Trainee lecturer: a driver of pedagogical development in higher education

Continuous improvement and pedagogical development have always been central to the Sports Coaching and Management (COACH) programme at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. From the very beginning, the programme has operated as a small, close-knit academic community of around 75 students supported by four full-time lecturers. This compact scale has given the programme a level of agility that larger degree programmes seldom have. It allows the team to react quickly to feedback, try out new teaching methods, and continuously refine the curriculum through open conversation and reflection.

In this environment, the introduction of the trainee lecturer position has become one of the programme’s most meaningful innovations. While the COACH programme provides the academic framework, the trainee lecturer role itself sits at the heart of this article. It offers a structured way to integrate student-informed insights into programme development, teaching practices, and research activities—essentially bridging the perspectives of learners and educators in a tangible, practical way.

Where teaching and the student voice meet

The idea behind appointing our first trainee lecturer was simple but meaningful: we wanted to strengthen our pedagogical practices and bring in a valuable student perspective. The COACH programme is built on a learner-centred approach, where students are seen not just as learners but as active contributors to their own growth. That’s why the trainee lecturer model fits so well with our philosophy. It invites experienced students to work alongside us in shaping both the programme and the way we teach.

This approach is inspired by the Students as Partners framework (Healey, Flint & Harrington 2016), which emphasises the value of co-creating education with students. It is also drawn from learner-centred teaching principles (Weimer 2002), that promote shared responsibility, deeper engagement, and learning that is strongly grounded in the context of real working life needs. Having the student voice at the centre of our development work, we keep the programme relevant, and ready for future challenges.

What makes the trainee lecturer role especially valuable is its dual purpose: the trainee both supports teaching and acts as a vital link to the wider student community. This gives us a rare, honest window into how our teaching is perceived and experienced. In many cases, the trainee also takes on a thesis project focused on critically examining and improving our pedagogical approach and programme. These collaborations have brought us a lot: individual courses have been modified, new teaching ideas have surfaced, and existing ones have been refined through careful reflection and dialogue.

Thanks to the insights brought by trainee lecturers, we have made concrete improvements to both course content and structure. We have developed more relevant, learner-centered materials and adapted our methods to better meet the needs of today’s students. The role also strengthens communication between staff and students, encourages a culture of feedback, and fosters a stronger and safer academic community. As noted by Bengtson et al. (2017), it is not just the programme that grows through this process—our staff also benefit from fresh perspectives and ongoing pedagogical renewal.

A particularly important part of the trainee lecturer’s contribution is helping us live out our ‘walk the talk’ principle. Working closely with our team, the trainee gains a deep understanding of our educational philosophy and the kind of learning culture we aim to create. With this inside view, they are in a great position to reflect critically on whether our everyday teaching practices and behaviors align with our stated values. This helps ensure consistency between what we say, what we teach, and how we act—reinforcing the credibility and integrity of the learning environment we’re building together.

The trainee lecturer’s perspective

As the trainee lecturer during the academic year 2024-2025 I experienced great engagement in the work of the COACH degree staff. My tasks ranged from development work, and planning courses as well as individual lectures, to the implementation of the courses. I was given the chance to teach classes on a weekly basis in cooperation with the main lecturers of the courses. Additionally, I assisted with the assessments of assignments and practical sessions. Throughout the year, I was involved full-time in five courses and fulfilled smaller tasks in various others.

Very few students are given the opportunity to see the classroom from the other side, while still completing their bachelor’s degree. My work was characterised by a great deal of autonomy, flexibility, and trust. I was treated as an equal member of the teaching staff. Hence, I was given the freedom to express and implement my own ideas, challenge the views of the other lecturers and carry responsibility for the success of the COACH programme. This combination made me excited to come to work every day. In parallel with teaching responsibilities, I contributed to the programme’s research and development work through a research-based bachelor’s thesis, further reinforcing the integration of teaching, research, and development.

I was able to contribute to the improvement of the COACH programme throughout my employment there. The freedom of my work allowed me to make many smaller and larger changes within different courses. I will observe the growth of the seeds I planted with great interest as I follow the future development of this degree programme. The students readily accepted me as part of the teaching staff and often preferred to consult with me, as they perceived not just a smaller age gap, but also power distance. Therefore, I often built bridges between students and senior lecturers.

As for my personal development, I could not have wished for a better place for an internship. During this year I learned more, academically and personally, than during the two previous years of ‘just studying’. Additionally, the year facilitated excellent networking, as I got to meet more education professionals inside and outside of Haaga-Helia, as well as strengthened the connection with the COACH degree staff members. To summarise, having this role of a trainee lecturer provides great benefits for both the employee and Haaga-Helia.

Concluding thoughts from the senior lecturers

The trainee lecturer model has proven to be an invaluable asset for the continuous development of the Sports Coaching and Management (COACH) programme at Haaga-Helia. One of the most significant contributions has been the increased capacity for engaging in research activities—something that staff previously lacked enthusiasm to fully pursue. Together with the trainee lecturer, we have initiated new research projects, gained new skills, and strengthened the academic reputation of our programme in coaching research and education.

This unique position exemplifies the principles of co-development in higher education. It is a true win-win model: the programme benefits from student-driven insight, critical reflection, and hands-on support in course delivery and planning, while the trainee gains rich, practical experience in teaching and academic work.

Based on our experience, we strongly recommend this model to other institutions. It is a meaningful and rewarding commitment that deepens learning, supports innovation, and strengthens the link between pedagogy and practice. We look forward to continuing this tradition and learning from each new voice that takes on this evolving role.

Picture: Haaga-Helia