Mend the Gap: exploring the research teaching continuum

The initial idea for this project emerged from several conversations (between academics from several faculties and EDLAB staff) concerning teacher identity, as well as the perceived gap between doing research and engaging in teaching. Related to these topics are the efforts combined in the Reward & Recognition programme. An important part of R&R is the intention to give more recognition for (the importance of) teaching as part of the identity of a university, and as a way to build a career in academia. Linking research and teaching can facilitate that in a practical sense while also adding to a shift in perspective of teaching and of research, respectively.  

We approach this project from two sides. By looking at the literature, we gain insight into practices, perspectives and policies outside of UM. We do that alongside interviews with UM staff members who work in a teaching and/or researcher role, asking questions about their practices and experiences with this.  

The goals are twofold: 

1. to (help) nurture a culture in which research and teaching are perceived as mutually reinforcing each other (instead of being divided by a gap); 

2. to provide concrete examples/formats/tools for academics to connect research and teaching, to the mutual benefit of both activities (and with that, students as well as academics). 

The outcomes of this project will strengthen the CCCS vision of teaching and learning, as espoused by UM, by connecting teaching and learning more explicitly to research. For academics, convincingly conceptualising teaching and research as mutually enforcing each other and offering concrete suggestions for implementation will reduce the gap between teaching and research, both in terms of concrete time and perception. 

This, in turn, will create more opportunities to effectively combine both activities, and is expected to enhance academics’ engagement with teaching. For students, the connection between teaching and research will generate more and diverse formats of learning, and enhance the perceived relevance and value of what they do and learn. 

Furthermore, by systematically gathering and sharing best practices on the verge between research and teaching, the project will provide examples and models that help faculties in their desire to integrate research methods and academic skills more into the curriculum. 

All underlying concepts of CCCS will be given more depth, but the notion of collaboration (students-staff, students-students) and contextualisation (seeing the relevance of particular activities and phenomena in the context of bigger societal and research pictures) in particular. 

Project coordinators: Oscar van den Wijngaard & Lena Gromotka