In the PISA 2009 study on reading, mathematics and science, relatively disappointing academic outcomes were encountered for Dutch gifted students in secondary education. Moreover, a overall decline of motivation in secondary education is noticeable. With respect to gifted and talented students, motivation is not always self-evident and seems not adequately triggered by the learning environment. Hence, learning environments do not seem to optimize students comfort zone of proximal development. Empirical evidence is found that teachers do not meet the overall key competencies necessary to trigger gifted students motivation, to fulfill their psychological needs and to provide excellent differentiation. In this project, cognitive and motivational differentiation is aimed at by means of observations and video-stimulated recall methods. Besides, an intervention study will be executed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive and motivational differentiation on students motivation and academic performance.

What role does loneliness play in the lives of informal caregivers of people with chronic conditions and how can this perceived loneliness be reduced? These are the central questions of the current project. In co- creation with different types of informal caregivers (youngsters, parents and partners), we develop interventions based on both theoretical and experiential knowledge. As a result, we know how loneliness is experienced, which factors such as stigma or social networks are related and what these informal caregivers need from others to feel less lonely.

From an evolutionary perspective, father involvement in child rearing has been necessary for the survival and social development of the offspring. Consequently, father absence may be detrimental for offspring health and wellbeing, at least in Western societies where social networks that replace the father are rare. Father absence influences youths’ development (e.g. reproduction, maturation, problem behaviors, educational attainment), and though boys are neglected in the scientific literature, different effects appear to be present for boys and girls. Moreover, the impact of father absence on youths’ development likely varies with the extent to which father absence is considered deviant by sociocultural standards or constitutes a normative family form, like it does in many Caribbean societies. The question is, how do consequences of father absence compare across cultures? Moreover, ongoing migration from the Caribbean region where father absence is common to countries like the Netherlands, where it constitutes a minority, means that conflicting sociocultural standards add to the migration challenge. The proposed research investigates effects of father absence on reproductive behavior (1) and psychosocial development (2) among Curaçaoan youth, Curaçaoan-Dutch youth and native Dutch youth. This cross-cultural and multidisciplinary set-up allows us to test mechanisms that explain why father absence is linked to reproductive behavior and psychosocial development in Western youths and elucidate whether similar mechanisms are at play in Caribbean cultures. Using quantitative methods with a qualitative component, we examine pubertal maturation, intrasexual competition, and quality of caregiver-offspring relationships as pathways that explain why father absence might be related to problematic reproductive behavior, impaired psychosocial development and lower educational attainment, dependent on socio-cultural context. Given the high incidence of father absence among Curaçaoan families, this research has the potential to make a crucial contribution to better understand and, where required, improve the health and wellbeing of youths.

Sinds augustus 2014 is de wet op passend onderwijs in werking getreden. Na een lange voorbereidingsperiode gaan nu daadwerkelijke veranderingen van start in de organisatie van onderwijs voor leerlingen die extra steun nodig hebben. Een integrale evaluatie is opgezet om beleid en praktijk van informatie te voorzien over implementatie en effecten. Vijf deelvragen staan centraal: 1. Wat is de impact van passend onderwijs op het handelen van samenwerkingsverbanden, besturen en hun samenwerkingspartners? (bovenschools niveau) 2. Wat is de impact van passend onderwijs op scholen/opleidingen en leraren? (schoolniveau) 3. Wat is de impact van passend onderwijs op ouders en leerlingen/studenten? (leerlingniveau) 4. Welke interacties doen zich voor tussen deze niveaus? 5. In welke mate zijn in scholen/opleidingen en bij leraren factoren zichtbaar die als gunstig beschouwd worden voor onderwijs aan leerlingen met specifieke onderwijsbehoeften? En in hoeverre beïnvloeden deze factoren de ontwikkeling van leerlingen? De evaluatie is er op gericht om inzicht te bieden in hoe passend onderwijs vorm krijgt in de praktijk (het onderwijsveld kan daarin veel eigen keuzes maken) en in hoeverre beleidsverwachtingen uitkomen (er zijn meervoudige doelen), of juist niet uitkomen. Dit gebeurt via een mixed methods design. Er wordt gebruik gemaakt van monitoring, longitudinale casestudies, thematische casestudies, effectonderzoek, casuïstiek, praktijkgericht onderzoek en contextanalyse. De thema?s waar het onderzoek zich vooral op richt zijn: " de werking van de zorgplicht " realisatie van dekkend aanbod en rol van schoolondersteuningsprofielen " rol en taak van samenwerkingsverbanden, inclusie van speciaal onderwijs " budgetfinanciering, verevening en middelenbesteding " afschaffen van landelijke criteria t.b.v. hulp op maat " werking van het Referentiekader " afstemming tussen onderwijs en jeugdzorg, rol van gemeenten " rechten/positie van ouders, keuzevrijheid ouders " ondersteuning van scholen/opleidingen door besturen en samenwerkingsverbanden " (bevorderen van) vaardigheden en attituden van leraren " werken met ontwikkelingsperspectieven " rol van de inspectie " samenhang met ander beleid In het onderzoek worden alle voor passend onderwijs relevante onderwijssectoren betrokken: PO, VO, (V)SO, MBO. De evaluatie start in 2015 en zal in principe doorlopen tot 2019. De uitvoering ligt in handen van een consortium van acht samenwerkende onderzoeksinstituten.

What role does loneliness play in the lives of informal caregivers of people with chronic conditions and how can this perceived loneliness be reduced? These are the central questions of the current project. In co- creation with different types of informal caregivers (youngsters, parents and partners), we develop interventions based on both theoretical and experiential knowledge. As a result, we know how loneliness is experienced, which factors such as stigma or social networks are related and what these informal caregivers need from others to feel less lonely.