Süleyman Turşucu studied physics at Leiden University, after which he obtained his teaching qualification at Utrecht University. He has been serving as a senior physics teacher for a considerable period of time. In addition to his teaching role, he earned his doctoral degree in 2019 from Delft University of Technology, focusing on improving the application of mathematics in physics in senior pre-university education.

Currently, he is employed as a physics teacher at Wolfert Bilingual in Rotterdam. Furthermore, he holds positions as a teaching methodologist in physics and as a researcher in science education at the University of Amsterdam.

Although his doctoral degree is at the intersection of mathematics and physics in secondary education, he has become increasingly interested in citizenship education in upper secondary education. Specifically, the focus lies on enhancing the refutation of false information on social media through reasoned argumentation. In addition to knowledge and skills from the curriculum, critical thinking and the formulation of reasoned arguments play a significant role.

Research expertise

• Critical thinking
• Citizenship education
• Digital literacy
• False information in social media
• Pedagogical content knowledge
• Students' problem solving
• Symbol sense
• Secondary education
• Teachers' beliefs
• Transfer of learning

Research methods

• Various qualitative and quantitative research methods

Current research methods

Currently, a book titled 'Dealing with Misinformation in Social Media: Lesson Ideas for the Classroom' is being edited under his supervision. This project involves the contribution of 20 authors.

Research grants & honours

• Teacher Promotion Grant from The Dutch Research Council (2014 - 2019)

RPA

An interdisciplinary collaboration dedicated to advancing citizenship education in the upper levels of havo and vwo. This initiative aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate a changing society. Specifically, the emphasis is on countering misinformation in social media through a well-informed argument. This argument draws upon insights from the curriculum, empowering students to construct structured arguments. This not only involves cultivating argumentative and digital skills but also underscores the role of critical thinking in analyzing information contextually and assessing its accuracy. Additionally, the initiative seeks to enhance teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, contributing to a comprehensive approach that empowers students and elevates the capabilities of teachers in promoting responsible and informed citizenship.

As a teaching methodologist in physics, I am engaged in training students to become physics teachers. I teach courses to students in the Bachelor's and Master's programs in physics. The subjects covered include Pedagogical Content Knowledge 1 (Vakdidactiek 1), Pedagogical Content Knowledge 2 (Vakdidactiek 2), and the supervision of master's theses within the scope of the course Educational Design.