Stephan Venmans is a Ph.D. Candidate at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE) of the University of Amsterdam.

Stephan researches the educational implications of controversy on Critical Thinking skills in adolescents. He develops a testing measure and curricular intervention surrounding critical thinking skills on controversial subjects that touch on the Dutch history curriculum. His project’s aim is not only to make it easier for teachers to teach about controversies and to make controversies pedagogically meaningful and didactically rewarding avenues of learning for students.

Outreach

Stephan’s project is open to participation by teachers who teach subjects in third-year’s secondary school (3de Klas) and other experts in cocreating the abovementioned curricular intervention. Feel free to reach out through LinkedIn or email (S.Venmans@UvA.nl ) if you are interested.

About

Stephan studied History at Utrecht University (BA 2018, GPA 8.33 cum laude; and RMA 2020, GPA 8.27) specializing in the modern perceptions of historical Islamic identity. He obtained First-Degree Teaching Qualification in Human and Social Sciences (WTP) at ICLON, Leiden University (MA 2021, GPA 9.0, cum laude).

Expertise and research fields

• Critical Thinking
• Controversy
• Sensitive History
• Social Memory
• Perceptions on Islam

Research Institute: https://cde.uva.nl/

Research methods

• Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research
• Hermeneutics

Current research projects

Teaching critical thinking about controversial issues: the potential of an integrative approach: Interlinked research project funded by NRO. Senior researchers: Carla van Boxtel, Geerte Savenije, Tessa van Schijndel, Jaap Schuitema. PhD students Saskia Arbon and Stephan Venmans