Studentship -Better together: Multi-sensory social intervention to improve spatial skills in primary education

Spatial skills underlie how humans acquire, represent, organise, and navigate the environment; mentally manipulate objects; and communicate information about objects and environments to others, and therefore are fundamental building blocks of STEM. Previous research demonstrated the benefits of training children in verbal and numerical skills as a group, while such practice of spatial skills is absent.

Although high variability and sex differences in children’s spatial skills and interest in science are well-established, previous training programs failed to address them. It was shown that low-achievers are more responsive when training relies on social interactions.

This studentship builds on prior basic research to develop a novel social educational intervention to strengthen spatial skills and science-interest in Key-Stage 1 children, while focusing particularly on engaging girls and children from disadvantageous socioeconomic backgrounds. You will be working as part of the world-first ToddlerLab team at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, (CBCD), Department of Psychological Sciences at Birkbeck. The ToddlerLab is a brand-new facility equipped with cutting-edge technologies aimed at investigating the neurocognitive development in toddlers. You will have a key role in organising and setting up one of the first studies at the ToddlerLab. In collaboration with Dr Ossmy and Prof Tolmie, and additional project staff, you will play a central role in organising, managing and supporting testing as part of the project.

Graduates with a good first degree and/or master's degree in psychology, education, neuroscience, or other relevant sciences are encouraged to apply. Applicants with an interest and aptitude for child development and quantitative methods are encouraged to apply. Knowledge, understanding or interest in educational processes or intervention would also be an advantage. You should be comfortable with with handling and operating state-of-the-art technology, and using code in a statistical language (e.g. RStudio) or scripting (e.g. Matlab, Python) language.

To apply, please follow the online application process for the full-time Psychology PhD at Birkbeck , clearly stating your interest in the ‘Bloomsbury PhD Studentship’ with Dr Ossmy.

Please use the supporting statement in the application to outline why you are applying for this project, and why you are a suitable candidate for it.

Further details can be obtained from https://bloomsbury.ac.uk/better-together-multi-sensory-social-intervention-to-improve-spatial-skills-in-primary-education/ or from Dr Ori Ossmy (ori.ossmy@bbk.ac.uk)

The project will in the academic year 2023/24 (October 2023). The studentships cover Home PhD tuition fees and a stipend for up to three years. Applicants from outside the UK may apply for this project. However, they will need to find means to cover the difference between the home tuition fees and the overseas through other sources.

Closing date for all applications is March 8th, 2023

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