We are looking for an enthusiastic, decisive assistant professor who will strengthen education (50%) and research (50%) in the department “Technology Enhanced Learning and Innovation”.

The assistant professor contributes (pro-) actively to the research program “Learning and innovating with ICT” and to the Master of Educational Sciences. The department is looking at the possible added value that new, "emerging" and already widely accepted technology can have for learning and guidance processes. To this end, the department conducts integrated design and development-oriented research with teachers and students into the effects of theory-based and technology-enriched teaching methods and innovations on the efficiency, effectiveness and attractiveness of education. Through your research you actively contribute to the innovation of (higher) education in the Netherlands. You therefore have an eye for the social dissemination and valorisation of the acquired knowledge. Your research profile lies at least within one of the research areas of the department: 1) mobile (seamless) learning, 2) multimodal interaction with AR / VR, 3) serious gaming, gamification, simulations, or 4) artificial intelligence / learning analytics within education. You have technological competencies and you are able to conceive and develop prototypes within your own research.

Within the department "Technology Enhanced Learning and Innovation" and / or in collaboration with internal and external partners, various educational technologies have been developed in recent years: the EMERGO platform for serious games, the yOUplay platform for mobile serious games, the WEKIT platform for augmented reality based training, the gamifire platform for gamification of online learning, the multimodal learning hub as a sensor-based data collection platform. These technologies exist at different stages of development (from product-level solution to initial prototype) and utilize different technological foundations. Your core tasks will be to develop strategies, concepts and solutions based on existing technologies and with a future-proof vision of technological innovation.

You recruit and conduct research that is (inter-)nationally relevant. You will spend a substantial part of your time teaching the master, especially in the field of educational technology, and supervising master students. You are also responsible for the planning, realization and coordination of research projects, within at least one of the research themes. This includes not only research, but also the design and development of educational solutions and their valorisation. Finally, an important part of your work is to bring in externally funded research projects from (inter-)national funding programs and to supervise (internal/external) PhD students.

We are looking for someone who:

• holds a doctorate in a relevant field (e.g. computer science, educational technology, game technology, educational science);
• has experience as a developer of technological solutions for educational or similar problems (e.g. with the help of game engines, online learning environments, AR, VR, mobile apps);
• has teaching experience and is in possession of a Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO) or is prepared to obtain this qualification in the short term;
• is a member of a relevant research school (e.g. ICO, SIKS);
• is demonstrably successful in recruiting and supervising (externally funded) research projects at both national and European level;
• has a (national and international) network in the field of educational technology research;
• regularly publishes in SSCI journals;
• has an excellent command of both the Dutch and English language (or is willing to learn the Dutch language);
• contributes to the informal atmosphere and cooperation within the department
• has an open and transparent communication style;;
• has a proactive attitude and takes demonstrable initiative,

Fixed-term contract: Temporary position for 2 years with the possibility for extension.

The salary is determined in accordance with salary scale 11 of Appendix A of the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities and amounts to a maximum of   € 5.127,= gross per month for full-time employment.

The OU provides good secondary benefits such as training, mobility, part-time employment and paid parental leave.

The Open Universiteit

Studying online anywhere in the Netherlands and Belgium (Flanders)
The Open Universiteit (OU) is the university in the Netherlands where students study part-time and follow online and activating education in bachelor and master degree programmes in seven fields of study. Characteristics of the education are openness, flexibility and quality. Enhancing the study success of students is an important point of focus. More than 15.000 students are studying at the OUNL and it has almost 700 employees. The OU has a network of regional study centres in the Netherlands and in Belgium (Flanders) (https://www.ou.nl/studiecentra). The head office is situated in Heerlen.

The most modern technologies and educational insights are applied in bachelor and master programmes and courses and also in projects and programmes with partners. Nationally and internationally the OU plays a key role in the innovation of higher education. Education and research are closely interrelated which guarantees that the current state of science is applied. The OU not only invests in research in the various academic disciplines, but also in research in the field of learning, teaching and technology.

 Satisfied students
For several consecutive years, the OU has achieved a top position among the fourteen Dutch universities in the National Students Survey, the Dutch university guide ‘Keuzegids Universiteiten’ (in which the ratings by students and experts of the bachelor studies of the fourteen universities are compared), and the Dutch university guide ‘Keuzegids Masters’. In addition all studies score high in the rankings of the universities for these studies. All ratings are available on the OU-website   (https://www.ou.nl/rankings).

Faculty of Educational Sciences

The Faculty of Educational Sciences (OW) is strong in education and research in the field of learning and teaching in online higher education. The faculty offers a scientific master's degree in Educational Sciences and professional courses. The faculty plays an important role nationally and internationally in research into innovation in education.