Young children’s engagement with television and related-media in the digital age

• Principal Supervisor: Professor Jackie Marsh, School of Education, University of Sheffield
• Co-supervisor: Dr Rebecca Parry, School of Education, University of Leeds

The student will be registered at the University of Sheffield.

This ESRC-funded studentship is a collaboration between CBeebies and the Universities of Sheffield and Leeds.

The proposed study will focus on young children’s engagement with television in the digital age. In recent years, children’s television consumption has become firmly embedded in anintertextual, multimedia network in which programmes can be watched on-demand across a range of media platforms, some transportable, and children can engage in play with products/artefacts/sites related to the programmes in offline and online contexts.

There is a need to understand how children’s television viewing is undertaken in this complex media landscape. In addition, there is a need to identify what factors influence children’s choices as they move across channels and platforms and how their viewing patterns change at key transition points in their lives: for example, starting nursery or school.

The objectives of the study are to …

1. identify television-viewing patterns of 3-6 year-olds
2. examine the relationship between children’s television viewing and their engagement with other media, digital technologies and related texts and artefacts
3. analyse the transitions in children’s programme and channel choices and related activities over time and at key points: for example, the move from nursery to primary school
4. identify the implications of the findings for CBeebies programme development, the children’s media industry, parents and early years educators.

The project will involve a mixed-methods study involving a large-scale survey of parents of children aged from 3 to 6 and qualitative case studies of a small group of children across this age group as they consume television and related media in the home over an extended period of time.

The study will focus on families from economically and socially disadvantaged communities, given the lack of research in this area. The successful student will have an opportunity to undertake a two-week internship at CBeebies at MediaCityUK, Salford in order to develop knowledge about the children’s television industry.

How to apply

Applicants must have an upper second-class UK honours degree or equivalent and a Masters degree in a relevant subject area.

Applicants should submit the following documents to MPhil-PhD@sheffield.ac.uk.

• A CV.
• A personal statement indicating how your qualifications, experienceand research interests make you a suitable candidate for this scholarship.
• Full transcripts of previous undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications including Grading System and IELTS/TOEFL Certificate.
• A piece of academic writing, such as an essay, dissertation or article.
• Two academic references.

Closing date

• 15 March 2013

Interviews will be held on Monday 8 April 2013 at CBeebies, MediaCityUK, Salford. Any travel costs incurred are to be met by the applicant.

Further information

The School of Education at the University of Sheffield is part of the ESRCWhite Rose Doctoral Training Centre.

The successful applicant will be a member of the Centre for the Study of Literacies.

• Centre for the Study of Literacies

The successful applicant will have her/his PhD fees paid at the appropriatelevel for three years and will also receive an annual stipend equal in value to the ESRC standard maintenance award (£13,726 in 2013-14) over this period.

Any queries should be directed to Professor Jackie Marsh at j.a.marsh@sheffield.ac.uk. Successful candidates will be notified by the end of April at the latest.

Those who qualify are eligible for a 10 percent tuition fee bursary. The alumni bursary can be awarded in conjunction with other University of Leeds scholarships and awards as the 10 percent bursary is calculated based on the net fee remaining.

If you are thinking of continuing your studies to postgraduate level, we would love for you to stay with us.

• More information about the Alumni Bursary

Unfortunately we are only permitted to submit one application; therefore the Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI) and Research and Innovation Services (RIS) have put in place a process to select the applicant to be supported for submission.

A summary of the main points of the call can be found in the Call Specification:

• ESRC Transformative Research Scheme Call Specification

Full details of the call and the criteria under which it operates is attached and can also be found at the ESRC website:

• http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/23831/latest-opportunity-4.aspx

If you wish to be considered for support, please complete the attached expression of interest form and return it to Rachel Woolley (r.l.woolley@leeds.ac.uk) by 12:00 noon on the 18^th December.

Following receipt a panel, chaired by Ian Kirkpatrick (Director of LSSI) and the relevant Pro-Deans for Research and Innovation, will select the supported application.

Results of the internal process will be known w/c 7^th January, giving applicants two weeks to prepare their two page application for ESRC (the information you need to provide on the internal form is based upon the information required by ESRC).

If you are interested in finding out more about the call and the internal process, RIS will be running a briefing session on 3^rd December at 13:00 in 1.05 Business School (Maurice Keyworth).

See Lunchtime Conversation Series – Strategies and Challenges for Interdisciplinary Research Projects – an event on 28 November 2012 to discuss ideas for interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary grand challenges.

Are you a social science post graduate researcher?

Are you interested in working in a research capacity in a local organisation?

Do you want an opportunity to deliver social scientific research which makes a distinctive societal contribution?

The seminar series, Digital Methods as Mainstream Methodology, is funded by the ESRC as part of the National Centre for Research Methods’ Networks for Methodological Innovation.

The seminar series consists of three events that will bring together researchers from a range of disciplines and career stages to…

• map out, engage with and advance current debates in digital methods
• showcase a cross-disciplinary range of contemporary social science research projects that effectively and innovatively utilise digital methods
• and identify future roles for such methods within the mainstream of social science research.

The Network team recognise the role of doctoral students in developing methodological innovations in digital research and, as such, view their contribution to mapping out future directions as particularly important.

The seminar series is geographically dispersed across the country, taking place in Bristol (the University of the West of England), London (The British Library), and Manchester (the University of Manchester).

Bursaries will pay for travel and attendance at all three events (at a maximum of £300 across the series).

Eligibility Criteria

• Attendance at all three events is expected (dates are still being decided but events are likely to take place in July 2012, December 2012 and March 2013).
• Applicants must be PhD students based in the UK.
• Applicants must be familiar with, and have expertise in, the use of digital technologies and social media.

Successful applicants will be expected to do the following…

• Contribute to the planning of the events in the seminar series.
• Contribute to the creation and maintenance of social media sites used to publicise and disseminate information about the seminars (Twitter, Facebook, Storify, YouTube).
• Live tweet each of the seminar sessions (using a dedicated hash-tag).
• Use Storify to create a story of each event, combining their experiences and comments with those of others.
• Conduct a brief summary interview with keynote speakers which will be posted on the hub website and YouTube.

To apply

Please send us your application (using not more than one side of A4, single line spacing, and 12 point font) outlining what you will contribute and gain from participating in the seminar series, as well as describing your relevant experience and expertise. 

Applications should be accompanied by a CV. Deadline for applications is 30 April 2012. Email s.d.roberts@soton.ac.uk and yvette2.morey@uwe.ac.uk to apply or for further details.

Following two highly successful events in 2010 and 2011, we are now organising the third seminar which will be held at  The University of Leeds on Thursday July 5 2012.

The previous seminars included representatives from universities across the Yorkshire region. This will be an exciting opportunity to meet other doctoral students and academics involved in research in Social Work and Social Care. 

You will have the opportunity to present on your own research, to hear other students and academic researchers present their work and to meet with fellow students and researchers to share ideas and experiences.

In previous years, postgraduate research students have been closely involved in organising and planning the event.

If you – or any of your colleagues – would like to be involved in a planning group for this event, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

To indicate your interest, please contact: David Saltiel at d.saltiel@leeds.ac.uk

Application requirements and deadlines are detailed within each advert.

We have a number of  placement opportunities available for postgraduate research students from across the social sciences. 

The short term placements are with local organisations in the voluntary, third and public sectors, with students undertaking a 13 week placement for 10 hours per week from April 2012. 

The scheme will enable social science researchers to work with a wide range of organisations, undertaking policy relevant research and developing the research skills within the organisation.

Placement Opportunities

1. Project Title: ‘Identifying funding sources and synergies available for Skill Will to be rolled out successfully throughout the UK’ with Skill Will: Skill Will Ltd LSSI PGR Placement 2012
2. Project Title: “Assessment of Leeds businesses engaging in the community investment agenda” with Business in the Community: Business in the Community LSSI PGR placement scheme 2012
3. Project Title: ‘Illuminating Independent Living (Shared Lives)’ with The Avalon Group Charity: Illuminating Independent Living LSSI PGR Placement 2012
4. Project Title: ‘Life Coaching in Education’ with Choices Life Coaching: Choices Life Coaching LSSI PGR Placement 2012
5. Project Title: “Exploring and scoping the possible use of SROI or other tools for assessing social impact of activities’”with the Leeds Christian Community Trust: Leeds Christian Community Trust placement for 2012 LSSI PGR placement scheme
6. Project Title: “Service Needs Analysis” with re’new: re’new 2012 LSSI PGR placement scheme final
7. Project Title: “Internal Communications Audit” with Communisis: Communisis Project PGR placement scheme 2012
8. Project Title: “Making recruitment more inclusive”with The Clear Company: Clear Company UoL Template PGR placement scheme 2012
9. Project Title: “The Implementation of Policy Change in Relation to Child Protection Conferences” with Leeds City Council: Leeds Childrens Services Child Protection LSSI PGR Placement
10. Project Title: “The Impact of Implementing Restorative Processes in Leeds Children’s Services” with Leeds City Council: Leeds Childrens Services LSSI Placement Scheme 2012
11. Project Title: “The incentives and disincentives to drug use within HMP Leeds” with Her Majesty’s Prison Service: HMP LSSI PGR Placment Scheme
12. Project Title: “Potential audiences and effective methods of engagement for the arts and cultural activity at The Orangery” with Beam: BEAM advert for LSSI PGR placement scheme 2012
13. Project Title: “Measuring the effectiveness of the Welcome to Leeds project” with the Refugee Education Training Advice Service: RETAS advert for LSSI PGR Placement Scheme 2012
14. PROJECT AWARDED:  Project Title: “Community Development Project” with Activ8:  Activ8 Community Development Project Leeds Social Sciences Institute PGR placement 2012
15. PROJECT AWARDED: Project Title: “Increasing agility within an extended manufacturing supply network” with Rotork: Rotork LSSI PGR placement scheme 2012
16. PROJECT AWARDED:  Project Title: “Work Life-balance and the next generation of Business Leaders” with an Inspirational Journey: An Inspirational Journey LSSI PGR placement scheme 2012
17. PROJECT AWARDED: Project Title: “An Assessment of the Impact of Policy Change on Probation Staff and Resources” with West Yorkshire Probation Trust.  WYPT advert for LSSI PGR Placement Scheme 2012
18. PROJECT AWARDED: Project Title: “Development of English Language Teaching” with the British Council: British Council LSSI PGR Placement Scheme 2012
19. PROJECT AWARDED: Project Title: “Assessing the Social Impact on African Diaspora Companies and Communities related to newly formed Supply Chains for Imported Agricultural Produce” with Activ8: Activ8 International Project Leeds Social Sciences Institute PGR placement 2012
20. PROJECT AWARDED: Project Title: “New migrants’ experiences of statutory services in the North of England” with Migration Yorkshire: Migration Yorkshire LSSI PGR placement scheme 2012
21. PROJECT AWARDED: Project Title: “Chapeltown CAB Social Policy Project” with Chapeltown Citizens Advice Bureau: Chapeltown CAB advert for PGR placement scheme 2012

For further details about the placements currently available, please contact Kathryn Kemp on k.r.kemp@leeds.ac.uk

‘Public interest law’ is defined broadly as any legal work conducted on behalf of individuals and/or causes on the basis of individual or group concepts of justice, equity and the public good, rather than for purposes of commercial or personal gain.

Eligibility

• A student is eligible to apply if s/he is currently enrolled in a law undergraduate degree at the University of Leeds for the academic year 2010/11.  Preference will be given to students returning to Leeds following their internship or placement.
• Applicants must provide evidence that they have been given a firm offer of a work placement/internship with an organisation engaged in the practice of public interest law and that, subject to funding, they are in a position to take up the award.  If by the application deadline, the applicant has not yet received confirmation of an offer, s/he needs to show that s/he has applied for a position and then, if successful, the money will be released when the applicant has provided evidence of a confirmed offer.
• With their consent, we will publish the names and placements of successful applicants on the School of Law website and may seek to publish this information in other relevant publications of the University of Leeds.
• On conclusion of the placement or internship the successful applicant will be required to write a short report (1,000 to 2,000) words which will be provided to the donor for stewardship purposes.  This report must be provided within 6 weeks of the completion of the internship and (with the permission of the applicant) may be published on the School of Law website.
• Awards are only valid for 12 months from the date on which they are offered.  No awards will be made retrospectively for internships/placements that have already been completed.  No award may be deferred except in exceptional circumstances as determined by the Access to Justice Internship Awards Panel.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be applied when considering each application:

• Suitability of applicant to the internship/placement intended to be undertaken with regard to background and experience;
• Benefit to applicant’s professional development and a possible future career in public interest law by undertaking the internship/placement;
• Ability of the applicant to demonstrate a commitment to public interest legal work;
• Genuine financial need for the Internship Award to assist with taking up the internship evidenced by:
  • student is receiving Leeds Bursary or Leeds, Robert Ogden or Skipton Building Society Scholarship; and/or
  • student has spent significant periods in public care.

Application process

Download the application form – MS Word .doc

Download the application form – PDF

• Every applicant must complete an application form by 15 June 2011. Shortlisted candidates will be notified that they are invited for interview by 22 June 2011. Interviews will be held on 27 June 2011.
• The application form must be completed fully. It must include contain the names of two referees (including email address and telephone number). It must include by way of an annex, evidence of an offer of an internship/placement or evidence that an application has been made and the decision is pending. The annex must provide information about the internship/placement that the applicant proposes to undertake.
• All applicants must be able to demonstrate a genuine financial need for the award. The purpose of the award is to enable students to undertake unpaid or poorly paid internships/placements related to public interest law. While this award may be held in conjunction with other scholarships, bursaries, awards and grants, all applicants must include details of any other alternative funding sources that might be available to them over the duration of the internship, including both received funding and pending applications.
• Applications will be way of application form and proof of internship documentation only. No other supporting documentation will be accepted, including CVs.
• Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by the Access to Justice Internship Awards Panel, comprising the Head of School, Director of Learning and Teaching, and Access to Justice Project Leader on 27 June 2011.
• Successful applicants will be notified by email and announced on the School of Law website by 1 July 2011.
• Communication with applicants will be by email, unless applicants state a preference or need for another method of communication on their application form.

Decision-making

The decision as to which applicants will be granted an award will be made in accordance with the published criteria. In assessing the applications, the Panel will abide by equal opportunities principles.

Conditions of awards

• The award is based on students working 280 hours over a minimum of 8 weeks over the summer. The maximum award is £2800. Pro-rata awards based on fewer hours may be made in exceptional circumstances. Travel and other expenses up to a maximum of £400 will be reimbursed where supported by receipts. The money will be paid directly to successful applicants before the work is completed. Failure to meet the 280 hours over 8 weeks requirement for any reason may result in the applicant being required to repay the amount for which they were ineligible.
• Successful applicants must provide a written report (between 1,000 and 2,000 words) within 6 weeks of the end of the internship, summarising and reflecting on the experience.
• A University approved partnership agreement e.g. the Tripartite Agreement will be completed and signed by the student, a named representative of the University and a representative of the Placement Provider, and returned to the University prior to the placement beginning.

Initially, the scheme was aimed at research and lecturing staff employed by the University of Leeds and we have now extended the scheme to postgraduate students. Further opportunities will be available in the future via the new White Rose Doctoral Training Centre.

We have a number of PGR placement opportunities available with local organisations in the voluntary, third and public sectors, on a 13 week placement for 10 hours per week, beginning between 1 and 28 April 2011, to address their research needs.

Further Information

• Development of Chapeltown CAB’s Social Policy Plan
  with Chapeltown Citizen’s Advice Bureau (10 hours per week for 13 weeks from May 2011)
• Evaluation of the Impact of Getaway Girls
  with Getaway Girls (10 hours per week for 13 weeks from May 2011)
• The Impact of the 2010 Spending Review on Public Services in Leeds
  with Leeds City Council (2 days per week for 13 weeks from April 2011)
• Evaluation of the Impacts of Community Impact Programmes
  with Business in the Community (2 days per week for 13 weeks from April 2011)
• Project Related Work and Policy Analysis
  with JUST WEST YORKSHIRE (2 days per week for 13 weeks from April 2011)
• Chapeltown Global Village Market
  with Chapeltown Development Trust (2 days per week for 13 weeks from April 2011)
• To research and scope out a model for effective measurement of the social outcomes of re’new’s activities
  with re’new ( 3 months from April 2011)
• Needs in Leeds
  with Leeds Community Foundation (2 days per week for 13 weeks from April 2011)

For further details about the placements currently available, please contact Sophia Kennedy on s.kennedy@leeds.ac.uk