Nadja Sörgärde is an engineer who became interested in leadership and organisation while studying for her Master's in technology management. Today she is a senior lecturer in business management.
"Sometimes I wonder, why didn't I realise earlier that this is what I wanted to do?"
LUM meets Nadja Sörgärde in her office, where lush green plants and books surround her. However, this is not where she spends the majority of her time. If she is not in a classroom, she is leading group training, tending her garden or spending time with her family. The teaching role comes naturally to her and it is with this confidence she is able to open her teaching up to student contributions.
"I like to have dialogue. The students are my co-producers and I am convinced they want to learn. However, if you ask for opinions you cannot be scared of what is then revealed."
Earlier in the day, she participated as course director in an essay seminar. The students discuss each other’s texts, examining different approaches. They have brought cheese, sandwiches and cake with them to celebrate that it is the last time they will meet. Nadja Sörgärde listens, contributes with different perspectives and asks follow-up questions.
"It is fun to follow them for the whole semester. I can see how they have developed since the first day of the course, how they freely use different terms we have discussed. This is a clear sign that the students have learnt things."
"I am driven by more students being heard and getting involved in the classes. In interaction with others, students are challenged to reflect and discuss which means that the learning is raised to another level."
Nadja Sörgärde likes experimenting with different pedagogical approaches such as the 'flipped classroom'. The teaching is built on students reading independently, with online lectures, quizzes and self-study questions as support. They then discuss these with fellow students and the teacher during class time to take the argument further and increase understanding. The teacher acts as the leader in the process.
"It Is high-tempo, but it works. One of the best ways to learn is when you can share and explain to others what you have learnt. This is something I encourage from day one."
At the core of Nadja Sörgärde's view on teaching are words such as dialogue, engagement and development.
"'Good' is an evaluation that does not provide very much. I would like to know what is good – or bad. I try to understand what the problem is. I do not want to give the students an easier book or easier tasks, I would rather think about how I can provide the conditions they need to better understand. It is about finding their drive and engagement. Only then can learning really take place."