The present study examines the development of hypermedia comprehension of children in the upper grades of primary school. It will be explored how children go beyond their literacy skills in developing hypermedia comprehension abilities to enhance web-based learning. The present research includes a study which explores the strategies fifth-grade primary school children use in hypermedia comprehension (e.g. on the basis of eye-tracking data) (study 1), the learner characteristics which explain the individual variation in hypermedia comprehension (study 2), and an instructional design-based study which aims to develop and analyse an instructional sequence that supports hypermedia comprehension to enhance web-based learning (study 3). The scientific importance of the present project lies in the fact that the comprehension of hypermedia in children is not yet fully understood. It is by no means clear how children learn to understand the nonlinear structure of hypermedia.

The results of your studies will be presented at yearly international conferences and will be published in at least five international publications. Your publications will result in a doctoral dissertation.

Requirements
You have:

  • a Master’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience or Behavioural Science, Special Education, or another relevant discipline;
  • broad experience with quantitative research, outstanding methodological and analytical qualities;
  • experience with collecting and analysing eye-tracking data;
  • excellent writing skills (in Dutch and in English);
  • organizational talent, as well as independence and perseverance.

Organization
Radboud University Nijmegen is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. Situated in the oldest city of the Netherlands, it has nine faculties and enrols over 17,500 students in 107 study programmes.

The project will be embedded in the ‘Learning processes’ priority programme of the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI, http://www.ru.nl/socialewetenschappen/bsi/). This programme deals with the micro-analysis of learning processes. The BSI is a KNAW acknowledged research school that provides excellent research facilities and high-quality training for PhD students.

Website: http://www.ru.nl/fsw

Conditions of employment
Maximum employment: 0,8 fte
Maximum salary per month, based on a fulltime employment: € 2,612 gross/month
The gross starting salary is € 2,024 per month and will increase to € 2,612 (fourth year).
PhD Scale.
Duration of the contract: 5 years.

Additional conditions of employment
You will initially be appointed for 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If evaluated positively, the contract will be extended by 3.5 years.

Other Information
Job interviews are scheduled in June 2009, starting date of the project is September 1st 2009.

Additional Information
dr. Eliane Segers
Telephone: + 31 24 3615901, +31 24 3612822
E-mail: e.segers@pwo.ru.nl

Application
You can apply for the job (mention the vacancy number 24.11.09) before 31 May 2009 by sending your application -preferably by email- to:

Faculty of Social Sciences/P&O
P.O. Box 9104
6500 HE NIJMEGEN
E-mail: vacancies@socsci.ru.nl