dr. C.L. Poortman (Cindy)

Dr. Cindy Poortman is an associate professor at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

She is also the 4TU.CEE (Centre for Engineering Education) leader at the University of Twente.

Her research and teaching focus on teacher and school leader professional development in (doing research in) teams and networks. Leadership and sustainability are examples of themes she focuses on within this area. Cindy has co-founded and is coordinating the international network Professional Learning Networks within ICSEI (International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement). She has organized AERA’s Division H International Committee VP invited sessions from 2016-2019. She obtained the AERA research conference grant Professional Learning Networks in Education: Tearing Down Boundaries for School and System Improvement to organize a research conference in San Diego in 2019. She is also involved in research about professional development for teachers in Assessment for Learning (AfL).

Cindy teaches in the teacher education program, in the honours program, in the senior university teaching qualification program, and as a guest lecturer for higher education programs and conferences.

Publications include a book about the data team procedure (translated in Swedish 2016 and English – 2017 - main author Kim Schildkamp); special issues about data use; and journal papers about teacher professional development in networks. In 2018, the book she edited with Chris Brown about Networks for Learning was published (Routledge) and since 2018 they are the series editors of the Professional Learning Networks book series (Emerald).

Organisations

• Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), ELAN Teacher Development (ELAN)