scholarly journals Exploring the Value of Doctoral Study in College-based Higher Education: A Practitioner Perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Davis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Doctoral Study ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Analysis Of Narratives ◽  
The Way

This paper takes the form of an ‘on the horizon’ piece, presenting the outcomes of a small pilot research activity that sought to explore the value of doctoral research undertaken by four practitioners employed in College-based Higher Education. (CBHE) The paper reflects on the thematic analysis of narratives provided through loosely structured interviews that sought the participants’ perceptions of the value of their doctoral journey from aspiration to actualisation. The outcomes of the research activity are considered in the context of a range of literature that explores the value and impact of doctoral study. The discussion is widened by the consideration of references made by participants as to the way in which their experience could have been further enhanced through different forms of organisational engagement. The paper concludes by drawing together themes from the research that could be supported by a wider study of doctoral researchers in CBHE.

scholarly journals Enhancing the roles of information and communication technologies in doctoral research processes

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. Stein ◽  
Kwong Nui Sim
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Formal Learning ◽  
Doctoral Study ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
The People ◽  
Information And Communication

Abstract While information and communication technologies (ICT) are prominent in educational practices at most levels of formal learning, there is relatively little known about the skills and understandings that underlie their effective and efficient use in research higher degree settings. This project aimed to identify doctoral supervisors’ and students’ perceptions of their roles in using ICT. Data were gathered through participative drawing and individual discussion sessions. Participants included 11 students and two supervisors from two New Zealand universities. Focus of the thematic analysis was on the views expressed by students about their ideas, practices and beliefs, in relation to their drawings. The major finding was that individuals hold assumptions and expectations about ICT and their use; they make judgements and take action based on those expectations and assumptions. Knowing about ICT and knowing about research processes separately form only part of the work of doctoral study. Just as supervision cannot be considered independently of the research project and the student involved, ICT skills and the use of ICT cannot be considered in the absence of the people and the project. What is more important in terms of facilitating the doctoral research process is students getting their “flow” right. This indicates a need to provide explicit support to enable students to embed ICT within their own research processes.

scholarly journals Dynamics in higher education choice: weighing one’s multiple interests in light of available programmes

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 1001-1021
Author(s):  
Jonne Pieter Vulperhorst ◽  
Roeland Matthijs van der Rijst ◽  
Sanne Floor Akkerman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Choice Theory ◽  
High School Seniors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Feed Forward ◽  
Education Choice

Abstract Recent studies have shown that students’ interests are decisive in making a substantiated higher education choice, yet do not indicate how students decide which interests they aim to pursue. This study aimed to find the considerations students have when weighing interests and higher education programmes. Thematic analysis was applied to uncover considerations based on semi-structured interviews with 20 Dutch high-school seniors. Students weighed their interests from an interest-to-programme perspective (contrasting interests and deciding which is most important for their future) and from a programme-to-interest perspective (evaluating how possible programmes reconcile with one’s interests). By applying both perspectives simultaneously, students dynamically considered which programmes and interests they wished to pursue. These findings imply that higher education choice theory and studies should acknowledge that the programmes and interests students consider are dependent on the feed forward of the considered interests on programmes and the feed back of considered programmes on interests.

Philosophy and politics in higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-306
Author(s):  
Nurdiana Gaus
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Geographical Region ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Truth Telling ◽  
Women Academics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Indonesian Government ◽  
Truth Teller ◽  
The Way

Purpose The purpose of this paper, which is drawn on Indonesian academic women’s experiences, is to examine the extent to which the aesthetics of existence or true life of women academics in relation to the truth telling, played out within the interaction between philosophy and politics, is affected by the application of NPM in research and publication productivities, and the way in which women academics are voicing their opinions toward this issue. Design/methodology/approach In total, 30 women academics across two geographical region (east and west) universities took part in this research, sharing their perceptions and the way they criticize this policy to the audiences (Indonesian government), framed within the concept of parrhesia (truth telling), parrhesiastes (truth teller) of Foucault and the pariah of Arendt. Findings Using semi-structured interviews, this research finds that women academics in Indonesian universities have shown discursive voices and stances to the extent to which they agree and oppose this policy, showing the patterns similar to those of parhesiastes and pariah. The implication of this study is addressed in this paper. Originality/value This research, via the lenses of Parrhesia and Pariah, finds several kinds of philosopher roles of women academics in Indonesian universities, such as apathetic philosophers or depraved orators and Schlemihl figure of Pariah, and Parrhesiastic philosophers of Socrates and a conscious figure of Pariah.

scholarly journals Internationalisering og progression

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (17) ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Lisanne Wilken ◽  
Hanne Tange
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
International Programs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
University Professors ◽  
Continuous Education ◽  
Student Progress ◽  
Internationalization In Higher Education ◽  
The Way

I Danmark har vi traditionelt tænkt universiteternes femårige kandidatuddannelser som sammenhængende forløb, hvor den studerende gradvist opbygger en stadig mere specialiseret viden inden for et givet fagområde. Denne idé om progression er i de senere år blevet udfordret fra flere sider. Især er progressionsidéen blevet diskuteret i forhold til tværfaglige uddannelsesforløb, men også de mange internationale uddannelser, der etableres, udfordrer den måde, hvorpå vi traditionelt har forstået progression i det danske uddannelsessystem. På internationale kandidatuddannelser finder vi nemlig typisk både studerende, for hvem kandidatuddannelsen er en forlængelse af en grunduddannelse, og studerende, der har taget deres grunduddannelse et andet sted og muligvis endda i et andet fag. I denne artikel undersøger vi, hvordan undervisere på kandidatuddannelser som både er tværfaglige og internationale forholder sig til progression. Artiklen er skrevet på baggrund af semistrukturerede interviews med undervisere fra tværfaglige, internationale uddannelser ved Aarhus Universitet.University programs in Denmark have traditionally been perceived as a continuous education consisting of three years of basic education followed by two years of specialization within the same discipline. This idea is now being challenged on several fronts. For instance, it is becoming more common for Danish universities to offer interdisciplinary master programs. Also, the trend for greater internationalization in higher education means that programs can attract students from outside Denmark, and these students often come from different academic backgrounds. To investigate how these changes are affecting the way professors who teach on interdisciplinary international masters programs conceive student progress, we carried out semi-structured interviews with teachers on international programs at Aarhus University, the second largest university in Denmark. The article summarizes their opinions and distinguishes In this article we explore how Danish university professors teaching at interdisciplinary international master programs at Danish universities reflect on progression in education. The article distinguishes between different forms of progression.

scholarly journals How does storytelling within higher education contribute to the learning experience of early years students?

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 162-184
Author(s):  
Sarah Flanagan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Professional Group ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Group Culture

Background and rationale. Reading stories telling stories is a familiar practice within primary education; furthermore there is recognition that stories are used within higher education. This study seeks to understand how storytelling within higher education contributes to the learning experience of early years students. It is anticipated that a deeper understanding of stories and storytelling in this context will lead to a greater appreciation of this resource and its enhanced use. Design/methods. A qualitative methodology was used. The participants included 45 early years students. All students involved in the study were employed as early years workers contributing to the care and education of children aged 0–5. Semi structured interviews and non-participant observations were completed to collect the data and thematic analysis was used in its interpretation. Findings. Participants saw multiple contributions of story and storytelling including the facilitation of learning, the enhancement of reflective practice and the reinforcement of professional/group culture. Story and storytelling provided opportunities for relaxation, entertainment and had a significant social impact. Certain activities encouraged storytelling and the most engaging stories were those that the listener could relate to

scholarly journals “Everything is so different...”

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
Institutional Policy ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
African Countries ◽  
African Students ◽  
Financial Difficulties

In the scope of higher education internationalisation, Portuguese universities have been receiving an increasing number of students from Portuguese-Speaking countries, namely African countries, at the level of PhD studies. As highlighted in research, pursuing a PhD in an overseas context entails critical challenges for students, supervisors and higher education institutions. Against this background, this paper reports on the challenges faced by international African students attending a PhD programme in Education at a Portuguese university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven students and results from thematic analysis show that the main challenges relate to language, integration into a different pedagogical/academic culture, adaptation to a different research culture, loneliness/homesickness and financial difficulties. Implications of findings for institutional policy and practice are put forward.

The impact of role identity on student expectations

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Davis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Peer Relations ◽  
Role Identity ◽  
Student Expectations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Student Role ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the viewpoint that student role identity, its dimensions and salience, impact strongly on student expectations of college-based higher education (CBHE) within the UK. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on doctoral research undertaken within the context of CBHE in the UK and is further supported through engagement with a range of pertinent literature. Findings – The paper suggests ways in which the individually constructed student role identity may impact on the expectations of the experience of CBHE. In so doing, the paper highlights the way in which expectations of higher education recursively influence, and are influenced by, perceptions and actions played out from within the student role. Research limitations/implications – The empirical research, from which the paper draws its theme, was undertaken in one large institution. The author recognises that a wider, longitudinal study would be beneficial in recognition of the diversity of provision in the CBHE sector. Practical implications – The paper proposes that greater awareness of the way in which students construct and moderate their perceptions and understandings of studenthood would be beneficial to a range of strategic considerations, such as promotional information, partnership activity, peer relations and the nature of pedagogies and learning architectures. Social implications – The paper foregrounds the political remit of CBHE as a progression route for “non-traditional” students, and considers the varied understandings of the meaning of the student role adopted by students attending colleges. Engagement with issues of multiple roles, identity salience and variable role porosity highlights social and pyschosocial issues faced by many such students. Originality/value – The paper considers role identity in the context of Kurt Lewin’s conceptualisation of life space and uses this framework to highlight issues that may face students and colleges in raising awareness of student expectations. It challenges the homogenous conceptualisation of the term “students” through consideration of the psychic state at a given moment in time.

scholarly journals Exploring the Experience of Anxiety Among Final Year Students at University: A Thematic Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catroina Keane ◽  
Daniel Waldeck ◽  
Andrew Holliman ◽  
Simon Goodman ◽  
Kubra Choudhry
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Female Undergraduate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Shared Experience ◽  
Undergraduate Study ◽  
Perceived Pressure

The transition from undergraduate study to a postgraduate career can be an anxiety provoking experience for many students. In this study, we explore the shared experience of five “anxious” undergraduate students as they transition from higher education towards their postgraduate careers. Using a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five female undergraduate students from different courses at a UK university. A thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes: perceived pressure without sufficient support, and concerns about next steps. The findings suggested the final year is emotionally demanding, and students felt as though there was a lack of provision to manage their transition to postgraduate work or study. Possible implications for policymakers are detailed and areas for research are discussed.

scholarly journals Learning Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Through Real Business Projects

2020 ◽  
pp. 215-242
Author(s):  
Lucy Hatt
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Real World ◽  
Political Change ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Threshold Concepts ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
The Way

Abstract Enterprise and entrepreneurship are widely regarded as important for economic, social and political change, and higher education (HE) institutions are seen as appropriate places to develop entrepreneurial competencies. This chapter describes an experiential, real world approach to entrepreneurship education in HE known as ‘Team Academy’ and suggests a complementary conceptual grounding to the accepted curriculum using candidate entrepreneurship threshold concepts and pedagogical approaches identified from doctoral research. Four case studies taken from the two oldest and largest UK Team Academy programmes illustrate the approach and highlight the way in which an understanding of a selection of candidate entrepreneurship threshold concepts have been successfully developed in the students.

Strategies for Developing Soft Skills Among Higher Engineering Courses

2021 ◽  
pp. 002205742110164
Author(s):  
Fernando Almeida ◽  
José Morais
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Evaluation Methodologies

This study aims to explore how higher education institutions respond to the challenge of incorporating soft skills into their curricula. It employs a mixed-methods approach in which the quantitative analysis of the disciplines addressing this issue is complemented by a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with four higher education institutions in Portugal. The findings indicate that although the number of subjects specifically addressing soft skills is small, there is a growing concern to incorporate soft skills in pedagogical and evaluation methodologies in each course. Several challenges, good practices, and future perspectives are also explored in this work.

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