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 (https://alfagammapartners.nl/geschiedenis/) organising meetings, museum visits and lectures.

Listen to a short interview about my research at: https://www.nporadio1.nl/fragmenten/de-nacht-van/9bd61bc4-3412-415a-827a-a659e837192e/2024-04-18-slavernij-gaza-en-de-nsb-hoe-ga-je-in-de-geschiedenisles-om-met-gevoelige-onderwerpen

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

Teacher-educators in social studies didactics lack pedagogical knowledge to connect subject-specific knowledge and skills with (generic) citizenship goals, including moral-ethical reasoning about value-laden issues. In this design-based research, fifteen social studies teacher-educators from five universities 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. A PhD (at the Radboud Docenten Academie) investigates the design and implementation of the materials, and the dialogic practices in secondary education, as well as in teacher-education. A Postdoc (at the UvA) investigates the professional development of the teacher-educators involved in the Design Lab.

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 aim 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 two projects, in science and history education, we develop an instrument to measure students’ understanding of the role of evidence and values in different types of controversies and investigate to what extent secondary students demonstrate this understanding. In addition, we investigate the effects of the integrated approach on students’ understanding of the role of evidence and values in different types of controversies, their critical thinking about specific controversial issues, general critical thinking skills, moral reasoning skills and use of subject-specific knowledge.

Historical narratives and sensitive histories in Dutch history classrooms 

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

This research aims to gain insight in the ways multiple historical narratives play a role in the history classroom when discussing sensitive topics. The study explores which historical events, actors and phenomena students from diverse backgrounds and their teachers (fourth year of the Dutch secondary education (HAVO 4)) deem most significant. Using the LISA method, a method used in spiritual counselling (Kruizinga 2015), we study the narrative plots they use to bring these together into meaningful narratives and how they employ their narratives to orient themselves in their current world and to their future. In a full year observation study, we examine how the different narratives present in the classroom interact 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. The first study alyzes the quality of students' reasoning to identify frequently occurring flaws and define levels of reasoning. Rubrics are constructed to help both teachers and students better understand the reasoning skills that are aimed at. The second study is conducted at two schools to design and test materials and activities that promote students' reasoning. In the third study, the materials and activities will be used in a professional development program (PDP) for social science teachers to investigate to what extent the educative curriculum materials contribute to teachers’ professional growth related to the teaching of social scientific reasoning.  

Stimulating empathy in history education 

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

This project focuses on the contribution of history education to students' understanding and appreciation of empathy. The first study is an interview study to examine teahcers' and students' beliefs about historical empathy and genral empathy. Second, in an intervention study, the effect of inviting eye witnesses in the classroom will be compared to using documentary film. A third and fourth study examine the ways in which history teachers' supervise such lessons and how they can be professionalised in their supervision.  

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. It focuses in particular on their discussion of multiple perspectives and the ethical dimension of sensitive historical topics. This study examined teachers' and students' experiences of whole-class discussion about sensitive topics and the ways multiple perspectives and the ethical dimension are addressed during these conversations.   

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 aimed to strengthen teacher education with regard to teaching pre-service teachers to teach about sensitive topics. To add to existing general didactical approaches, we developed a domain specific training. The training 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’

The aim of the COST Action was to advance knowledge on the role played by social representations of history in processes of ethnic, national, and European identities construction and intergroup conflicts. It coordinated research on 1) the psychological antecedents of lay representations of history; 2) their content and structure; 3) their transmission through history textbooks and other media; and 4) their social psychological effects in shaping attitudes. Findings of a study on history teachers' perceptions of and experiences with the teaching of sensitive historical topics in 10 countries across Europe are now translated into a special issue. 

Academic Work Place 'Metacognition'

This community of teachers in secondary educations, teacher educators and researchers conducts practice-oriented research into enhancing students' metacognitive skills in secondary school. As one of the researchers I'm involved in a study to develop a questionnaire to test teachers' self-efficacy in teaching students to use metacognitive skills. 

Professional Learning Community (PLG) 'Thinking and reasoning in writing tasks in the domain of Human and Society'

In this community of teachers in secondary education, we developed teaching materials and approaches to improve pupils' reasoning skills and writing skills in history, social studies, economy and geography. I was involved as supervisor. The teaching materials and evaluations are presented in: Savenije, G.M. (Ed.) (2018). Denken en redeneren in schrijftaken bij de mens-en maatschappijvakken. Lesmateriaal ontwikkeld in een professionele leergemeenschap. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Landelijk Expertisecentrum Mens- en Maatschappijvakken.