Loek Schoenmakers, Ph.D.

Elmpterbaan 22, 6071AE
The Netherlands
Email: Loekschoen@yahoo.com
Web: https://appreciativechangeworks.nl
LinkedIn: http://https://www.linkedin.com/in/loek-schoenmakers-ph-d-02152317/


Loek is the founder of www.appreciativechangeworks.nl, a coaching, training and consulting service using social construction as foundation for co-creating change. Loek also works currently as head of the research department at Hogeschool de Kempel, a University for applied science in the South of the Netherlands, the best Teacher Training Institute for 10 years.

Humanizing change processes – centralizing relational processes, is at the core of his work. Using the Appreciative stance, he builds bridges thanks to Collaborative and Dialogical Practices, and strengthens educational change processes. This is one of the outcomes of his PhD research, supported by the Taos Institute and Tilburg University.

In his position as the head of the Research Department of Hogeschool de Kempel, his focus is on transforming the whole idea of Teacher Practice Research based on Social Constructionist thought.
He has 43 years of experience within education in many roles such as teacher, school leader, school advisor, trainer, coach, researcher, writer and educational specialist in countries such as Belgium, Aruba, Suriname, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. He has been a visiting lecturer at ADEK university Suriname in the Masters: Learning and Innovation and the Masters: Educational Research for Sustainable Change. He is guest lecturer and developer in the Masters: Inclusive Education, and the Masters: Learning and Innovation in the Netherlands. In all these Masters programs Loek promotes social constructionism. Within the new Dutch pilot – the Professional Doctorate – Loek supervises one of the candidates in applying social construction in research and change.

Besides many educational courses, Loek studied at Nottingham University (MA, 2001) Educational Change and School Improvement; and completed his Doctorate at Tilburg University in collaboration with the Taos Institute (Ph.D., 2011) on the topic: Sustainable Educational Change is Being in Relation. 

Loek is the author of the WordShare book Happily Different (Taos Institute Publications, 2014) which illustrates in detail how constructionist approaches lead to more hopeful and “happy” changes for all. In 2022, Loek was co-author of the book Innoverend Onderzoeken, developed with the team of the Lectorate Learning and Innovation in Utrecht. Most recently, Loek translated to Dutch the book, The Relational Imperative, (2022) and Invitation to Social Construction (2025), both works of Ken Gergen. In October 2023 the book Toolbox Practice based Research with children was published. In 2024 the Dutch translation Design Thinking en Sociale Constructie (Celiane Camargo and Sheila McNamee) was published. He wrote Interventies. Voor veranderaars, vernieuwers en onderzoekers with Arienne van Staveren (2025).

In February 2024, Loek started the Dutch group in the Taos Institute Commons online community platform, an ‘energy center” to promote and put social construction in practice.

Loek lives in the Netherlands, together with his wife Annemarie (yoga teacher, social advocate, advisor and best friend). Meanwhile, his sons –  Roel, climate economist and Jon, primary school teacher – are making their own happy lives. Besides enjoying work, Loek enjoys practicing Buddhism, studying art painting, and traveling.

Loek Schoenmakers, Ph.D. Resources