On February 10, 2016, 1.30 PM, Petra Cremers will defend her PhD thesis, entitled ‘Designing hybrid learning configurations at the interface of school and workplace’.
The challenges we face in our knowledge society are increasingly complex. Addressing complex problems such as sustainability, energy, and healthy ageing often requires a collaborative effort by different parties. For this reason, knowledge institutions, businesses and other organisations are forming partnerships that aim to develop innovative solutions.
These partnerships have been called, for instance, ‘living labs’, ‘innovation labs’ or ‘hybrid learning configurations (HLC)’. Petra Cremers has investigated how HLCs should be designed so that they provide optimal support for students’ and professionals’ working and learning activities.
The research project, which was carried out at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, yielded seven design principles for HLCs. The design principles were applied in the development of practical tools such as a guidebook and a workshop for HLC design teams. In addition, five guidelines were devised that help students direct their own development, both in the context of the HLC and throughout their careers. Furthermore, Cremers suggests ways in which to enhance ‘cross-boundary’ learning by team members who bring their different disciplines and perspectives to bear in the collaboration.
The dissertation and the ‘Guidebook Innovation Labs’ can be ordered from p.h.m.cremers@pl.hanze.nl.
