PhD Candidate in Mathematics Education

The Department of Subject Education at Stockholm University conducts research and education on learning and teaching across all stages of the education system.

At the mathematics department, there are 33 researchers active in mathematics education. More information about us can be found here: Department of Subject Education (https://www.su.se/%C3%A4mnesdidaktik).

Project Description

The national Graduate School for Knowledge Assessments in the Education System – Graduate School for Teacher Educators (ASSESS) aims to strengthen research competence within teacher education programs and the educational science field, focusing on assessment, knowledge measurements, and the development of the education system.

The doctoral education addresses questions about how knowledge and skills are assessed, analyzed, and followed up at student, school, and system levels, including reliability, validity, equity, teaching quality, and the use of data for school development.

ASSESS III is the third phase of the graduate school and combines advanced quantitative analyses of national and international large-scale data with mixed-method approaches and teaching-related perspectives. The doctoral education is conducted in collaboration between Stockholm University, University of Gothenburg, and Umeå University.

Three doctoral students will be admitted to Stockholm University. Two of the doctoral students will be placed at the Department of Subject Education with a focus on mathematics education and will be part of the research and test construction group PRIM, and one doctoral student will be placed at the Department of Swedish and Multilingualism at the Centre for Bilingualism Research.

For this call, the doctoral students will be admitted to the doctoral education in mathematics education. The doctoral project will focus on the assessment of knowledge and competence in mathematics. The project should be related to the overarching theme of the graduate school. We welcome projects in mathematics assessment that include linguistic perspectives or a focus on multilingual students, but the call is not limited to these areas.

As a doctoral student, you will primarily dedicate your time to doctoral education. The position also includes work up to 20% related to the activities of the PRIM group or teaching.

Eligibility Requirements

To be admitted to doctoral education, the applicant must have basic and specific eligibility. The eligibility must be fulfilled by the last application date.

You have basic eligibility if you have completed a degree at the advanced level, or have completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (hp), of which at least 60 hp at the advanced level, or equivalent competence.

Specific Eligibility

For specific eligibility to be admitted to doctoral education in mathematics education focusing on school mathematics (preschool, primary school, and secondary school), the applicant must have completed teacher education that includes mathematics, or have approved courses in a subject area directly relevant to the focus of the education. Approved courses must correspond to at least 90 hp, including at least 30 hp at the advanced level in mathematics education, mathematics, or a similar relevant main area, of which at least 15 hp must be a thesis.

For specific eligibility to be admitted to doctoral education in mathematics education focusing on university mathematics, the applicant must have passed courses of 90 hp in mathematics, including a thesis of 15 hp, and at least 30 hp at the advanced level in mathematics education or a similar relevant main area, of which at least 15 hp must be a thesis.

Eligibility requirements can also be met by those who have acquired substantially equivalent competence within or outside the country. For specific eligibility, the applicant must master either Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, or English, meaning the ability to read, speak, and write in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, or English. Any equivalence assessment of eligibility will be made by the department's Research Committee, and decisions will be made by the department board.

Selection

Selection among applicants will be made with regard to the ability to benefit from doctoral education. Criteria used to assess this ability include:

• Documented subject knowledge relevant to the research area. Assessment will consider both depth and breadth in previous education.
• Previous scientific production. Based on theses from undergraduate and advanced levels, as well as any other written scientific production, the applicant's ability to benefit from the education will be assessed. The assessment will also consider the time aspect, i.e., the extent to which the applicant has demonstrated the ability to perform their previous scientific tasks within given time frames.
• Furthermore, based on a comparison of the scientific outputs, an assessment of the applicant's scientific development will be made. Scientific production will be assessed in terms of critical ability, analytical ability, independence, and creativity.
• Research plan. In connection with the application, the applicant must describe their intended research area. The description should include problem formulation(s) and a sketch of the implementation of the research work. The plan will be assessed regarding relevance, originality, and feasibility within the given timeframe (i.e., over a period corresponding to four years of full-time education).
• Available supervision competence.
• Collaboration ability. The applicant's ability to collaborate will be assessed based on references, certificates, or interviews.
• Ability to express oneself in spoken and written English; it is also advantageous if you can express yourself in spoken and written Swedish.

Admission regulations for doctoral education at Stockholm University.

About the Position

The position is temporary according to the Higher Education Ordinance and corresponds to four years of full-time studies. The first appointment is for a maximum of one year and is renewed for up to two years at a time.

Contact

Further information is provided by the head of the PRIM group, Samuel Sollerman, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), or the director of doctoral education, Anna Pansell, phone 08-16 20 51, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).

Application

You apply for the doctoral position via Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV, as well as the documents requested in the application form. You, as the applicant, are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and that it is submitted to the university no later than the last application date.

Instructions for applicants can be found on the webpage: how to apply for a position (https://www.su.se/att-soka-en-anstallning).

Stockholm University contributes to the development of a sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment, and the pursuit of truth.