Valorization, impact, leadership, organization

For some, it is straightforward to distinguish between Impact, valorization, leadership, organization. However, in my case, these dimensions are inherently intertwined due to the nature of my work. My research in physics education, teaching, and the dissemination of both research findings and educational materials create impact, shows leadership, ...

Consequently, rather than structuring this chapter strictly along these four traditional themes, I adopt a thematic approach in which these elements naturally emerge. This structure better reflects the reality of my work, where research informs teaching, teaching generates new research questions, and dissemination—whether through academic publications or educational resources—creates impact that extends beyond the immediate academic community.

Open pedagogy¶

Open Education can be described as the (re)designing and sharing of learning materials, teaching methods, and practices that are freely accessible to everyone. Open pedagogy goes beyond merely making materials available; it also encompasses the open sharing of the associated didactic approaches and pedagogical strategies used to provide effective education.

My commitment to open pedagogy is reflected in my efforts to not only create open educational resources but also to openly share the pedagogical principles and methods that underpin these materials. This includes documenting best practices, sharing experiences, and fostering a culture of collaboration. I actively engage in these activities at local, national, and international levels.

Local:¶

At our university I initiated and participated in various initiatives to promote open pedagogy. For example, I contributed to the TU Delft Education Day, TNW education day and Teaching Lab by conducting workshops and presentations (e.g. Python4All). I also organized a TU Delft-wide day focused on Python for educators, emphasizing the use of open tools and methods in teaching.

In the committee for the establishment of the Revising Academic Position Criteria report (resulting in The Academic Development Guide), I advocated for the recognition of the importance of open education in academic career paths^[1]. Additionally, I participate in the Open Interactive Learning Materials (OILM) working group within TU Delft, focused on developing and promoting open learning materials and pedagogical approaches. In this committee we define guidelines and strategies regarding open education (especially the publication of books and learning materials).

I also contribute to COMBINE, a Comenius initiative aimed at co-creating open learning materials with students. In this project I focus on the tools that allow both teachers and students to create interactive materials using Jupyter Book technology. Related to this, I am involved in the development of Teachbooks. A TU Delft initiative easing the way how open textbooks are created. Involvement in these initiatives allow other to create shareable resources more easily, thereby promoting open pedagogy.

National:¶

At national level, I have been actively involved in various ways to promote a culture of open pedagogy and teacher professionalization. On a regular basis I report on educational practices in the Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Natuurkunde and the NVOX, the professional journal of the Dutch Association for Education in the Natural Sciences. I have also organized and contributed to national conferences (landelijke practicumdag) and workshops focused on open education (NPulse / Surf), sharing insights and best practices with educators across the country. Next to that I am involved in teacher professionalization in various ways: I have organized trainings and workshops on Arduino in secondary physics education, python for teacher, teaching physics inquiry. Moreover, I am in the board of the Werkgroep Natuurkunde Didactiek (WND), the Dutch Physics Education organization that organizes a yearly professional development conference for ~600 physics teachers.

Internationaal:¶

Internationaal heb ik bijdragen geleverd aan conferenties GIREP, AAPT, en CDIO en middels artikelen in AAPT’s The Physics Teacher en IoP’s Physics Education. Jupyter Book ...

Together with TU Delft colleague Peter Dekkers we published the interactive book Show the Physics as an open educational resource. This book is now used internationally to professionalize pre-service and inservice physics teachers.