The Eindhoven School of Education (ESoE) of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the Department of Education of Utrecht University have two interlinked vacancies for Postdoc positions on practice-oriented research into professional learning and development of Higher Education teachers.

Have you always wondered why teachers engage in educational innovations? Are you interested in how educational innovations affect teachers' learning, attitudes, behaviours and professional identity? Then, this project may just be something for you!

Research project

The NRO/NWO funded practice-oriented research project 'Professional learning and development of teachers in Higher Education: What works and how and why does it work' is a collaboration of 20 research universities and universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. They are working together in a consortium to address the question whether, how and why different approaches to teacher professional learning and development work for different innovations, contexts and populations. This will be done by conducting a literature study, conducting a broad as well as an in-depth study of existing cases, and an intervention study, in which data will be collected on the innovation (context), teacher activities, support for teachers, teachers' learning and the effects on students.

Context

The postdocs will conduct the research within and on behalf of the entire consortium but will be based in the research groups of Eindhoven School of Education and the Department of Education of Utrecht University. ESoE is the expertise centre of Eindhoven University of Technology in the field of the education and professional development of (future) teachers, and research and educational innovation in the STEM domain in secondary as well as higher education. ESoE is active in three areas: education, research and innovation. Recently the research portfolio of the group on research and development of higher education has been growing significantly. The research program of the Department of Education of Utrecht University is aimed at studying the development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that individuals need for optimal participation in society, and how education can support this. The research focuses on how informal and formal education contexts from early childhood to adulthood provide powerful environments for learning and development across contexts.

In close collaboration with the consortium partners, the postdocs will:

• Conduct a literature review on the professional learning and development of Higher Education teachers
• Conduct broad as well as an in-depth studies of existing cases of HE teachers' professional learning in the context of educational innovation at the sites of consortium partners.
• Co-design and conduct empirical intervention studies on the effects of different teacher professional development approaches
• Design and adapt tools for measuring effects of these approaches on students' learning and engagement
• Collect and analyze data, both qualitatively and quantitatively
• Report the research results for both practice-oriented as well as scholarly audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Present their work at national and international conferences and workshops
• Support dissemination of the research findings in the consortium partners' institutes.

We are looking for a motivated candidate with:

• PhD in a discipline relevant for this research project
• Good research skills for review and empirical research in higher education
• Knowledge of innovations in higher education
• Knowledge of or affinity with teachers' learning and professional development
• Positive attitude towards innovative teaching and learning
• Being able to work independently and collaboratively
• Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing
• Creative and analytical mind
• Good command of the Dutch language

We are offering:

• A 0.65 - 0.70 fte temporary employment for a period until 1st March 2024.
• For the postdoc based at Eindhoven the possibility to extend this appointment with teaching and/or project management tasks can be discussed.
• For the postdoc based at Utrecht the possibility to extend this appointment with teaching tasks can be discussed.
• A gross monthly salary from € 3,353 (on a full-time basis, scale 10), depending on knowledge and experience; plus holiday allowance (8% of annual salary, in May) and end-of-year allowance (8.3% of annual salary, in December)
• Support for personal development and career planning
• A wide range of secondary employment conditions, such as excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, savings schemes, excellent sports facilities, and parental and/or maternity leave. See for Eindhoven https://www.tue.nl/en/working-at-tue/why-tue/compensation-and-benefits/and for Utrecht https://www.uu.nl/en/organisation/working-at-utrecht-university/terms-of-employment
• Membership of a vibrant research and educational community