Evaluating the Impact of AI-Driven Conversational and Process-Based Learning on Domain Competence in GenAI-Enabled Education

About the Project

The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maynooth University are pleased to announce that a Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship in the department of Computer Science will be available for a suitably qualified and successful applicant intending to commence their PhD studies in September/October 2026.

Project Title: Evaluating the Impact of AI-Driven Conversational and Process-Based Learning on Domain Competence in GenAI-Enabled Education.

Supervisors: Dr Keith W. Maycock and Dr Aidan Mooney.

Value of Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Award

The award is fully funded for four years, commencing September/October 2026 and running to completion in September 2030. The following funding is available:

• Student stipend: €25,000 per annum
• Annual Tuition Fees Support

Duration of Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Award

The scholarship is awarded for four years of full-time study, subject to satisfactory annual academic progression.

Role of the Student

The project is organised around several tasks including the design, development, deployment, and evaluation of AI-driven conversational and process-based learning models within the STUDI platform. 1 The PhD duties will include:

• Working under the supervision of Dr Keith W. Maycock and Dr Aidan Mooney.
• Undertaking a systematic review of relevant literature in generative AI in education, learning analytics, human-AI interaction, process-based assessment, and Laurillard’s Conversational Framework.
• Designing and implementing process-based models for capturing and analysing student learning workflows in GenAI-enabled environments.
• Developing and evaluating pedagogically governed conversational AI agents within the STUDI platform.
• Taking responsibility, with training and supervision, for the collection, anonymisation, management, and analysis of learner interaction data, including research behaviours, workflow traces, and human-AI dialogue.
• Conducting empirical studies with students and/or professional learners to evaluate learning engagement, knowledge construction, critical thinking, responsible AI use, and domain competence.
• Developing adaptive feedback and intervention mechanisms to support real-time learning improvement.
• Preparing ethics applications and ensuring all research activity complies with institutional ethical requirements, GDPR, and responsible AI principles.
• Contributing to the deployment and evaluation of the research within higher education and, where appropriate, industry-based learning contexts.
• Preparing research outputs, including conference papers, journal articles, reports, presentations, and the final PhD thesis.

The study is subject to the terms and conditions of MU Doctoral Scholarships and must be completed in accordance with the requirements set out in the Research Student Programme Stages as outlined in the MU Regulations for Postgraduate Research Degrees.

Mode of Study

Awardees must be resident in Ireland and available to pursue their programme of research on a full-time basis at Maynooth University for four years. The successful candidate’s research programme will be under the general supervision of their nominated supervisor(s) who will specify study times, research times, vacation periods and other operational requirements. Awardees will normally be based on the Maynooth University campus and may only conduct research elsewhere with the permission of their supervisor and the Head of Department.

Full eligibility criteria can be found on our website.

All Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Awards are conditional on approval for registration by the University. All eligible candidates will be considered for open positions. Applicants may be shortlisted for interview and, if so, will be contacted directly by the Department. Late applications will not be considered.

Informal queries can be sent to keith.maycock@mu.ie

Closing Date: Please apply by 5pm on 1st July 2026.

Please submit applications directly to: Dr Keith Maycock at keith.maycock@mu.ie. Please title the subject of your email application as ‘Doctoral Scholarship - Department of Computer Science and FSE 2026’