praktijkdrijver

Praktijkdrijver is a concept in Dutch-language discussions of professional practice and practice-based learning. The term blends praktijk (practice) with drijver (driver), literally “practice driver.” It denotes the set of factors that push or nudge professional work toward particular ways of acting and developing expertise.

Contexts where it is discussed include healthcare, education, engineering, and social services, where practitioners continuously translate theoretical knowledge into concrete actions and adapt to real-world constraints.

Core components of the praktijkdrijver concept include organizational context, available resources, time pressure, client or patient needs, normative expectations, professional identity, and feedback loops. These elements interact to shape decisions, routines, and the evolution of competencies in daily practice.

Applications of the concept appear in curriculum design, professional development, and organizational improvement. By identifying and analyzing the drivers of practice, educators and managers aim to better align theoretical learning with actual work, support reflective practice, and remove barriers to applying knowledge in real settings.

Critiques note that treating practice as driven by discrete factors can oversimplify complex, emergent, and relational aspects of professional work. Proponents, however, argue that the notion helps illuminate how theory, policy, and context collectively steer everyday practice.

See also: practice-based learning, bridging theory and practice, professional development.