Strengths of postgraduate research in continuing professional development for professional educationalists
The foundation upon which knowledge was provided in universities was a search for truth with four core beliefs. The first was to be critical of the self, the second to be respectful of others, the third to be tolerant of opposing views and the fourth to be committed to the generation of new knowledge. These principles may be found in curriculums of postgraduate research where leaders gain access to the thinking tools required for democratically engaging in civic work, working for social justice and raising standards in their educational communities. This may be achieved by critiquing different conceptualisations of truth while maintaining respect, tolerance and a commitment to the generation of new knowledge. Therefore leaders doing postgraduate research at a university engage with many conceptualisations of truth or discourses that are brought together in their postgraduate research curriculum. This positions the university as a connector of discourses and as such it is a site of public and moral debate that stands against the erosion of the public space where no political, cultural, cognitive or hegemonic discourse is protagonistic. This study examines these claims and reveals how postgraduate research has equipped two leaders to improve practice within their educational communities.