PhD Position: Capital M: strengthening mathematics in STEM-education, Leuven, Belgium
34 views
Skip to first unread message
Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community
Apr 9, 2025, 11:43:02 AMApr 9
to Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community
LESEC is a centre for educational research in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Architecture & Mathematics). This research focuses on learning and teaching within all STEAM disciplines and for the different educational levels (primary, secondary and higher education, post-university education). In addition to an in-depth insight into learning, support and educational processes, LESEC also aims to embed the findings from this research in educational practice, both within and outside the university.
Within LESEC and within the research groups iSTEM-didactics (Faculty of Engineering) and Mathematics-didactics (Department of Mathematics), a doctoral position is available, which focuses on strengthening mathematics within integrated STEM education.
Project
For secondary school students, the practical relevance of mathematics is not always clear. One possible way to make the value of mathematics clear is through STEM education, in which students use their mathematical knowledge (combined with scientific and technical skills) to solve real-world problems. Unfortunately, the mathematics component in such STEM projects often remains relatively modest, with mathematics often being reduced to arithmetic skills. STEM projects that also use and promote a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics are largely lacking. This PhD aims to equip STEM teachers with tools and skills to strengthen the mathematical component in STEM projects.
The first aim of the PhD is to further develop and validate an instrument to evaluate to what extent a STEM project promotes different types of mathematical skills (e.g. procedural skills, conceptual understanding, adaptive reasoning). To this end, an existing prototype instrument is further developed and applied to existing STEM projects, and the validity and reliability of the instrument are documented (e.g. inter-rater reliability). In a second step, based on the insights gained from the application of the evaluation instrument and from the literature, a professionalization trajectory is developed to help STEM teachers integrate in-depth mathematics into their STEM projects. To this end, an inspiration list is created that links mathematical final objectives to possible STEM project designs and learning content from other STEM subjects. The final phase of the project includes an evaluation of the impact that participation in this trajectory has on the attitudes and skills of teachers with regard to the integration of mathematics in STEM education and how these attitudes translate into their teaching practices.
Offer
A full-time position with a competitive salary as a PhD fellow, leading to a PhD in Engineering Sciences and/or Mathematics. In principle, funding is available for a four-year PhD trajectory (subject to a favorable evaluation after 1 year).
Start date: September 1, 2025 (or to be agreed upon in mutual consultation).
You can apply for this job no later than May 05, 2025 via the online application tool
More: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60463059?lang=en
Within LESEC and within the research groups iSTEM-didactics (Faculty of Engineering) and Mathematics-didactics (Department of Mathematics), a doctoral position is available, which focuses on strengthening mathematics within integrated STEM education.
Project
For secondary school students, the practical relevance of mathematics is not always clear. One possible way to make the value of mathematics clear is through STEM education, in which students use their mathematical knowledge (combined with scientific and technical skills) to solve real-world problems. Unfortunately, the mathematics component in such STEM projects often remains relatively modest, with mathematics often being reduced to arithmetic skills. STEM projects that also use and promote a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics are largely lacking. This PhD aims to equip STEM teachers with tools and skills to strengthen the mathematical component in STEM projects.
The first aim of the PhD is to further develop and validate an instrument to evaluate to what extent a STEM project promotes different types of mathematical skills (e.g. procedural skills, conceptual understanding, adaptive reasoning). To this end, an existing prototype instrument is further developed and applied to existing STEM projects, and the validity and reliability of the instrument are documented (e.g. inter-rater reliability). In a second step, based on the insights gained from the application of the evaluation instrument and from the literature, a professionalization trajectory is developed to help STEM teachers integrate in-depth mathematics into their STEM projects. To this end, an inspiration list is created that links mathematical final objectives to possible STEM project designs and learning content from other STEM subjects. The final phase of the project includes an evaluation of the impact that participation in this trajectory has on the attitudes and skills of teachers with regard to the integration of mathematics in STEM education and how these attitudes translate into their teaching practices.
Offer
A full-time position with a competitive salary as a PhD fellow, leading to a PhD in Engineering Sciences and/or Mathematics. In principle, funding is available for a four-year PhD trajectory (subject to a favorable evaluation after 1 year).
Start date: September 1, 2025 (or to be agreed upon in mutual consultation).
You can apply for this job no later than May 05, 2025 via the online application tool
More: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60463059?lang=en
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages