Job description

Applications are invited for a three-year position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the research project ‘Teamwork analytics for training collaborative problem solving in professional higher education’ (TeamLearn). The position is affiliated to the research group “Knowledge, Learning and Governance in Higher Education and Work’ (HEDWORK) at the Department of Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo.

The TeamLearn project is a four-year research project funded by the Research Council of Norway. The project combines learning research, computer sciences and learning analytics, and includes Norwegian partners and universities from Australia, USA, Finland and the Netherlands. TeamLearn studies how digital technologies, multimodal learning analytics and automated feedback can be used to study collaborative problem solving and team-based learning in higher education. Student teams from medical interprofessional, nursing and legal education are studied while they solve complex problems in collaboration. The project will develop a multimodal learning analytics dashboard (MAD), which visualizes multimodal data as feedback on the team activities. The feedback is shared with students and teachers in interventions aimed at supporting collaborative problem solving and team-based learning. For more information, visit the TeamLearn project website.

The postdoctoral fellow is expected to contribute to the TeamLearn project by researching students’ collaborative problem solving in a particular disciplinary higher education context, and how team-based learning can be guided through use of automated feedback facilitated by the multimodal analytics dashboard. Of particular interest are questions related to social and/or cognitive aspects of team-based learning, indicators of collaborative problem solving processes that are measurable through learning analytics and ways of integrating and visualizing multimodal data streams to generate feedback on student collaboration during team-based learning. The applicant is expected to work with data collection and analysis of multimodal data using either a qualitative, quantitative or mixed method approach framed by design based research. In addition, the applicant is expected to participate in co-design meetings, joint project activities and take on tasks related to project coordination and data management.

The announced postdoctoral position will be connected to the research group HEDWORK. The group comprises researchers with different interdisciplinary backgrounds and offers an internationally oriented and stimulating research environment, with a connection to research communities in learning sciences and educational technology, and educational research worldwide.

More about the position

The appointment is a full-time position for a period of up to three years, 10% of which is devoted to required duties, usually in the form of teaching activities.

Depending on the qualifications of the candidate, the period may be extended to four years, 25 % at the Department of Education, of which is devoted to required duties, usually in the form of teaching activities at the department. Postdoctoral fellows who are appointed for a period of four years are expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency in the course of their fellowship period within the duty component.

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Please see the guidelines concerning appointment to post-doctoral and research positions at the University of Oslo.

Qualification requirements

• applicants must hold a PhD degree or equivalent in education or another field with relevance to higher education research (e.g., educational sciences, educational psychology, social or behavioral sciences, educational technology, educational measurement, professional degrees with relevance to the project). Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the postdoc application due date. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.
• fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• reasonable communication skills in a Scandinavian language.

Personal skills

• strong collaborative and communication skills
• high personal motivation for research
• a commitment to work towards- the project’s common goals
• ability to work focused and independently

We offer

• salary NOK 534.400 – 615.800 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352)
• a professionally stimulating working environment
• attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

• cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
• A text of 8-10 pages where the applicant comments and reflects on the project description. Here the applicant should describe and reflect on how his or her research interests aligns with the overall project, and describe in detail what the applicant would like to focus on within the overall frame of the project. It is important that the topic and the methods in the postdoc project are aligned with the TeamLearn’s overarching focus and can be achieved realistically within the project period. Particular focus should be given to the envisioned approaches of analysing, integrating and relating multimodal data collected through a dashboard to study students’ collaborative problem solving processes.
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
• copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
• a complete list of publications
• any research publications that the applicant wishes to be considered
• list of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, the project description and the quality of the project as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this.

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

• Associate professor Crina Damsa
  
• Associate professor Rachelle Esterhazy

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