Prof. A.W. Lazonder (Ard)

Ard Lazonder studied Instructional Design at the University of Twente and received his PhD from this university in 1994. Once graduated, he did empirical research on learning processes and instructional methods, often in the context of projects funded by NWO or the EC, and was involved in the research and development of several technology-enhanced inquiry learning environments. Ard’s chair has a core focus on adaptive instruction in elementary education. Members of his group study the issue of adaptivity in various school subjects and from different perspectives. Ard’s personal interest in this area involves scientific reasoning and early science instruction. One line of investigation aims to capture the developmental trajectory of scientific reasoning processes such as making predictions, designing experiments, and making inferences, through longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. A related line of research focuses on the effectiveness of different types of guidance to optimize inquiry-based teaching and learning. Ard has recently started to explore whether and how this guidance can be made adaptive to the childrens’ cognitive characteristics, learning activities, and task progress. ICT could play a prominent role here as it could help teachers to effectively differentiate their instructions.