PhD Position in Sociology of Education

Do you have a background in quantitative methods and an interest in the topic of educational inequality? Are you enthusiastic about the opportunity to be part of a larger team and develop and conduct mixed methods research on teacher beliefs and selection practices in primary education?

The Institutions, Inequalities and Life courses research group at the Department of Sociology of the University of Amsterdam is looking for a PhD candidate. The PhD candidate will become member of the team working on the project “Making or breaking the class ceiling: growth-affording teacher beliefs and practices in a selective school system”, and will work in close collaboration with and under the supervision of Dr Sara Geven and Prof Thijs Bol.

Job/Project description

In the Netherlands, students are sorted into different educational programs (i.e., ability tracks) in secondary school. Anticipating upon this selection, this project focuses on how primary school teachers (may) already sort pupils into ability groups before this formal selection moment. For instance, some primary schools may use ability-based instruction groups for subjects like mathematics or reading. There is still a limited understanding of the prevalence of such informal selection practices, and their impact on (inequality in) educational outcomes in Dutch primary education. In this project we study how teachers’ growth-affording beliefs about pupils relate to selection practices and, eventually, pupils’ educational outcomes. Selectionpractices may relate to teachers’ beliefs about whether academic ability and talent are innate or can be developed through effort. In the second part of the project, we examine whether an intervention can enhance (growth-affording) beliefs and practices among teachers. Moreover, we wish to examine whether this intervention can enhance equal learning opportunities, by studying if it may (particularly) enhance the educational outcomes of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. To do so, we look at the beliefs and performance (growth) of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

This PhD project is part of a larger project funded by the NRO, called “Making or breaking the class ceiling: growth-affording teacher beliefs and practices in a selective school system”. For this larger project, one other PhD candidate will be employed at the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Amsterdam who will work on selection practices in secondary education. The current project will employ a mixed methods design for which different data sources will be used. First, we will collect interview data to map how teachers in primary education sort students into different ability groups before the formal moment of selection into secondary ability tracks takes place, and what beliefs underlie these practices. Second, we rely on quantitative student data that are already collected. Third, we will develop and implement an intervention study on teacher beliefs and their effects on (inequality in) educational outcomes. Given the Dutch context where the interviews will be done and the intervention will be implemented, there is a strong preference for a candidate who masters the Dutch language.

What are you going to do

In this position you will:

• contribute to the design and collection of interview data on selection practices in primary education;
• analyze secondary data on selection practices in education using quantitative methods;
• help with the design and implementation of an intervention focused on the mindsets of teachers, and study its effects;
• independently do research and write academic articles;
• assist with administrative tasks and project management;
• be involved in teaching in the BA programme of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam (10% of the working time).

What do you have to offer

We are looking for a candidate with the following credentials:

Essential

• a completed (Research) Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., sociology, educational sciences, (developmental) psychology). The degree must have been obtained by the employment starting date;
• excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• oral and written proficiency in Dutch;
• command of advanced quantitative research methods, as well as the willingness to further develop these skills;
• command of interview methods, or the willingness to further develop these skills;
• independent thinking and critical analytical skills;
• ability and willingness to collaborate in a diverse team with partners outside of academia too;
• ability to finish the dissertation in time: i.e. strong skills in project management, flexibility, a proactive approach;
• willingness to live in, or within a commuting distance from, Amsterdam for the duration of the contract.

Desirable

• theoretical expertise in the field of inequality in education;
• experience with collecting interview data.

What can we offer you

The position concerns temporary full-time employment of 38 hours per week (1,0 fte). The initial employment term will be for one year, with a probationary period of two months. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of three years (for a total duration of four years), which should result in the conferral of a doctorate.

Your salary will be €2,770 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3,539 in the final year, based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week as per Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. For this position the University Job Classification profile ‘promovendus’ applies. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

Because we value your continued personal development and professionalisation, we also offer excellent opportunities for study and development. You will follow a curriculum with other AISSR PhD candidates, and will be able to join the ICS-Graduate School. You will also have the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international conferences and workshops. You will be tasked with teaching Bachelor's students.

What else do we offer

• a position in which initiative and input are highly valued;
• the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in a dynamic and vibrant environment in which you will also engage with people in the field;
• the opportunity to conduct a research visit abroad;
• financial support for academic conferences and summer schools;
• the opportunity to follow a wide range of graduate courses in social sciences and research methods;