Ingrid Samset (LUC) obtains SKO Certificate
Ten Leiden University’ teachers obtained their Senior Teaching Qualification (SKO) last week. Ingrid Samset, Assistant Professor at LUC, talked about her SKO track.
How did you experience the SKO track?
‘Completing the SKO portfolio was a great way for me to become more aware of what matters in my teaching practice and what I would like to achieve through the lectures and conversations I am facilitating in the classroom. I also found the interview by the Assessment Committee a useful occasion to reflect further on my vision for teaching and learning, in what ways it aligns with the corresponding vision of our university, and how my approaches connect with those pursued by colleagues in other disciplines.’
Would you advise colleagues to apply for their SKO?
‘I would certainly recommend to academic colleagues to apply for the Senior Teaching Qualification (SKO). Once you are a few years down the road from your BKO, you are likely to have gained many new experiences and valuable insights from your teaching. The SKO is a way of collecting your thoughts regarding where you’re at as an educational practitioner, and to clarify what you find promotes learning and intellectual growth among students. Simply put, it is a nice opportunity to further advance on your professional path as a teacher.’
Not everybody is eligible for this qualification. Why were you?
‘I first submitted an initial portfolio which was assessed to determine whether I was eligible to submit the full one. Honestly I cannot tell what did the trick, but I assume that the fact that I have developed a few new courses and that I am teaching across disciplines was helpful. I highlighted from the start that when teaching, I prefer to draw on the knowledge that students already have and that such knowledge is likely to vary considerably, depending on the social and cultural backgrounds of students. In turn, this calls for pedagogical approaches that combine lecturing with listening and that facilitate respectful dialogues. Based on what the Assessment Committee said in their feedback, these ideas seem to have resonated quite a lot.’
The Senior Teaching Qualification (SKO) is awarded to teachers who play an active role in the University’s educational development and innovation, often transcending the boundaries of their own field of expertise. In order to be eligible, a teacher must have obtained the University Teaching Qualification (BKO) and have a minimum of five years teaching experience in various courses and different academic years.