As an assistant professor in the research group 'Domain Specific Learning' of the Research Institute of Child Development and Education at the University of Amsterdam, I conduct research in the learning and teaching of history in secondary education. My key interests are: controversy and sensitive historical topics, the skill of historical perspective taking and learning history in museums and heritage institutions.

Next to my research activities, I work as a teacher trainer at the Graduate School of Child Development and Education (ILO) at the University of Amsterdam. Together with Maartje van der Eem, I coordinate the UvA/VU history teachers network, where we are organising meetings, museum visits and lectures.

Media appearances

2024

• Podcast about discussing controversy in the classroom (Dutch)
• NPO article about my research (Dutch)
• Folia Interview ‘Hoe maak je gevoelige onderwerpen bespreekbaar in de geschiedenisles?’ (May 27th) (Dutch)

2023

• FMG news 'From rainbow stairs to guest speakers: how do you discuss sensitive topics in class?' (September 26th)

2020

• Interview Kennisplatform Integratie en Samenleving: ‘Gevoelige kwesties en complottheorieën: hoe reageer je daarop in de klas? (Text: Marnix de Bruyne) 
• FMG news: ‘Historisch besef in onderwijs’ (July 6th) (Dutch)

Projects

’Perspectives on the future’: developing social studies teacher-educators’ pedagogical knowledge for stimulating ethical reasoning and moral judgment in classroom dialogues

• Gerhard Stoel (project leader), Geerte Savenije, Floor Rombout and Paulien Meijer

In this design-based research, fifteen social studies teacher-educators from five universities join a Design lab to develop Educational Curriculum Materials (ECM’s) and pedagogical knowledge to support future teachers and students in secondary education in conducting classroom dialogues aimed at integrating these skills. 

Teaching critical thinking about controversial issues: the potential of an integrative approach 

• Stephan Venmans (PhD student), Saskia Arbon (PhD student), Jaap Schuitema, Tessa van Schijndel, Geerte Savenije and Carla van Boxtel (project leader)

This project aims to develop and test an integrative approach towards the teaching of critical thinking about controversial issues (integrating general critical thinking skills, subject-specific skills and knowledge and moral reasoning skills) in history and science education. 

Historical narratives and sensitive histories in Dutch history classrooms 

• Gijs van Gaans (PhD student), Geerte Savenije, Arnoud-Jan Bijsterveld and Carla van Boxtel 

Using a method used in spiritual counselling, this study examines the narrative plots students (fourth year of secondary education) and teachers use to bring these together into meaningful narratives to orient themselves in their current world and to their future when discussing sensitive histories.

Reasoning about societal problems: design and implementation of instructional approaches in social science education 

• Thomas Klijnstra (PhD student), Geerte Savenije and Carla van Boxtel 

This project focuses on the design and implementation of (educative) curriculum materials that support both student and teacher learning to promote social scientific reasoning about social problems.

Stimulating empathy in history education 

• Hanneke Bartelds (PhD student), Geerte Savenije and Carla van Boxtel 

Using eye witnesses in the classroom, this project focuses on the contribution of history education to students' understanding and appreciation of empathy. 

Dialogic teaching of sensitive historical topics 

• Bregje Prent, Jannet van Drie, Geerte Savenije and Carla van Boxtel

This project studies teachers' dialogic teaching about sensitive historical topics, focusing on their discussion of multiple perspectives and the ethical dimension of the topics. 

Objects in perspective: using questions in museums to start discussion about sensitive topics in the history classroom 

• Pieter de Bruijn, Geerte Savenije, Albert Logtenberg, Guido Goijens and Timo Epping

This project developed a domain-specific teacher-training that focuses on the asking of historical questions to museum objects in three dimensions of time to show that the ways in which topics are considered to be sensitive changes over time and context.

ISCH Cost Action IS1205 researchers network ‘Social psychological dynamics of historical representations in the enlarged European Union’

Within this COST Action network we studied history teachers' perceptions of and experiences with the teaching of sensitive historical topics in 10 countries across Europe.

RPA

• Polarisation

Project: Adapting the Bovenland paradigm for adolescents and to use as a pedagogical tool’ (together with Thomas Klijnstra and Allard Feddes)

MA

• Keuzemodule Democratie, acutaliteit en controverse in de klas. Hoe elke vakdocent bijdraagt aan burgerschap
• Pedagogiek en Algemene Didactiek A 
• Pedagogiek en Algemene Didactiek B
• Educatief Ontwerpen
• Master thesis tweejarige master Educatie en Communicatie 
• Onderwijspraktijk B 
• Onderwijspraktijk C

PhD supervision

• Thomas Klijnstra
• Gijs van Gaans
• Stephan Venmans
• Saskia Arbon

Begeleidingscommissie (België)

• Brent Geerts