Nienke Smit

Dr. Nienke Smit is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Utrecht University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Her research focuses on scaffolding processes, adaptive teaching, and classroom observational research from a complex dynamic systems perspective.

• Specializes in teacher-student interaction
• Expert in adaptive instruction and observational methods
• Collaborates with Data Science department
• Develops tools for classroom observation

Research interests include language learning and teaching, judgment and decision-making in education, and professional development of teachers. She leads projects like Eye Get It (joint attention in classrooms) and a replication study on adaptive instruction effectiveness. Her work applies dynamic systems theory to second language development and foreign language pedagogy.

Recent publications address translanguaging in multilingual classrooms, replication studies, and process-oriented research. She teaches at Utrecht's Graduate School of Teaching and works on initiatives to reduce teacher shortages through improved training programs.