Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Digital Transformation for Teaching and Learning in Education (1 year)
Job Details
Job Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Digital Transformation for Teaching and Learning in Education
Job ID: 6645
Reference Number: 2315
Company: University of the Free State (UFS)
Department: Curriculum Studies and Higher Education
Faculty: Faculty of Education
Location: Bloemfontein Campus, Free State
Employment Type: Contract
Contract Duration: 1 year, renewable for up to 3 years, subject to satisfactory performance
Occupational Level: Temporary
Annual Fellowship Value: R270,000
Additional Research Funding: R30,000
Commencement Date: 1 March 2027
Closing Date: 31 January 2027
Supervisor: Professor Thuthukile Jita
Job Description
The University of the Free State invites applications from suitably qualified doctoral graduates for a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Digital Transformation for Teaching and Learning in Education.
The fellowship is based in the Department of Curriculum Studies and Higher Education within the Faculty of Education. The successful candidate will participate in a transnational research project investigating the role of digital technologies in teaching and learning across different educational sectors.
The research will examine how digital transformation affects schools, teachers, learners, lecturers, students, institutional practices and educational development. The fellow will contribute to innovative research, curriculum development, digital pedagogy and the advancement of technology-enhanced teaching and learning.
This opportunity is ideal for researchers interested in pursuing an academic career while gaining further experience in research, innovation, collaboration and community engagement within a higher education environment.
Key Responsibilities
Conduct innovative research in technology integration, digital transformation in education, curriculum innovation and digital pedagogy.
Investigate curriculum implementation, digital literacy and the development of digital competencies.
Produce at least three scholarly publication outputs annually, such as DHET-accredited journal articles, books or book chapters.
Collect and analyse empirical data on educational developments and innovative teaching strategies in schools associated with the Faculty of Education.
Investigate the use of educational technologies in schools and pre-service teacher preparation.
Participate in limited co-teaching activities within Teacher Education and Teaching Practice programmes, where appropriate.
Provide limited supervision or co-supervision of Honours, Master’s and doctoral students, where appropriate.
Prepare and present research papers at seminars, conferences and other academic events.
Participate in collaborative research, project reporting and dissemination activities.
Support the preparation of future research proposals and the development of sustainable research partnerships.
Register and reside at the University of the Free State as a postdoctoral research fellow.
Participate in relevant activities organised by the School of Postgraduate Studies and the Directorate of Research.
Minimum Requirements and Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
Doctoral qualification: A PhD in Education specialising in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), or a related field.
Relevant specialisation: Preference is given to candidates with expertise in Curriculum Studies, Higher Education, Educational Technology, Digital Learning or a related discipline.
Graduation period: The doctoral degree must have been obtained within the last five years.
Research commitment: Applicants must be willing to undertake full-time research at the University of the Free State.
Residential requirement: Successful candidates must be able to relocate to the university for the duration of the fellowship.
Campus attendance: The successful candidate must spend 80% of the postdoctoral fellowship period at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.
Employment restriction: Successful applicants may not hold full-time salaried employment during the fellowship.
Nationality: Applications are open to both South African and foreign nationals.
Preferred Skills and Additional Advantages
Candidates with the following experience and skills will have an added advantage:
Experience designing, collecting and analysing quantitative research data.
Expertise in mixed-methods research.
Proficiency in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Research experience in digital learning, educational technology and curriculum innovation.
Experience in postgraduate student supervision.
A strong academic publication record and demonstrated research potential.
Ability to collaborate with researchers and contribute to academic projects.
Fellowship Value and Funding
Annual fellowship: R270,000.
Additional research expenses fund: R30,000.
Duration: Initially one year, renewable for up to three years, subject to satisfactory performance.
Renewal requirements: Renewal beyond the first year depends on satisfactory performance and submission of an annual progress report.
The additional research funding is intended to support research-related expenses.