Education through Inspiration and Innovation
As a teacher I believe that teaching is the sum of content knowledge, skills and inspiration. The latter is essential as without passionately inspiring students the desire to learn may pass them by. I further believe that truly inspiring students requires designing and implementing innovations to keep students engaged in learning.
Researcher
I research digital approaches facilitating flexible learning, self-directedness, self-regulation and autonomy. As such, I have developed an educational model that teachers can use to foster students into learning engagement. Having been an adult-learner myself, juggling a full-time career with family and education, I understand the importance of a flexible approach to quality education. A flexible approach to autonomous learning is leveraged by employing digital innovations, such as a blended or distant learning approach, as well as utilising VR and AR opportunities to learn skills outside of the classroom. In present education the focus is on leveraging students’ self-regulated learning through formative assessment by seeking interactive feedback, yet little attention is paid to providing quality feedback. As a teacher-trainer at a teacher-trainer college, I believe it is essential that quality feedback is trained in order for students to facilitate self-regulated learning in their students.
Presenter
As a teacher and innovator I naturally present those topics I am passionate about and innovate to inspire students. Topics include literature, formative assessment, professional development, global citizenship, and cultural diversity. It furthermore implies that I am used to presenting to larger groups. As an innovator presenting to groups I have won prizes for presentations, keynotes and workshops (see prizes).
Educator
I have experience teaching upper levels in Secondary School, as well as Bachelor and Master levels at the HU University. As a teacher at a teacher- trainer college, I particularly like teaching students how to teach theirs, and inspiring students how to inspire theirs. Through my students I feel I can make a contribution to the future generation, not just in terms of subject content, but also in terms of perspective-taking, and open-mindedness in general.
With her background as a driven researcher, Nanda knows better than anyone how to bridge the gap between theory and practice. She has a unique ability to grasp complex material and present it in a clear and engaging way. Nanda captivates her audience through a blend of intellectual depth and personal storytelling. Her presentations are laced with humor, making even the most intricate topics accessible and easy to understand. With her practical perspective, she translates theory into the everyday experience of her listeners, ensuring the message truly resonates. Nanda’s approach leaves her audience not only informed but inspired. She engages people and gets them thinking, making sure her message lingers long after the presentation ends.
Josien Boetje, educator-researcher, Research Unit Digital Ethics, Hogeschool Utrecht
Nanda is an experienced senior researcher in the fields of educational science, technology, and ethics. She regularly publishes in leading academic journals within these domains. At the same time, she is skilled at conducting research within complex professional contexts and is an expert in connecting research, education, and professional practice.
Stan van Ginkel, Lector, Research Unit Digital Ethics, Hogeschool Utrecht
It was a pleasure to supervise Nanda van der Stap as co-supervisor during her PhD programme. She was independent, conscientious, lightning fast, proactive, and sharp, which meant that my role was mainly to confirm that she was on the right track. In her dissertation, Nanda not only added valuable scientific knowledge about tailoring blended and online learning environments to the needs of adult learners, but she also made a clear impact on educational practice.
Dr Theo van den Bogaart, educator-researcher, Research Unit Math Didactics