pupil, principal, colleague – and themselves).

Dublin descriptor 5.

Learning skills application

(cf. NLQF levels 5, 6 and 7:

Learning skills)

Bachelor: ... have developed those learning skills that are necessary for them to continue to

undertake further study with a high degree of autonomy.

Master: ... have the learning skills to allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be large-

ly self-directed or autonomous.

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