MBO lecturers are increasingly doing an internship
MBO teachers gain new insights and inspiration during an internship. The Education magazine went on an internship with MBO teacher Margriet van der Hucht in a rehabilitation center in Ewijk, Gelderland.
Picture: Fred van Diem
“Now it beeps, because no counter pressure is applied to the mask,” says Mr. van Kaauwen (73) about his apnea device. He puts the oxygen cap on his head to show it. MBO teacher Margriet van der Hucht looks at the large device and says to carer Pamela van As: "You also need to know how this works if someone comes in with such a device."
A major hip operation brought Van Kaauwen to the rehabilitation center of Zorggroep Maas en Waal in Ewijk, Gelderland. He can almost go home. “It was so exciting, I had already arranged my cremation”, he says Van der Hucht, teacher of anatomy and physiology at Roc Rivor in Tiel.
Van der Hucht will spend a day in this department with caretaker Van As. “How do you judge whether he can go home?” The MBO teacher wants to know. Van As points to the table where a syringe with fraxiparine is located against thrombosis. She calmly explains that a client should be able to use it herself and pushes a piece of trouser leg up in the meantime. Van Kaauwen's bandaged leg emerges.
Bandaging
“Can you do the bandaging yourself?” Asks Van der Hucht. Van As, who has worked in healthcare for twelve years and is in the process of obtaining her level 4 nursing diploma, nods. "Interns under my supervision are also allowed to do that."
With some help, Van Kaauwen is standing behind his walker. He says he has dealt with interns during his rehabilitation. "I noticed this because, for example, they did orders wrong or did not say exactly what they were going to do." These are things that Van der Hucht wants to know. One of her learning goals is to find out what can be improved about interns that she and her colleagues 'deliver'.
According to researcher Marjan Glaudé of the Amsterdam Kohnstamm Institute, MBO teachers are increasingly going on an internship. “We were pleasantly surprised,” she says. "In our previous study in 2010 it happened little by little."
MBO teacher Margriet van der Hucht asks carer Pamela van As for an explanation while they help Mr Van Kaauwen who is recovering after an operation. (Image: Fred van Diem).
In the recent Kohnstamm study 'Teacher internships in MBO' 40 percent of the teachers surveyed indicated that more than half of the teachers do an internship at their school. Glaudé: "Internships are good for seeing the current state of affairs, learning the tricks of the trade and it is also good for relationship management with companies to arrange internships for students."
These are roughly the reasons for Van der Hucht's visit to the rehabilitation center today. She is a physiotherapist and teaches students who follow the level 3 nursing course and - at level 4 - to nursing and social care students. “I don't have to teach students nursing procedures, but I will see what they experience,” says Van der Hucht. “I can respond to that. And I get inspiration for assignments in new teaching materials to which I co-write. ”
Established
Internships have become established at Roc Rivor. “At our place, the teachers who teach Technology and Care and Welfare most often go on an internship”, e-mails personnel officer Hanne van Elk. This is in line with the conclusions of Glaudé's research. "That's because of the speed of developments in those sectors."
Caretaker Van As must be in the medicine cabinet. Everything is neatly arranged in baskets with labels such as 'syringe 2 ml', 'syringe 5 ml' and 'nasofix syringe'. "Look, this is quite new," she says, taking a safety needle out of the closet. "When closing it, it can no longer open, so you no longer prick yourself." Van der Hucht wants to know about medical calculations. “You have to calculate yourself less and less. Much has been pre-chewed. ”
One of the biggest obstacles to an internship remains the agenda
They must continue. A centenarian woman with a broken wrist has to go downstairs to the lunch room. Van As distributes paracetamol to other clients. Van der Hucht says that she was not specially roasted for this day. “We are in a progress week. That does not mean classroom lessons, but teachers check tests. That's why I can do this now. We are a small roc, taking over lessons is difficult to organize. ”
The practical internship at Van der Hucht's school is part of the professionalization offer and falls within the standard annual task. This is the case in four out of ten ROCs, according to the Kohnstamm study. “Every year there are 166 hours available for training,” explains personnel officer Van Elk. “Employees can fill in 59 hours themselves and they have to account for that afterwards. In principle, there is therefore sufficient time within the annual task for internships. We notice that internships are now used more often instead of formal training. ”
One of the biggest obstacles to doing an internship remains the agenda. “Creating time is the biggest bottleneck,” says researcher Glaudé. “Due to the high workload, teachers often hardly have time for professionalisation. Time off work remains a problem, while replacement is essential for many teachers. ”
Mr Van Kaauwen walks past the breakfast table in the rehabilitation center. Pamela van As (left) and secondary vocational education teacher Margriet van der Hucht help him. (Image: Fred van Diem).
That agrees AObdriver Tamar van Gelder. “We often see that teacher internships in MBO are at the bottom of the list of priorities. It is important to design the internships well, so that it does not cause extra work pressure for colleagues. Now it is too often seen as a nice 'extra'. While external orientation is really important to properly shape education. ”
Pay attention
Two-thirds of the MBO institutions have some support for teacher internships, say the Kohnstamm researchers. According to the HR managers interviewed, this means, for example, reimbursing travel expenses or replacing teaching assignments. 'MBOs have given more substance to the importance of internships compared to 2010', the researchers write. Still, you have to pay attention, because many respondents expect that the high workload and a lack of finances can jeopardize the teaching internships. “The policy regarding internships varies enormously at MBO institutions,” says Glaudé. "It is under development, but everything is already a lot more structured than in 2010."
In the rehabilitation center it is time to escort a resident to bed. “This is also hands-off,” says Van As. She walks next to a lady who is brave, but cautiously walks down the hall until she can go no further. “It often goes wrong because we want to provide and help. Only these people have to do it themselves. They want to go home as soon as possible. ” Together they help the lady to bed. “Slippers off?” Asks Van As.
Internships have an effect on lessons, according to researcher Marjan Glaudé of the Kohnstamm Institute
Such a day will soon start, says Van der Hucht. “This work is intensive. When I see how often Pamela has to switch, think through and keep mapping new situations. ”
The teacher found the contact with clients particularly interesting. “You can now clearly see how they make transfers and ask questions. What also strikes me: the students who do an internship here are different than at school. Less adolescent. They are really undergoing development. ” At school she will certainly share the experiences with her team. According to personnel officer Van Elk, the internships at Roc Rivor are part of the performance and appraisal interviews. In these conversations, teachers indicate what they have learned and how they apply it in their lessons.
An internship has an effect on the lessons, according to researcher Glaudé. “Lecturers can often do something with it immediately. Even during an exploratory internship where they participate for half or full day. ” The researchers saw that in some ROCs it is mandatory to share the knowledge in a formal meeting. “Sometimes this is also possible at the coffee machine,” says Glaudé. “Occasionally, an internship even affects the adaptation of the curriculum.
Van der Hucht says he is a 'ruminant.' “I think in the car I will come back to even more insights that I can do something with. Walking along is really enlightening. In any case, taking in new experiences is always good. ”
On an internship yourself? Tips for MBO teachers.
- Keep it simple. Ask if you can walk with a student in the training company. This is often enough to update knowledge.
- Think in advance about learning goals that suit you and see how you can achieve them. Just looking around does not yield enough. It is often useful to work with the contact person from the company to see how you can achieve the learning objectives.
- Arrange a practical internship on time. Then replacement can be arranged.
- Be curious and take initiative. Many teachers arrange their internship themselves.
- Gained new insights and skills? Share them with colleagues at school.
- You can find more tips in the research from the Kohnstamm Institute to teaching internships.
This article was previously published in the Education Journal of June 2018. AObmembers receive the magazine in the letterbox every month.
