[xmca] Fwd: [COGDEVSOC] postdoctoral position in mathematical thinking, learning & instruction

[mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com>]

*
IES Post-Doctoral Training Grant*

Mathematical Thinking, Learning, and Instruction

*Wisconsin Center for Educational Research • University of Wisconsin-Madison
*

*Dear Colleague*: We are pleased to announce a new postdoctoral training
grant in mathematical thinking, learning and instruction.



*Our Vision*

There is a clear and recognized need for well-trained mathematics education
researchers who are able to conduct scientifically based qualitative and
quantitative research that addresses immediate and long-term questions about
the efficacy of educational programs and policies, and who can provide an
empirical basis for future designs of curricula, assessments, instruction,
and learning environments. With funding from the US Department of
Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), we now offer a two-year
interdisciplinary, postdoctoral training program, situated at the University
of Wisconsin–Madison, which aims to increase postdoctoral capacity to
conduct rigorous research in the topic area of mathematics education. The
program provides recent graduates opportunities to experience a range of
methods, including those from curriculum & instruction seeking to learn
quantitative methods that support causal inference, as well as psychologists
and other social scientists seeking to conduct studies in natural settings
and collect, analyze, and interpret process-level data. The training program
emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the mathematics education
research opportunities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It addresses
broad research interests, including: Exploratory research, basic processes
in learning and instruction, development and innovation, efficacy and
replication, and measurement.

*Program Details*

We frame the postdoctoral experience in terms of project-based learning by
anchoring the training in ongoing, funded research on mathematics education.
The program also offers our postdoctoral fellows individualized experiences
created in collaboration with a mentoring committee including: research
methods courses, campus colloquia, and independent research and supervised
grant writing projects designed to match the needs of individual
participants. The training grant Mentoring Team includes:

·       *Mitchell J. Nathan*, director of the training program, professor of
Educational Psychology, studies the development of algebraic reasoning and
uses of standard and invented abstract and concrete representations for
thinking, learning and teaching in mathematics, engineering and STEM
settings from cognitive, social and embodied perspectives.

·       *Eric Knuth,* professor of Mathematics Education, focuses on the
meaningful engagement of students in mathematical practices such as
justification and proof in algebra and geometry, and the design of
curriculum and instruction that fosters increasingly sophisticated forms of
engagement in such practices.

·       *Amy Ellis*, assistant professor of Mathematics Education, studies
students’ reasoning, particularly as it relates to mathematical
generalization, justification, and proof; the development of algebraic
thinking; and the ways in which quantitative reasoning supports students’
mathematical understanding.

·       *David Kaplan*, professor of Educational Psychology, focuses on
quantitative methods such as Bayesian latent variable models and the problem
of causal inference in non-experimental settings. He serves on the
Questionnaire Expert Group for OECD/PISA.

·       *Martha W. Alibali*, professor of Psychology, studies mechanisms of
knowledge change in the development of children’s mathematical reasoning,
and the role of visual scaffolding (including gestures, diagrams, and other
inscriptions) in instructional communication.

·       *Charles Kalish*, professor of Educational Psychology, studies
inductive inference and categorization, focusing on intuitive statistical
reasoning in adults and children; learning from examples in mathematics and
non-mathematics domains; and the pragmatics of teaching and learning.

Further details are available at our website, http://iesPostDoc.wceruw.org.

*How to Apply*

We seek highly qualified applicants who have earned a doctorate degree in
mathematics education, psychology, learning sciences, or related areas. The
positions carry a stipend of $50,000 per year plus health insurance coverage
and support for professional travel. Review of applications is ongoing and
will continue until the positions are filled.  The starting date is
negotiable. Applicants should be US citizens or permanent residents. Please
send (a) a letter that summarizes your research experiences, areas of
interest and identifies a primary and secondary mentor from among the
program team; (b) curriculum vitae; and (c) two publications or manuscripts
to IESPostDoc@wcer.wisc.edu. Also arrange for three letters of reference to
be sent directly to the same email address with the applicant’s name in the
subject line. If you require further information, please do not hesitate to
contact the director and PI, Mitchell Nathan, mnathan@wisc.edu, 608-263-0563
.
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