Bert van Oers

Prof. Bert van Oers is an Endowed Professor in the Department of Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His work focuses on Cultural-historical Activity Theory (CHAT), Early Childhood Education, and Developmental Education. He has published extensively on topics like play-based learning, emergent mathematical thinking, and literacy development.

Research Interests:

• Cultural-historical Activity Theory (CHAT)
• Early Childhood Education
• Developmental Education
• Play-Based Learning
• Emergent Mathematical Thinking

Awards:

• Eredoctoraat Universiteit Jyväskylä (2004)
• Erelid Academie voor Ontwikkelingsgericht Onderwijs (2017)

Advising & Grants:

• Supervised 14 PhD theses
• Recipient of two major grants

Key Contributions: Pioneered CHAT-based teaching approaches in Dutch primary schools, emphasizing play as foundational for cognitive development. His work bridges theory and practice in early childhood education.