12 Jul, 2011
PhD Position at The Department of Education and Child Studies, University of Leiden
Posted by: admin In: Psychology|Social Sciences
The section Educational Sciences, Department of Education and Child Studies, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Science, has available PhD (promovendus) position for the project Improving learning from text: Cognitive factors in knowledge acquisition through reading (38 hours a week).
The project aims to contribute to current knowledge about how students learn – or fail to learn- from the texts they read, and about how the use of texts can be optimized in educational practice. The design and rationale of the studies are based on cognitive models of reading comprehension. According to these models, comprehension and learning from texts are critically dependent on the child’s ability to infer semantic relations between the various elements in a text. The project is interdisciplinary in that it combines methods and expertise from cognitive science, neuroscience, child psychology and pedagogy, and international as it is pursued in collaboration with a consortium of national and international experts. Finally, it is implementation-oriented as concrete deliverables (materials and interventions) will be developed with teachers as research partners.
The promovendus will become member of a newly formed research team that focuses on Cognitive and Neuropsychological Foundations of Reading and Learning (for more information see: www.brainandeducationlab.nl). The successful applicant will develop and conduct a research program in the area of reading comprehension. In addition to recruitment for the current position, recruitment for several other PhD positions, with starting dates in Fall 2011, will be conducted. Moreover, the research team is affiliated with the interdisciplinary Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition-junior (LIBC-jr, focused on child studies) and with several schools, which offers excellent research opportunities.
Tasks
- Development and execution of the research plan;
- Publication in international journals and presentations at international conferences;
- Participation in the Brain and Education research group;
- Completion of doctoral dissertation.
Requirements
- Master degree in pedagogy/educational sciences, cognitive or developmental psychology, or related area;
- Experience or affinity with neuro-imaging techniques;
- Experience of affinity with psycholinguistic or language education research;
- Good command of English and Dutch;
- Excellent research and writing skills.
Opportunities
The appointment is initially for one year starting September 1, 2011. After this first year, a positive evaluation of the PhD student can lead to an extension to a maximum of four years in total, leading to a doctoral degree.
The gross (bruto) salary will be Є 2042 per month in the first year, increasing to Є 2612 per month in the fourth year.
This and related research is conducted in the Brain and Education research group in Educational sciences (see www.brainandeducationlab.nl). The project is funded by the NWO Brain and Cognition Initiative.
Further Information
Further information can be obtained from Prof. dr. Paul van den Broek (phone number secretary: +31 -71-5273401). E-mail: onws@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
Applications
Applications, including current CV, one or two letters of reference (or names/e-mail addresses of potential referees) should be sent electronically to Personnel Department at vacature@fsw.leidenuniv.nl. Please indicate the Vacancy number: 11-175. Applications must be received by July 18th, 2011.
When your application reaches us, you will be sent a conformation by e-mail. In case you have not received this confirmation within three days after you sent us en e-mail, please phone us at +31 71 527 3427.
