Measuring the educational impact of CrossWise
How does collaboration between different educational levels work in practice? Within CrossWise, students from vocational (MBO), applied sciences (HBO), and research universities (WO) collaborate with professionals on real projects, internships, and research assignments. This hybrid learning environment connects education with practice and gives students the opportunity to learn in a setting that truly matters. During the Career Minor at the University of Groningen, Rosa van den Hoeven, Nora Kristiansen, Jasmine Radu, and Mariske Terpstra investigated the educational value of CrossWise. How does collaboration between different educational levels contribute to student learning? And how can this impact be measured?
Research design
The students chose an approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research: they interviewed professionals involved, observed projects and classes, and developed surveys for both students and professional partners.
Collaboration between different levels
MBO students often bring practical knowledge and strong execution skills. HBO students tend to take on more organizational or conceptual roles. WO students contribute more analytically, although their role within CrossWise is still developing. The students observed that collaboration does not always run smoothly. Differences in schedules, learning objectives, and educational structures can make alignment challenging. However, when projects are designed with shared goals and clearly defined roles for all participants, this collaboration leads to valuable learning experiences.
CrossWise offers a learning environment that fundamentally differs from traditional education. Students work on real assignments, take responsibility, and receive direct feedback from professionals. Clients also report that working with students provides a fresh perspective. Together, this increases student engagement, motivation, and self-confidence. At the same time, it encourages professionals to reflect on their own practices and gain new insights.
Recommendations
According to the students, the impact of CrossWise is clearly present. Therefore, the focus should be on strengthening what already works and making the impact more visible and transferable. The students developed two evaluation tools: a survey for students and one for professional partners. They recommend structurally integrating the role of WO students to ensure their continued participation in the future. In addition, they advise incorporating reflection moments, interviews, and observations into projects on a regular basis, so that development and collaboration can be better monitored. This study shows that collaboration can truly lead to meaningful results and impact.