Multidisciplinary Institute for Teacher Education

Line of expertise 1. Urban Education in 'super-diverse' (global) city-regions

General

Despite its relatively small surface area and number of inhabitants, Brussels is a metropolis that is amongst the top cities in various different international rankings. As an economic and institutional centre, of course Brussels also faces the challenges that increasing globalisation, migration, urbanisation and ethnocultural diversity present. In fact, (much) more than half of its population are of non-Belgian origin. The central district has high levels of economic poverty and social disadvantage (34% of Brussels inhabitants are living under the at-risk-of-poverty rate). Approximately 28% of pupils in secondary education are academically at least two years behind, and 15 to 20% of young people leave school without any kind of secondary education diploma. Brussels is truly a city of paradoxes. And this is also the case with regard to the education it offers.

The MILO is rooted in this same incredibly diverse Brussels environment, but the focus of both our teaching and our research extends much further.  The expertise that we have built up in and about Brussels can be applied to the rest of Belgium, and at the same time, we want to be able to compare the specific situation in Brussels with that of other non-Belgian metropolitan areas.

Researchers

Researchers within line of expertise 1 – Urban Education in ‘super-diverse’ (global) city-regions:  

• Prof. Dr. Els Consuegra (interculturalism, diversity, inequality, teacher profiling, ...) 
• Prof. Dr. Wouter Cools (sports and stereotypes, including physical education)
• Prof. Dr. Gustaaf Cornelis (taboos, intersectionality) 
• Prof. Dr. Tom Kuppens (sustainability in education)
• Prof. Dr. Koen Pelleriaux (education policy/sociology)
• Prof. Dr. Inge Placklé (teacher profiling, employment-oriented education, the strength of the city as a place to learn)
• Dra. Jetske Strijbos (pupil photovoicing, citizenship education)
• Prof. Dr. Iris Stiers (citizen science, STEM)
• Prof. Dr. Jill Surmont (multilingualism, education policy)
• Prof. Dr. Joost Vaesen (lteacher profiling, outdoor learning, citizenship education, education policy)

Line of expertise 2. Professional development of teachers and teacher trainers (via practice-oriented research)

Researchers

Researchers within line of expertise 2 –  Professional development of teachers and teacher trainers:

• Prof. Dr. Nadine Engels (well-being, professionalisation, NN)
• Dr. Inge Bogaert (NN)
• Lic. Heidi Depraetere (NN)
• Prof. Dr. Gracienne Lauwers (education law)
• Prof. Dr. Inge Placklé (professionalisation of teacher trainers)
• Dra. Jetske Strijbos (well-being)
• Prof. Dr. Bart Windels (6E-model)
• Dr. Vicky Willegems (collaborative practice-oriented research with schools)

Line of expertise 3. Future Classroom 

General

The Future Classroom team consists of experts in the area of education technology, STEM, innovation in education and instruction design. Through this team of experts, we also have access to an important and extensive network of educational researchers, policy makers and practitioners from all over the world. The research team is focused on the integration of technology in education from an extremely broad perspective. Research topics vary from matters related to the integration of technology in the classroom, e.g. digital storytelling or online professional development, to broader subjects such as the issues associated with online and blended learning at both macro and school level. Future Classroom doesn’t just focus on digitale technologies: we also research those material environments where teachers, pupils, the quality and space of the physical classroom and teaching practices are all interconnected. 

This diversity is reflected in the large number of publications in SSCI and other relevant publications in the domain of education technology. Our research group is involved with a number of different international networks, attending respected international conferences and actively cooperating with research institutions all over the world. The research team comprises a number of senior and junior researchers, all of whom are working in areas related to the integration of (digital) technology and innovation in education.

Researchers

Researchers within line of expertise 3 – Future Classroom:

• Prof. Dr. Jo Tondeur (blended learning, NN)
• Prof. Dr. Wouter Cools (digital physical education teaching)
• Prof. Dr. Gustaaf Cornelis (environmental psychology)
• Drs. Bram Bruggeman (blended learning)
• Dra. Mary Ann Isaacs (digital storytelling)