Two Postdocs in Computational Empowerment for Emerging Technologies in Education

In collaboration with the Center for Computational Thinking and Design, the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies, Aarhus University, invites applications for two fully funded two-year postdoc positions in computational empowerment for emerging technologies in education, funded by VILLUM FONDEN and It-vest.

• The Project
  Computational Empowerment is an emerging field of research that focuses on how, with a deeper understanding of technology and computation, citizens – especially children and adolescents – can engage actively in the design and use of digital technology to support their personal agency in a digitalised society. We are interested in learning activities that take into consideration design, computational thinking, digital making and critical reflection and that understand how diverse users and user contexts as well as the societal impact of emerging digital technology can contribute to computational empowerment. The successful applicants will build on participatory design research, social and qualitative research, and child-computer interaction and conduct experimental design research in Danish secondary schools to develop a human-centred framework for computational empowerment for emerging technologies in education.
  
  
• Research
  The postdocs will work on the research project Computational Empowerment for Emerging Technologies (CEED). CEED is a four-year research project exploring and building new practices of computational empowerment for emerging technologies in Danish secondary education. CEED addresses the core question: How do we empower coming generations to understand the complexity and impact of digital technology and become co-creators of our digitalised society of the future? (See description here: https://cctd.au.dk/projects/ceed-project/)

Postdoc 1

The first postdoc should build on current social and design research and conduct ethnographic and experimental design research in Danish primary and secondary schools to develop a framework for computational empowerment. Within the CEED framework, the postdoc will work with specific focus on Project 1: Principles for Designing and Learning with Emerging Technologies (see: https://cctd.au.dk/projects/ceed-project/ for description) and include a special focus on human-centred themes of diversity, responsibility and sustainability. In addition, the postdoc will be involved in the daily management and planning of the CEED project at Arts.

Postdoc 2

The second postdoc should build on current social and design research and conduct ethnographic and experimental design research in Danish primary and secondary schools to develop a framework for computational empowerment. Within the CEED framework, the postdoc will work with a specific focus on Project 4: Qualities and Criteria for Evaluating Digital Design Literacy in Education (see: https://cctd.au.dk/projects/ceed-project/ for description) and include a special focus on human-centred themes of diversity, responsibility and sustainability. In addition, the postdoc will be involved in the daily management and planning of the CEED project at Arts.

• Supervision
  
  The positions may involve supervision as agreed upon with the head of the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies and the leader of the Center for Computational Thinking and Design.
  
  

• Qualifications
  
  Applicants must have a PhD degree or must document equivalent qualifications in child-computer interaction, interaction design, participatory design or a similar field, as well as strong theoretical and methodological background in participatory, ethnographic and experimental research. Applicants must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• An outstanding and innovative doctoral dissertation (or the equivalent) in an area related to and relevant for the project
• Experience of collaborative research projects at the intersection between academia, education and industry
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, in order to engage productively both within the research team and with external organisations and institutions.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document

• Excellence in research through publications in international journals and conference proceedings within child-computer interaction, participatory design and social research
• Research experience in qualitative research and design with/for children
• Time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institution

The ability to understand Danish in written and oral form; otherwise, the successful applicant will be required to attain proficiency in Danish within the first 6-12 months of the position.

As part of their application, applicants should provide a research statement describing their ideas for the research they will conduct as postdoc and explain how their research relates and contributes to the thematic research frame of the Computational Empowerment for Emerging Technologies (CEED) project. Please keep these statements to a maximum of three pages.

• Work environment

Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. In order to maintain and develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. See Family and work-life balance for further information.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU.

• International applicant?

International applicants are encouraged to see Attractive working conditions for further information about the benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see Taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

About the Department and the Center

The Department of Digital Design and Information Studies is one of the strongest academic IT environments in Europe and attracts visiting scholars and PhD students from all over the world. We focus on information technology as a feature of people’s everyday lives and futures. As a result, we have a strong connection between theory and practice and play a role in a great number of national and international collaborations. Read more on the department’s website.

The Center for Computational Thinking and Design (CCTD) is a new interdisciplinary center at Aarhus University. The center collaborates closely with the School of Communication and Culture, the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Management as primary actors. The vision for the center is to develop further the research and educational perspectives on basic IT competencies – “21st century learning skills”. This work is ongoing and focuses on all levels of education in Denmark, from primary education to university level curriculum. This work calls for new perspectives on IT education within programming, digital fabrication, digital innovation, design studies, and digital methodology (among others). The center works with these perspectives across educational contexts within the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is a part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments and diverse activities on its website.