Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is University West’s overarching profile and basic principle applied to learning, the exchange of ideas, and educational development. The government has assigned the distinguished task of developing WIL to University West. Work integrated learning in education and research develops new, relevant and advanced knowledge both within the academy and among its partners, which also benefits society in general. University West offers a wide variety of study programs, has a good number of applicants and the students show a high entry rate on the labor market. The main research environments at University West are Production technology, Learning in and for the new working life and Child and youth studies and is conducted in collaboration with the surrounding society. Campus is centrally located in Trollhättan with about 13,000 students and 700 employees.

PhD student in Informatics with specialization in work-integrated learning (WIL)

University West announces a PhD student in informatics with a focus on work-integrated learning, with a particular focus on Flexible Learning.

Subject Description

The subject Informatics with specialization on WIL is based on studies of technology, information and people. This includes knowledge about the design and use of information and communication systems and focuses on studies of how digitalization and digital technology/artefacts change the conditions for learning, knowledge and collaboration in a workplace practice. In particular, learning is focused on change and interaction when introducing and using new technologies and systems. Informatics with a focus on WIL is a multidisciplinary topic linked to reference sciences such as organizational science, computer science, pedagogy, sociology, media and communication science and cognitive science.

Doctoral student's scientific work in the project

The relationship between IT and humans changes the conditions for organization and implementation of education. Not least in higher education, where the academy's flexible learning styles can be seen as a way of supporting lifelong learning with IT systems. Flexible learning involves developing and implementing learning concepts and offering opportunities to study in a different way than traditionally in higher education. Flexible learning is based on other strategies, methods and techniques for teaching, examination and evaluation, than traditional classroom teaching. This PhD student project focuses on flexible learning, more specifically how digitalization and access to information can affect and change higher education.

Possible study subjects may be:

- conceptualization of technology in flexible learning

- how design of IT has implications for learning, sharing knowledge and managing knowledge in flexible learning

- how infrastructure of IT systems in flexible learning environments affects the conditions of participation and learning

The dissertation work is aimed at developing knowledge about methods, models and design concepts to develop and organize an increasingly digitized education sector where flexible learning is increasingly focused.

Subject area: Informatics with specialization on work-integrated learning (WIL)

Research environment: The PhD student project will be conducted in close collaboration with other PhD students and researchers at West University Research Environment Learning in and for the new working life, LINA. For more information about the research environment, see: https://www.hv.se/en/research/learning-in-and-for-the-new-working-life/. The PhD student is expected to actively contribute to the development of the further research environment, which involves contributing to an intellectual climate and a living research environment through physical attendance at the workplace.

Terms of employment The doctoral program entails, apart from participation in the doctoral program’s courses and other activities, the conduction of an independent dissertation. As a doctoral student, most of the time is spent within the doctoral education program, although a doctoral student can, to a limited extent, also work with education and administration. Such work, can before the PhD degree is achieved, consist of a maximum of 20% out of fulltime work. This possible departmental duty will mainly be conducted within the discipline of Informatics.

Eligibility and entry requirements
In order to be admitted to the doctoral programme, you must fulfill the general eligibility requirements for doctoral degree programmes. This means that you must hold a degree at master's level and have completed a minimum of 240 university credits (or equivalent).

At least 60 credits must be at master's level (or equivalent). You must also fulfil the specific eligibility requirements for the doctoral programme. This means that you must hold 120 university credits in Informatics or other discipline with relevance for Informatics with specialisation Work Integrated Learning (WIL). At least 30 credits must be at master’s level. A thesis/independent research project of at least 15 university credits at master’s level, in Informatics or in other discipline with relevance for Informatics with specialisation Work Integrated Learning (WIL), is required. Knowledge may have been obtained within or outside the country. For more details about eligibility: See 3.1 and 3.2 of the General Study Plan for Postgraduate Studies in Informatics with Focus on Work Integrated Learning, No. 2015/1342 B 25: https://www.hv.se/forskning/till-dig-som-vill-bli-doktorand/arbetsintegrerat-larande/

Assessment criteria: Selection of the applicant must be done with regard to the ability to acquire research education and the ability to translate knowledge into practice in the field of institutional service. Assessment bases are found in 3.3 General study plan for postgraduate education in computer science with focus on work-integrated learning, No. 2015/1342 B 25.

Qualifications: The applicant must have a background in informatics or other subject relevant to informatics with a focus on work-integrated learning, such as one of the reference sciences (see the subject description) with a clear focus on information issues. Qualifications from computer science and media science are particularly interesting.

Duration: An appointment as a PhD student will be valid at the latest, but at the most time and no longer than one year after graduation. The first period of employment may take a maximum of one year. The employment may be renewed for no more than two years at a time. The employment corresponds to four years full-time studies for a maximum of eight years (Higher Education Ordinance 5 chap. 7).

Application is to be submitted electronically via the University West web-based recruitment tool, MyNetwork. Go to https://www.hv.se/en/meet-university-west/job-opportunities/

The application must consist of:

  1. "Idea Skiss": A text of approximately 2-4 A4 pages containing a description of the research interest and your particular qualifications for the employment in question.
  2. CV / Resume
  3. Master’s thesis/independent research project at advanced level
  4. Undergraduate and master’s degree transcript of records
  5. Recommendation letter and / or name of reference persons
  6. Other documents that the applicant wishes to submit, such as research-related texts (eg articles, reports, etc.) if available

Approved written languages for theses, certificates/diplomas of master’s degree, transcripts of records and other documents is Scandinavian languages and English, or translations to these languages. Translated documents should be accompanied by copies of the original documents.

The full application should be University West at hand by 2019-01-07.

The documents that cannot be sent digitally should be sent to:

Högskolan Väst
HR
461 86
Trollhättan
Sweden

Mark the application with ref.no: R 2018/280

Type of employment Temporary position
Employment expires 2014-02-28
Contract type Full time
First day of employment As soon as possible / By agreement
Salary Monthly pay
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Trollhättan
County Västra Götalands län
Country Sweden
Reference number 2018/280
Contact
  • Thomas Winman, Head of department, +4673-397 50 95, thomas.winman@hv.se
  • Lena Pareto, Docent in Informatics - AIL, +46520-22 35 28, lena.pareto@hv.se
  • Anna Sigridur Islind, Doktorandutskottet vid HV, +4670-555 19 85
Union representative
  • Magnus Andersson, OFR, +46520-22 31 93
  • Tobias Arvemo, SACO, +46520-22 35 05
Published 13.Nov.2018
Last application date 07.Jan.2019 11:59 PM CET

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