Michiel Dam is an assistant professor at ICLON Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching.

More information about Michiel Dam

Michiel Dam is an assistant professor at ICLON Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching, since 2017. In 2014 he received his PhD in STEM subject didactic research on the introduction of the concept-context approach for biology teachers in a dual track alongside teaching as a biology teacher in secondary education. Michiel then held two postdoctoral positions (Leiden University and the University of Amsterdam) in which he conducted mainly qualitative research on how teachers (in training) can activate and motivate students in a differentiated way in their daily teaching practice

His current focus is particularly on STEM subject didactic research, where, with the help of acquired grants and external funding, he conducts research on the central themes of teacher learning, teaching STEM subjects and the collaboration of teacher education and secondary schools.

Topics of his research:

• Domain-specific thinking and practices (subject perspectives) and how they can serve domain-specific reasoning in the STEM subjects, coherence in STEM education and learning progressions in the STEM subjects (e.g., how students can learn to think from big ideas in biology across grade levels, starting from entry in primary education and up to the end of secondary education);
• Effective ways to teach difficult content in the STEM domain (e.g., cellular respiration, fieldwork, controversial and/or sensitive topics);
• Effective, practical ways in which innovations in STEM subjects can be introduced in education;
• Hopeful climate education and how to activate young people as engaged problem solvers;
• How to link practice-based research in schools and the research being done in teacher education programs.

He is currently supervising three doctoral students in their research.

Activities