dr. B. (Bettina) van Hoven

Teaching mission and approach

My research and teaching styles have been impacted by critical and feminist geography, and show many features that characterize interdisciplinary ways of working. As a result, my teaching philosophy comprises the following beliefs:

- Students understand the meaning and relevance of theories best in an applied and experiential way.

- Students should be encouraged to step outside their comfort zone in learning and learn from mistakes. As an educator, my role is to facilitate this, help students make connections with learning content and guide them in issues of academic and social integrity, accountability, innovation and inclusion.

- Students need to understand the importance of communicating knowledge produced within academia to a broader public, and be creative in ways to achieve this. They should be encouraged to use their work to bring about social change.

- Students benefit from seeing educators who are passionate about their work.

Collaborations, methodological innovations, engaging audiences

In order to achieve my teaching goals, I seek out opportunities of learning and collaborating myself in order to gain new insights and skills, and enrich my teaching. In 2007, for example, returning to my academic roots in Biology, I co- produced, with students of Cultural Geography, the documentary "A Forest for the Future“. Through this hands-on experience with film making and the attended training, I was able to innovate the Faculty of Spatial Sciences’ qualitative methods course and include video making as a qualitative research method.

I gained experience in working with artists within the AHRC and NWO funded network 'Between the Tides "(see https://tidalcultures.wordpress.com/ ) (2012-14). My involvement in the network had a significant impact on my development as a teacher since it resulted in a collaboration with photographer dr. Andrea Stultiens at Minerva Art Academy, and a care provider in the context of a shared course. In this collaboration, rather than writing an essay alone, students co-developed a photographic exhibition which generated discussion with new audiences about their work.

Stimulating student talent

I have a passion for bringing to light student research that addresses important social geographical issues. I do so by co-authoring articles based on student research in professional and international, peer-reviewed journals. In addition, when an opportunity arose, I founded the Herta Macht Dissertation Prize in 2005 to recognize and stimulate talented young student researchers.