Alieke M. van Dijk

Alieke M. van Dijk is an Assistant Professor at the University of Twente, affiliated with the Digital Society Institute within the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences. She investigates how instructional technology can foster cooperative and self-regulated learning in mixed-ability primary-school classrooms, with a special focus on digital scaffolding, inquiry-based science education, and the inclusion of gifted learners.

Research interests span instructional design of cooperative scripts, technology-enhanced scaffolds (concept maps, reflection prompts, simulations), socially shared regulation of learning, and differential effects of learner ability. Her work combines design-based research with classroom observations and qualitative analysis to create practical pedagogical innovations.

Across more than thirty-five peer-reviewed outputs (2011-2025) she explores themes such as collaborative drawing on shared digital canvases, uncertainty management, feedback mechanisms, and generative-AI acceptance among university educators. Recent articles reveal a shift toward (1) AI in higher-education professional development, (2) fine-grained measurement of self-regulated learning strategies during inquiry, and (3) advanced scaffolding techniques combining concept mapping with metacognitive prompts.

Dr van Dijk regularly disseminates findings through invited keynote talks and workshops for teachers, emphasizing evidence-based strategies to nurture excellence and equity in heterogeneous classrooms. She currently holds an h-index of 7 (Scopus) and continues to extend her research on digital learning environments that simultaneously challenge gifted learners and support all pupils in cooperative settings.