'Teaching is about understanding how learning happens'

'For me, it is crucial to understand how learning takes place. In the classroom, we should work together to progress from ignorance to knowledge. The activities I plan are not important in themselves; they only become meaningful when they support learning. What happens in the students' minds is what is really interesting,' says Jeanette Hauff, a senior lecturer and Excellent Teacher in the Department of Business Administration.

She teaches on the Master's programme in Marketing and Consumption and is also responsible for the Graduate School, which oversees the School of Business, Economics and Law's nine Master's programmes. 

'One of the happiest moments I experience as a teacher is when I hear students talking to each other using vocabulary that I know they didn't have before the course. It means they have integrated what I have taught them,' she says. 

High demands on educators

Jeanette emphasises that teachers must constantly consider how the university can remain relevant to students. One way to achieve this is to establish contacts or gain experience outside academia.

'We take several years of young people’s lives, and that is a huge responsibility. We need to verify that the theories we teach are useful, providing students with concrete tools. The labour market is changing rapidly and significantly, which places enormous demands on us as educators. We need to have an ongoing discussion about what is relevant and take a critical approach to our own work.'

Psychological factors at play

Jeanette has many years of experience in portfolio and risk management, as well as leadership. While serving as CEO of a fund company, she reflected on the fact that many economists, herself included, rarely considered the psychological factors influencing people's savings and investment decisions. 

Wanting to understand and describe how individuals deal with complex services such as financial savings, she began her research in 2001. She continued to work in the financial industry at the same time, until 2015, and she still sits on a few company boards.

Today, her teaching style is characterised by a constant focus on how learning should take place. 

Instructive application process

In 2021, Jeanette was recognised as Excellent Teacher as part of the university's initiative to highlight teachers who excel in their profession and inspire their colleagues. Applying to become an excellent teacher taught her many lessons. She encourages others to take the opportunity. 

'Learning doesn't just happen automatically when you become a teacher, nor is it entirely clear during teaching courses. They provide good support, but it is only when you have to put everything together yourself that you really learn. When I wrote my application, I had to define and articulate my teaching method,' she says.

Development through collaboration

Being an excellent teacher means constantly developing and sharing your experiences. Jeanette works closely with her colleague, Jonas Nilsson, who is also an excellent teacher. They motivate and encourage each other to grow professionally.

'It's hard not to develop when there are two of you; something happens in the dynamic,' she says.

Together, they ensure that learning is continuous and not just exam-focused. To this end, they have introduced 'mini-exams', which students complete in writing over the course of about an hour.

'Learning takes place in different stages. First, the students read the literature in the current module. Then, they attend a lecture where Jonas or I talk about it, often interacting with the students. Next, they talk to each other in seminars. Finally, they write what we call progression exams to demonstrate what they have learned.'

How has your teaching changed over time?

'When I first started teaching, I was very self-centred — and with good reason, as I wanted to produce good results. As a teacher, you are often very knowledgeable about your subject and want that to come across. Now, however, I have shifted my focus to the learning that takes place. The most important thing is what the students take away with them, so I am more receptive to how my students receive what I say. I go beyond the role of presenter, asking simple questions such as "Are you with me on this?" and "What do you think?''.' 

Asking spontaneous questions is also an effective way to engage a large group, where it can be difficult to build personal relationships with students.

If you could give future students one piece of advice, what would it be?

'Devoting yourself to something you are genuinely interested in makes everything in life so much easier! Having a passion for something gives you a huge advantage! This is often overlooked; many people believe that rational knowledge alone is enough. So my advice would be to really immerse yourself in a subject. Commitment and interest are crucial to achieving real success in the job market.'