Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Psychology at the University of Sheffield

Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Psychology at the University of Sheffield

This is one of many projects in competition for the current funding opportunities available within the Department of Psychology

Project title: Learning Analytics on Big Data

Primary supervisor: Dr Tom Stafford

Project description: I have access to large existing data sets which contain the potential to show skill development on real-world tasks for large numbers of people (i.e. n>1,000,000 in domains of chess and online maths education). Using theory from the cognitive science of learning and advanced statistical models we will test theories of what makes learning most effective. The ambition will be to design more effective learning practices. You will finish this PhD with a deep understanding of the psychology of learning and a skill set encompassing state-of-the-art open-source analytics tools.

Stafford, T. & Dewar, M. (2014). Tracing the trajectory of skill learning with a very large sample of online game players. Psychological Science, 25(2) 511-518.

Start date: 1 October 2016

Requirements: Applicants must have, or expect to obtain, a minimum of a first class or high upper second-class honours degree in psychology or a related discipline. In general awards are usually made to applicants with first class undergraduate degrees and/or at least a merit at masters level.

For further details and the application process please visit: www.sheffield.ac.uk/psychology/prospectivepg/funding

Closing date for applications is 5pm Tuesday, 2 February 2016