de Lissa PhD Scholarships
Be at the forefront of early childhood literacy research.
Applications
are now open for two PhD scholarships to engage in early childhood
literacy research. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to:
- undertake high-calibre research around children's language and literacy in the early childhood years (0-8 years)
- work with Professor Pauline Harris, world-renowned researcher and educator in early years language and literacy development and education
- be part of the highly regarded de Lissa Institute of Early Childhood and Family Studies Research Centre.
Project scope
Today in Australia, early childhood education is at an important crossroads with the advent of its first national curriculum guidelines for the prior-to-school years, the Early Years Learning Framework, and the Australian Curricula in English, Mathematics, Science and History. In this new national context and with a focus on children's language and literacy in 0-8 years range, and relationships between research, policy and practice, important issues are raised:
- The nature, appropriateness and efficacy of early childhood language and literacy programs framed by these new national imperatives
- Language and literacy transitions as children move between their home and educational contexts, and from prior-to-school to early school years settings
- Pedagogies and transitions related to the experiences of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in these new policy contexts
- Place of play-based pedagogies in literacy programs in prior-to-school and early school year settings
- Literacy partnerships and initiatives with children's parents/caregivers.
Applications for two de Lissa PhD scholarships are invited from those interested in engaging in the highest quality research tailored to focus on one of these broad areas of concern. The successful applicants would be working with Professor Pauline Harris, the Lillian de Lissa Chair, Early Childhood (Research), as their Principal Supervisor. Successful applicants will be based on the Magill campus of the University of South Australia.
Successful applicants would tailor a specific research project within one of these areas of concern listed above. The research projects would be sensitive to engaging children's voices to gauge children's perspectives inherent in each study; and be interested in examining the contexts in which children engage and learning, calling upon case study and ethnographic research techniques inter alia to do so. Developing familiarity with and critical analysis of related research and policy documents would be an essential part of these projects.
The
scholarships have been made available through the Lillian de Lissa Trust Fund as
a partnership between the University of South Australia (UniSA) and the South
Australian Department of Education and Children's Services.
Value
$30,000 per year for three consecutive years
Eligibility
These
scholarships are available for Australian and New Zealand citizens and
permanent residents of Australia.
Criteria
Essential
An applicant for a place in a Doctor of Philosophy program must satisfy the Research Degrees Committee of competence to undertake a higher degree by research by:
- holding or being eligible to hold from an
approved higher education institution an award in an appropriate
discipline which is assessed by this University as being
equivalent to:
- an Honours degree or a Bachelors degree with honours of at least class 2a standard
- an appropriate Masters degree
OR
- holding such other qualifications as are acceptable to the Research Degrees Committee - in such cases the applicant must satisfy the Research Degrees Committee of fitness to undertake advanced work on the basis of the standard of achievement in, and the relevance of, previous higher education studies, and professional experience or published research work.
Desirable
- University qualifications in early childhood education
- Professional experience in early childhood education
Contact and how to apply
Interested applicants should contact Professor Pauline Harris for initial discussions before submitting their applications online
Professor Pauline Harris
The Lillian de Lissa Chair, Early Childhood (Research)
University of South Australia and SA Department of Education &
Children's Services
Email:
pauline.harris@unisa.edu.au
Closing date
Closing date for applications is Tuesday 14 June 2011.
Links
Scholarships calendar