Masterclasses with educational psychologist Dr. Martijn van der Spoel.

Could you use an insightful boost? Then join the masterclasses by educational psychologist and motivational speaker, Dr. Martijn van der Spoel. In these inspirational talks, he will address common obstacles of studying and the skills and tools to overcome them. However, there will be no "one size fits all" solutions; you are invited to investigate what works best for you.  

Masterclasses - dr. Martijn van der Spoel

Registration is appreciated but you are most welcome to just walk in. Please be on time.
If no dates are planned, you can sign up for the event interest list. We will inform you as soon as new dates are scheduled.

Memory

'How can I help myself remember more?' 
Informed by research, we know there are several techniques that will help you increase your memory.  This session will focus on these different techniques and evaluate ways to put them into practice.

Procrastination

'I will do this tomorrow'.
Are you interested in understanding better why people procrastinate, how this develops, and what you can do to stop it?  This session focuses on the possible 'why's' of procrastination as well as on the 'how' you can train yourself to make different decisions and as a result become more effective with your time. 

Thesis

Students experience the process of writing a thesis in different ways. Some love having the freedom and time to think about a topic for a long time, while others find the experience challenging. The latter group may feel that they are not making as much progress as they had hoped.

This masterclass is designed for these students. We will consider questions related to motivation, overthinking, and the sense of loneliness that can affect our approach to this academic task.

Focus

You are not born with focus.  It is something that you develop and learn. In this session, we look at some of the reasons why someone finds it difficult to focus, as well as what kind of techniques you can use to teach yourself to focus better.  

Growth Mindset

The Growth Mindset is a term coined by psychologist Carol Dweck. She explores how our thinking affects our ability to keep changing in new and challenging situations. How you view your skills and talents largely determines your development. She cites 'The Power of Yet' as an example: Can't you do something, or can't you do it yet? The former restricts, and the latter gives room for growth. This session looks at what she found and how you can apply this.

Motivation

The notes you take during a lecture are key building blocks in the overall learning process of an 'Active Learner'. For instance, we see that note-takers are more focused during the lecture. Furthermore, your notes become an important foundation for future learning, as you can go over them during your revision for an exam.

The clarity and structure of the notes highly influence their effectiveness. In this masterclass, you will learn the techniques behind successful note-taking and how you can apply them during your lectures (and reading) at the WUR.

Note-taking

The notes you take during a lecture are key building blocks in the overall learning process of an 'Active Learner'. For instance, we see that note-takers are more focused during the lecture. Furthermore, your notes become an important foundation for future learning, as you can go over them during your revision for an exam.

The clarity and structure of the notes highly influence their effectiveness. In this masterclass, you will learn the techniques behind successful note-taking and how you can apply them during your lectures (and reading) at the WUR.

About the trainer

This masterclass is given by Martijn van der Spoel - Educational psychologist and motivational speaker. 

"I am fascinated by the brain. Its power, resourcefulness and, perhaps most of all, ability to create.  Added to this, the fact that you can reframe brain patterns, makes the process of our thinking and doing very interesting. I am committed to helping people discover what works best for them".

Questions & Support

Do you have any questions about the different courses offered by WUR? Feel free to contact us!