Teacher of the Year Election 2023

This election is organizzed in collaboration with Student Party SAM. The winning teacher is then nominated for the national Teacher of the Year election, which is hosted by the ISO (Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg). 

Nominees

The nominees per School were:

• TiSEM
• TSB
• TLS
• TSHD
• TST

TiSEM: Hannes Datta

Hannes Datta teaches courses on Data Preparation & Workflow Management and on Online Data Collection & management. He developed innovative teaching methods to engage students in courses by using interactive games and group projects. Hannes often uses real-world examples to help students understand theoretical concepts. Besides that, he also has a whole website, called Thesis companion, dedicated to help students write their thesis. Lastly, he values diversity and inclusion in research and education and mentions this to his students already on the landing page of Canvas of the courses he teaches.

TSB: Max van der Heijden

Max van der Heijden teaches, among other things, the course Philosophy of Science (Social Sciences). Max uses topics that are currently relevant in his lectures which makes it relevant and interesting to his student. An example of this is his use of celebrities such as Donald Trump and Roy Donders to explain the concept of induction. Furthermore, Max creates videos about difficult topics for students to be able to watch on their own pace. He also gives a summary at the end of each lecture. Lastly, interaction is an important element in his teaching style. This, combined with his sense of humour, makes him a very approachable person and teacher.

TLS: Dorien Velthuis

Dorien Velthuis teaches the courses Criminal Procedure, and Introduction to Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. During the last year, Dorien redesigned the course Introduction to Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. She managed to make the course much more interactive by introducing different kinds of working methods, such as presenting, roleplaying, and practicing exam questions. These methods ensure that the subject comes to life, making it easier for students to get a grasp on the material. Furthermore, Dorien has developed knowledge clips and is still busy doing so with the goal to explain difficult cases from criminal law clearly, but most importantly vividly, to students. Dorien knows how to enthuse students for the subject with her proactive and innovative attitude.

TSHD: Nathan Wildman

Nathan Wildman teaches the courses Philosophy of Language, Logic, and Introduction to Logic. Students think of him as someone who teaches with great enthusiasm and who not only makes them understand, but also engage with the material. Furthermore, students ascribe Nathan the ability to keep the lecture very light by creating a sense of community, but still very productive. 

TST: Anke Liefbroer

Anke Liefbroer teaches the courses Sociology & Psychology of Religion, and Pastoral Care & Psychopathology. She also helped setting up and coordinating the master’s programme ‘Geestelijke verzorging’. Her lectures are a perfect balance between research findings and experiences from the field. Furthermore, Anke’s teaching methods are activating, and socially relevant. She makes sure the needs of her students are met by including topics that are relevant to them.

Voting: how does it work?

Every year, the Teacher of the Year Election chooses the best teacher of Tilburg University. This teacher is then nominated for the national Teacher of the Year election, which is organised by the ISO. Each student can cast one vote. The lecturers are evaluated on the following criteria:

• The teacher has passion for his or her subject and knows how to convey the social added value of the subject to students.
• The teacher uses activating didactics by means of sufficient interaction and feedback and is able to connect to the student's world of experience.
• The teacher strives to continue professionalising and developing himself/herself.
• Despite the changing circumstances caused by the corona crisis, the teacher is able to provide high-quality education and keep the students involved.

Keep these criteria in mind when casting your vote! Ultimately, the Teacher of the Year is chosen by the votes of the students (50%) and the votes of the jury (50%).