Public profile Paul A. Kirschner

Paul A. Kirschner (1951) is professor of Educational Psychology and Programme Director of the Learning and Cognition programme at the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies at the Open Universiteit Nederland as well as Visiting Professor of eLearning at the Unversitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia, Spain). He is an internationally recognized expert in his field. A few notable examples of this is his election to both the CSCL Board (within the International Society for the Learning Sciences) and the Executive Committee of the Society of which he is the President-Elect and will become President in 2010, his selection to the Scientific Technical Council of the Foundation for University Computing Facilities (SURF WTR), his associate editorship of the highly ranked journal Computers in Human Behavior, his recently successful book Ten steps to complex learning, and his editorship of two other recent books (Visualizing Argumentation and What we know about CSCL).

His areas of expertise include lifelong learning, computer supported collaborative learning, designing electronic and other innovative learning environments, open educational resources, media-use in education, development of teacher extensive (distance) learning materials, use of practicals for the acquisition of cognitive skills and competencies, design and development of electronic learning and working environments, and innovation and the use of information technology educational systems. He is currently working in the European project A Foresight on Learning, Innovation and Creativity: New ways to learn new skills for future jobs (FORLIC) together with TNO Netherlands.

Areas of expertise

• Computer Supported Collaborative Learning
• Lifelong learning· Information and communication technology in education – Initial and life long
• Practicals in higher education for the acquisition of cognitive, academic skills and competencies
• Development of learning materials for teacher extensive education and distance learning
• Design of electronic study environments for education
• Text characteristics and learning processes
• Open educational resources

• Professor of Educational Psychology, specifically Learning and Cognition, Open University of the Netherlands
• Program Chair of Learning and Cognition program at the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (CELSTEC), Open University of the Netherlands
• Director of Research on Learning and Cognition for Lifelong Learning, Netherlands Laboratory for Lifelong Learning (NeLLL), Open University of the Netherlands
• Visiting Professor at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia), Barcelona, Spain
• Professor of Educational Sciences, specifically Educational Psychology and ICT, Utrecht University
• President of the International Society for the Learning Sciences
• Member of the Scientific Technical Council (WTR) of the Foundation for Netherlands University Computing Centers (SURF)
• Member of the Executive Board of the Games + Learning + Society
• Member of the Advisory Council of the Stoas Professional University Master of Learning and Instruction for (Green) Education and Companies
• Fellow of the American Educational Research Association