Cindy L. Poortman

Cindy L. Poortman is an Associate Professor in the ELAN Teacher Development group at the University of Twente, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences. She is actively engaged in research and professional development initiatives focused on data-based decision making, assessment for learning, and sustainable educational innovation.

• Associate Professor, ELAN Teacher Development, University of Twente
• Research focus: teacher development, data use in schools, formative assessment, educational sustainability
• Active contributor to educational research with over 117 research outputs

Her research interests center on improving educational practices through evidence-based approaches. She investigates how teachers can effectively use assessment data to inform instruction, develop professional competencies, and sustain educational improvements. Her work emphasizes collaborative models such as teacher design teams and professional learning networks.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in educational innovation, particularly in challenge-based learning, data-driven decision making, and the sustainability of interventions. Her work bridges research and practice, often involving school-based collaborations and professional development programs.

• EAPRIL 2015 Best Research and Practice Project Award (Datateam Projects team)
• Co-applicant on multiple research-practice partnership grants
• Erasmus Mobility Grant recipient (2016)
• Professional development in formative assessment prize (2018)

Dr. Poortman has supervised multiple PhD and research students, including A. Imanbayeva, L. Pei, and C. Wolterinck. She has secured research grants and led professional development initiatives, including organizing international conferences on professional learning networks. Her work is deeply collaborative, involving partnerships with schools, policymakers, and international researchers.

She is a key contributor to the Data Team® methodology and has developed tools for assessing the sustainability of educational interventions. Her research is applied in real-world educational settings, focusing on systemic improvement and long-term impact.