Professionalisation Needs in Education (Antwerp)
Title: Professionalisation Needs in Education – Field Survey June 2023
Institutions: KdG (Future-Driven Education Research) & AP University College (LEERT!)
Purpose:
This mixed-method study (n=990) maps the professionalisation needs of current and future education professionals through surveys and focus groups.
Key Findings:
Main needs identified:
Addressing individual student learning needs
Student wellbeing
Fostering self-regulation and autonomy
Support for implementing new curricula and standards
Group-specific highlights:
Students: classroom management, diversity, poverty, communication
LIOs (teacher interns): assessment, student autonomy
Teachers: differentiation, evaluation, curriculum updates
School leaders: feedback, coaching, digital tools
Care coordinators: language acquisition (Dutch as second language), evaluation
By education level:
Secondary: strong need for curriculum support
Primary: strong need for differentiation and student autonomy
Kindergarten: emphasis on observation and connected school climate
By experience:
Novice staff face more diverse needs
Senior staff express more need around digitalisation and feedback skills
Perspective on Professional Learning:
High motivation, but obstacles include time, fragmented offers, and cost.
Strong interest in practice-oriented formats, team-based learning, and embedded school collaboration.
Follow-up actions:
AP, KdG and UAntwerpen align their research and professional development offerings (e.g., via KdG Academy, CNO, LEERT!) with the identified field needs.
Plans include an annual advisory board and a tool to consolidate professionalisation and research offerings.
Results
The findings revealed clear priorities, including: supporting individual student needs, student wellbeing, fostering self-regulation, and navigating new curriculum standards. These needs differed by professional role, education level, and years of experience.
Three key outputs emerged from this research:
The full report, offering evidence-based insights to guide school leaders, teacher trainers, and policymakers.
An online catalogue of research and professional development initiatives by KdG, AP, and UAntwerp – hosted on the AUHA platform – mapped to the identified needs.
A podcast episode in the Buiten de Krijtlijnen series, where researchers and practitioners discuss the findings and their implications for daily practice.
