Learning Sciences

Projects include:

• Learning individual

  Can education be organised in such a way that every learner is offered appropriate content and exercises? How can the teaching methodology be adapted to this? How are the dynamics of motivation, interest, and learning related? What role do higher-order cognitive processes and strategies play in domain-specific learning? Contact Maartje Raijmakers. 

• Acting teacher

  How can a teacher adopt effective strategies, and develop him/herself? Wat are good subject-specific pedagogies? We study that in the context of both primary and secondary education. In the latter, we have a focus on the teaching of computer programming, using the Hedy language Contact: Felienne Hermans, Hanna Westbroek, Jan Baan

• Learning in interaction

  How does group dynamics relate to individual learning? How can teachers use and promote interaction between pupils in order to achieve better learning? Does playing together and moving together have effects on learning?How can research-based play provide a fruitful context for learners.

  Contact: Marjolein Dobber, Anne De Bruijn

• Sustainable innovation in education

  How can we address pressing issues in improving education more effectively? We organize co-creation labs in which education professionals and researchers work together on specific themes to solve complex practical issues collaboratively using a common language. 

  Contact: dr. Ilja Cornelisz, Geertje van Bergen

• Reading

  Our focus is on the role of higher-order cognitive processes in language and reading comprehension, word problem solving and mathematics. We study how learners construct deep-level, meaning-based mental representations of the subject area they are studying, including work on situation models, mental imagery, embodied cognition and abstract reasoning. 

  Contact: dr. Menno van der Schoot, Martijn Meeter

• Success in higher education

  Student success in higher education is contingent upon the congruence between student attributes and program demands. Empirical evidence suggests that traditional mechanisms to assist in program selection lack predictive validity for academic retention and success. We seeks to enhance the accuracy of predicting study success, thereby informing institutional practices and policy and outcomes in higher education contexts. We also study how changes in motivation affect success in the first year of higher education.

  Contact: dr. Mariette Huizinga, Martijn Meeter