Statistics Learning in Higher Level Education, Particularly Engineering Education

At the Department of Mathematical Sciences, we have a vacancy for a Ph.D. candidate in Didactics of Statistics. For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.

At universities world-wide there has been a shift from teacher centred to student centred learning. Blended learning and flipped classroom methods have been implemented in many courses in statistics and mathematics at NTNU, and during the pandemic we have seen a further increase in the development and use of digital resources in higher education. Today’s students must therefore navigate and make use of various digital and on-campus learning resources in their education.

This PhD project will focus on teaching and learning statistics in higher level education, particularly engineering education. The candidate will investigate students’ use of digital resources in large courses. The candidate will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess user behaviour and the impact of student-centred learning methods.

This PhD project is a part of the PERSEUS doctoral programme: A collaboration between NTNU- Norway’s largest university, 11 top-level academic partners in 8 European countries, and 8 industrial partners within sectors of high societal relevance.

Within PERSEUS we will recruit 40 PhD candidates who want to contribute to a smart, safe and sustainable future. We are looking for highly skilled PhD candidates motivated to approach societal challenges within one of the following thematic areas:

• Big data and AI
• Digital Twins
• Internet of Things
• Extended Reality
• Information and Cyber Security

For this project, relevant methods such as learning analytics and educational data mining fall within the first thematic area.

All participants in the PERSEUS network bring unique and important qualities with them into the doctoral programme. The PERSEUS PhD candidates will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers in the partner institutions and in other project consortia, and benefit from these collaborative research and education activities.

As part of the PERSEUS team you will work alongside other highly motivated and talented PhD candidates and researchers. You will also have access to the knowledge base, state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and impact orientation of the partners in the team.

In addition to your education and development within the thematic research area, you will gain transferable skills within project development and management, science communication, research ethics, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, as well as basic university didactics.

As a PERSEUS PhD candidate, you will be employed by NTNU. During your stay, you will do a 2–3 month international stay and a 1-2 month national stay with one of the PERSEUS partners. This will allow you to extend your network within academia and industry, and to learn about your research area from an academic, innovation, and societal perspective.

The duration of the PhD employment is 36 months

Starting gross salary is 501.200 NOK/year (equal to approx. 49.000 EUR/year by the exchange rate of November 2022).

We are looking for PhD candidates from all nationalities, who want to contribute to our quest to create knowledge for a better world. PERSEUS recruits candidates according to the EU’s mobility rule, i.e. applicants cannot have spent more than 12 months in Norway during the last 3 years, be within the first four years of their research careers and not yet be awarded a doctoral degree.

We believe in fair and open processes. All applications will be considered through a transparent evaluation procedure, with independent observers involved.

The position’s working place is NTNU campus in Trondheim. You will report to the Head of Department of Mathematical Sciences.

We look forward to welcome you to the PERSEUS team.

• pass the necessary courses (30 ECTS) as part of the PhD programme;
• submit an application for admission and a research plan no later than 3 months after the employment;
• conduct high quality research and report progress on a regular basis and in agreement with the supervisors.

• International mobility requirements: Applicants of any age and any nationality will be eligible as far as they fulfil the mobility requirement of the COFUND programme, namely, the applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (Norway) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline of PERSEUS. Candidates must at the date of the call deadline be within the first four years of their research careers and not yet be awarded a doctoral degree. Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when the candidate obtained the degree entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (e.g. from the Master’s degree).
• Education requirements: 5 years of higher education (BSC and MSC) or education equal to (300 ECTS). The grade requirements are B or higher (based on NTNU’s grading scale). Master degree must be completed by the call deadline. Education will have to be documented by diploma supplement or equivalent documentation in English and include a description of the educational system. International Relations do require Chinese diplomas to be verified using CHSI. The NTNU Office of International Relations will evaluate degrees and diplomas.
• Language skill requirements: The applicants will be asked to provide evidence of good English language skills, written and spoken. The following certificates may be used as such evidence: TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).
• Export of Knowledge Control: The PhD candidates who, based on a comprehensive first-hand assessment, might come into conflict with legislation governing exports of knowledge, technology and services will not advance further from the first stage in the recruitment process. For further information, please refer to the Export Control Act.

In addition, the candidate must have:

• A master’s degree in statistics, mathematics or mathematical didactics
• An interest in pedagogy and education

The appointment is to be made in accordance with  Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant  

• Experience with teaching or tutoring in statistics or mathematics
• Experience with data science and statistical learning methods
• Good written and oral English

• ability to work independently but also in a team,
• commitment and delivery with respect to deadlines
• skilled at listening and approachable to students

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 501 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phma within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English (ta stilling til dette)

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.

The application must include:

• A cover letter describing your motivation for a PhD study in statistical didactics and suitability for the position.
• CV including information relevant for the qualifications, submitted together with an identification document.
• Certified copies of relevant transcripts and diplomas. Applicants from universities outside of Norway will be requested to send a diploma supplement (or a similar document) which describes in details the study and grading system, and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).
• Name and contact information of tree referees.
• A short essay (maximum 2 pages) discussing the importance of contextual learning in an undergraduate statistics course.
• Scientific publications (if any). Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor’s and master’s education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well.

We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.