RELEVANCE OF EXPERTS-BY-EXPERIENCE FOR TEACHING AT UNIVERSITIES OF APPLIED SCIENCES
VIEWS OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH CARE SENIOR LECTURERS
Keywords:
University of Applied Sciences, Dialogue, Expert-by-Experience, TeachingAbstract
Participation of experts-by-experience in teaching at Universities of Applied Sciences is quite common but not systematic. Previous research concerning the subject is scarce. This qualitative study aimed to investigate lecturers’ views on the meanings of the participation of experts-by-experience in teaching at Universities of Applied Sciences and to interpret these meanings from the perspective of dialogue. The theoretical framework of the study consisted of the social-pedagogical concept of dialogue. The data was collected through three focus group interviews involving a total of 12 social and healthcare senior lecturers working in one University of Applied Sciences. The data was analyzed using content analysis.
According to the views of the lecturers, the participation of experts-by-experience in teaching at Universities of Applied Science had both personal and pedagogical meanings. Personal meanings of participation were identified for students, teachers, and the experts-by-experience themselves. Pedagogical meanings of participation were, according to the interviewees, from both the student’s perspective on learning and the teacher’s perspective on teaching. The results of the study indicate that the participation of experts-by experience in social and healthcare education is significant for the substantive competence of future professionals as well as for their ethical competence. It provides opportunities to strengthen dialogical I Thou relationships, enhance understanding of phenomena, others, and oneself, and develop skills needed in the workplace for collaborating with experts-by-experience.
