[Maths-Education] Research studentships in mathematics education

[Barbara Jaworski]

Dear Colleagues
I would like to draw your attention to the following studentships 
available at Loughborough.  See below

Where the ones involving me are concerned, I am looking for 
co-researchers who will engage with me in communities of inquiry with 
mathematics teachers at both school and university level in a 
collaborative research/development inquiry.

If you can recommend this to your graduating masters' students, I should 
be most grateful

Thank you
Barbara

Five Postgraduate Research Studentships

Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University

Loughborough University and Coventry University are acknowledged leaders 
in the field of university-wide mathematics and statistics support. 
Their substantial experience has been harnessed in a successful bid to 
establish a Centre for Excellence (CETL) in the University-wide 
Provision of Mathematics and Statistics Support. The CETL will develop 
mathematics and statistics support and will incorporate innovative 
approaches to teaching and learning that address the widely differing 
curricula and individual needs of different students. All its activities 
will be underpinned with a systematic programme of pedagogic research.
We are currently looking for five highly motivated students for 
full-time three year research studentships in the Mathematics Education 
Centre (http://mec.lboro.ac.uk/) at the University of Loughborough, 
commencing 1st July 2007 if possible (and no later than 31st July 2007). 
  The studentships will comprise full fees (at the UK/EU rate) plus 
£10,500 per annum maintenance grant. Research training will be provided 
in the first year.

Two of the students appointed will engage in developmental research with 
Professor Barbara Jaworski to create communities of inquiry with 
university mathematics teachers to explore learning and teaching 
development in mathematics at university level and across disciplines 
within the university.  Candidates with relevant teaching experience are 
strongly encouraged to apply. There will be opportunity for 
collaboration with researchers in mathematics education working on a 
related project in Norway.  Dr Tony Croft (Email a.c.croft at lboro.ac.uk, 
Tel: 01509 22 3185) or Professor Barbara Jaworski (Email 
barbara.jaworski at hia.no) can be contacted for further information on 
these two studentships.

For the third student, the focus of the research will be to examine the 
effectiveness of various approaches used in encouraging students to 
study statistics, both in the UK and in France. The student will then 
look at learning and teaching strategies adopted in the two countries 
and identify areas of good practice for dissemination. The supervision 
of the research student will be carried out by Dr Richard Gadsden 
(Loughborough University) and Professor Jean-Francois Petiot (University 
of South Brittany). This studentship will be based at Loughborough 
University,  but will involve some periods of work in the University of 
South Brittany, at Vannes.  Dr Richard Gadsden  (Email 
r.j.gadsden at lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 222868)  can be contacted for 
further information on this studentship.

For the fourth student, the focus of the research will be to examine the 
effectiveness of new technologies to enhance the learning of mathematics 
and engagement of students in Higher Education.  These technologies 
include, amongst other things, interactive voting systems and 
interactive whiteboards.  Comparisons will be carried between UK 
universities and some universities in the USA. The supervision of the 
research student will be carried out by Dr Carol Robinson (Email 
c.l.robinson at lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 228252) who can be contacted for 
further information on this studentship.

The fifth student will be supervised by Dr Lara Alcock, to study two or 
more of the following: undergraduate students’ knowledge of examples 
with different combinations of properties, their use of these in general 
reasoning, the relationship between this knowledge and attainment in 
undergraduate courses, and teaching interventions that focus on helping 
students to develop their knowledge about the relationships between 
examples and mathematical theory (relevant references are given below). 
  It is likely that the subject area for the study will be real 
analysis, and it is anticipated that this work will include both large 
scale quantitative and smaller scale qualitative study.  There may be 
opportunity for collaboration with researchers and mathematicians in 
Ireland and the USA as well as at other universities in the UK. Dr Tony 
Croft (Email a.c.croft at lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 22 3185) or Dr Lara 
Alcock lalcock at essex.ac.uk can be contacted for further information on 
this studentship.

Applicants require or should be expecting to obtain an Upper Second or 
First Class Honours degree or a Masters degree in Mathematics, Education 
or a related discipline.

The closing date for the studentships is 31st May 2007.

Application forms can be can be completed on-line or downloaded from 
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/prospectus/pg/, or obtained from the Research 
Student Office, Academic Registry, Loughborough University, 
Leicestershire, LE11 3TU  (pgresearch at lboro.ac.uk, 01509 222473).  For 
the two positions with Professor Jaworski, a  representative piece of 
writing (for example, a short article or a dissertation chapter) to 
demonstrate scholarly thinking and writing at an appropriate level 
should accompany the application form.  For all applications it should 
be made clear which studentship/s you are interested in and reasons 
outlined.  Note that the home department for registration of on-line 
applications is the department of Mathematical Sciences.

-- 
Professor Barbara Jaworski
Loughborough University Mathematics Education Centre

and
Høgskolen i Agder (Agder University College)
Institutt for Matematiske Fag
Serviceboks 422
4604 Kristiansand
Norway


email:  barbara.jaworski at hia.no
Telephone:  +47 381 41627