[Maths-Education] PhD studentships in mathematics education at Sheffield Hallam University

[Adams, Gill]

PhD studentships at Sheffield Hallam University

We are currently advertising PhD studentships in mathematics education at Sheffield Hallam University.  Further information and contact details are below - please contact us to discuss your proposal.

Full details and application forms are available here: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AWG226/phd-studentships-4-posts/ Closing date: 17:00 on 1st February 2017

Best wishes,
Gill
Dr Gill Adams
Senior Lecturer, Postgraduate Research Tutor & Doctorate in Education course leader, Sheffield Hallam University, 10110 Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB        Tel:  0114 225 6015

Sheffield Institute of Education scholarship research topic areas
There are three mathematics education research areas described below, where we would like to invite research proposals for PhD scholarships. Please note that we welcome applications within all of the research areas we have capacity to supervise in the Institute - but that these three are areas that we have a current focus on in developing new research.
1. Mathematics education and social justice: an impact assessment of historicising the present
There is an increasing awareness that current dominant discourses at best marginalise accounts of the recent past and more commonly simply leave them unacknowledged and unknown.  This project will explore the impact of historicising the present on the capacity to envisage alternative futures.
The context is mathematics education and the cross-disciplinary project will build on a pilot project completed in December 2016 and funded by BA/Leverhulme.  A three part study is envisaged: researching current historical understandings of mathematics teachers (survey + interviews); a small scale design intervention; an in-depth qualitative approach to evaluating the impact of the intervention.
For further information, or informal discussion, please contact Professor Hilary Povey (h.povey at shu.ac.uk<mailto:h.povey at shu.ac.uk>)

2. How does informal talk and play support young children's mathematics learning?
There is a growing research literature that focuses on ways in which young children's developing understanding of number and mathematics emerges from informal talk, play and activity, as opposed to arising from experience of formal instruction. We anticipate that the design and conduct of this project will be informed by one or more of:
Observation and corpus linguistics studies that have examined the nature and volume of 'maths talk' arising in parent/teacher speech during informal play and activity, and the effects that this may have on children's learning.
Practitioner research and observation that has examined the ways in which mathematical thinking emerges from (and can be reinforced during) different forms of play (free play, guided play, and so on).
Intervention studies that have explored ways in which parents and teachers can be supported and encouraged to increase the quality and/or quantity of 'maths talk' during informal play and activity.
For further information, or informal discussion, please contact Dr Tim Jay (t.jay at shu.ac.uk<mailto:t.jay at shu.ac.uk>)

3. Primary mathematics in transformation
You are invited to develop a proposal focused on current changes in English Primary mathematics education.
Current rapid changes raise many research questions: Possible areas for research are, but are not limited to:

*                     critical investigation of transnational informed policy

*                     mastery and teacher professional learning

*                     teacher and pupil classroom activity for example,  use of multiple forms of representation/models  or classroom communication

*                     changing materialities including textbooks

*                     inclusive pedagogies and the increase in all attainment teaching in primary schools

*                     specific strands of the mastery initiative e.g. researching   a specific professional development/curriculum innovation

*                     pupil experience of changing pedagogies and practices, including specific groups of learners e.g. SEND identified leaners
We encourage you to develop a proposal that will study a significant research question or questions in depth rather than attempting to address current changes as a whole. We have the expertise to supervise and develop your expertise in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies but would particularly welcome proposals informed by sociomaterial and/or sociocultural theory and that include observational methods.
For further information, or informal discussion, please contact Dr Mark Boylan (m.boylan at shu.ac.uk<mailto:m.boylan at shu.ac.uk>)