Dr. Anneke Smits, professor

Dr. Anneke Smits is a professor at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences and heads the academic group of Educational Innovation and ICT.  Anneke specializes in applied research that explores educational innovations, including those that involve educational technologies and their practical implementation in learning environments.

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Research focus

In her research, Anneke focuses on educational innovations that lead to sustainable and meaningful learning. This requires a process of constant fine-tuning educational innovations to optimize learning opportunities for all students. Her research puts special emphasis on situations where opportunities are at risk, such as low self-control, low levels of education of the parents, poverty, low prior knowledge and disabilities and impairments.
Anneke studies, for example, how to develop digital literacy and digital agency in students and teachers. She also studies the effects of educational technologies on teacher agency and student learning in classrooms. As reading comprehension skills are closely related to digital literacy and digital agency, she also designs and studies reading interventions. She shares insights on digital literacy, teaching and digital literacy on her (Dutch) blogs. She collaborates with international partners in research and publications (see https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anneke-Smits(opens in new tab)). 

Education

Anneke Smits studied speech therapy/speech-language therapy at the Katholieke Vlaamse Hogeschool (now Thomas More University of Applied Sciences) in Antwerp.
In 2012 Anneke earned her PhD at the University of Twente on the topic Design and Implementation of the Master's Program in Special Educational Needs through E-Learning.

Professorship of Educational Innovation and ICT

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