Student guidance is learning too!
How can we make student guidance an integral part of the learning experience at Maastricht University? A new booklet from EDLAB, Student Guidance as a form of learning, invites colleagues to look at student guidance through the lens of UM’s educational principles.
At Maastricht University, student guidance is about more than helping students find their way through their studies or dealing with difficulties. It is also an opportunity for students to learn about themselves, reflect on their experiences, develop confidence and take responsibility for their own learning.
But what does this mean for the way we guide students in practice?
Connecting student guidance with Problem-Based Learning
The new booklet looks at how the four core principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL), constructive, contextual, collaborative and self-directed learning, can be applied to student guidance.
It also draws on the principles of Constructive Alignment, encouraging colleagues to think about what students should learn through guidance, how to support that learning and how to recognise their progress.
Rather than prescribing a particular approach, the booklet offers practical examples, suggestions and questions for reflection. It encourages colleagues to consider how their everyday guidance practices can help students learn from experience, make informed decisions, connect with others and develop their own goals.
An invitation to reflect on your practice
Written by Iris Burks, Lena Gromotka and Oscar van den Wijngaard, with input from colleagues across UM, the booklet is intended for everyone involved in student guidance, including student advisers, mentors, academic advisers and career counsellors.
We hope it will encourage conversations about student guidance across UM and provide inspiration for colleagues who want to further develop their practice.