Educating for equity: towards an integrated curriculum in a (primary) teacher education program

Authors: Esther Keun (Esther.keun@han.nl) and Linda Nienhaus (linda.nienhaus@han.nl)

Affiliation: HAN University of Applied Sciences

 

Equity in education is a central focus in the HAN Primary Teacher Education Programme (PTE). This commitment is embedded throughout the curriculum in a longitudinal learning trajectory that prepares prospective teachers to actively promote equitable learning opportunities for all pupils. The curriculum is structured around two main developmental strands.

1. Developing teacher agency for educational equity
2. Building an evidence informed pedagogical and subject specific repertoire that fosters equity

 

1. Developing teacher agency for educational equity

Throughout the four year programme, students build the capacity to recognize, reflect on, and act upon issues of inequality. In the first year, they explore their own educational pathways and examine how (in)equality manifests in schools and society. In the second and third year, they learn to identify disparities within their internship classrooms and investigate alternative courses of action to address these. In the fourth year, students broaden their perspective to the level of the whole school team, practicing collaborative reflection on instructional decisions and their impact on equity.

 

2. Building an evidence informed pedagogical and subject specific repertoire that fosters equity

The second strand focuses on developing teaching practices that enhance equitable learning outcomes. The programme adopts an evidence informed approach, drawing on guidelines such as the Dutch National Research Council (NRO) frameworks for differentiation (https://www.onderwijskennis.nl/kennisbank/leidraad-differentiatie-als-sleutel-voor-gelijke-kansen) and maintaining high expectations (https://www.onderwijskennis.nl/kennisbank/leidraad-onderwijs-vanuit-hoge-verwachtingen). Students learn, among other things, how to differentiate effectively, how to communicate high expectations, and how to recognize and respond to pedagogically meaningful moments.

 

Together, these two strands form a coherent learning pathway that equips future primary teachers with both the mindset and the instructional toolkit needed to foster equitable opportunities for all learners.

If you want to know more about the curriculum, specific courses or have questions about the design process please contact the authors.