PhD defence B.A. (Bram) ten Kate

Brief summary of the doctoral thesis:

Lecturers in Dutch Universities op Applied Sciences often work in teams to prepare students for a career in professional practice. On the one hand, the teaching team is tasked with continually innovating education to ensure that the program remains relevant to the changing practices. On the other hand, each program must meet predefined criteria for awarding a diploma. This creates an interesting tension for the teaching team.

The main question in this research is: What factors in the work environment influence the innovative work behavior of teaching teams in higher education?

Three levels have been identified in the research:
A. At the individual level, three factors have been identified:
• The lecturer can influence which team he/ she wants to work in.
• The lecturer has access to information that encourages educational innovation.
• The lecturer has the space to innovate.
 
B. At the team level, three factors have been identified:
• The team works from a shared vision.
• The team has a climate that allows for experimentation.
• Decisions about educational innovation are made collectively within the team.

C. At the organizational level, one factor has been identified:
• Open communication is welcomed within the organization.
        
These factors form a cohesive whole that seems to be interconnected through three factors:
• The team manager focuses on encouraging collaboration within the team.
• The team manager encourages the team to continually innovate education.
• Teams have the ability to influence frameworks.