scholarly journals The PhD Journey at Addis Ababa University: Study Delays, Causes and Coping Mechanisms

10.28945/4744 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 319-337
Author(s):  
Getnet Tizazu Fetene ◽  
Wondwosen Tamrat
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Opportunity Costs ◽  
Archival Data ◽  
Addis Ababa University ◽  
And Coping

Aim/Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the rate of delay, explanatory causes, and coping strategies of PhD candidates at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia’s premier university, over the last ten years. Background: Delayed graduation is a common theme in doctoral education around the world. It continues to draw the concern of governments, universities, and the candidates themselves, calling for different forms of intervention. Addressing these challenges is key to resolving the many obstacles into doctoral education. Methodology: Ten-year archival data consisting of 1,711 PhD students and in-depth interviews with ten PhD candidates were used as data-generation tools. The data collection focused on progression patterns, reasons for study delays, and the coping mechanisms used by doctoral students when they face challenges. While the candidates were interviewed to narrate their lived experience pertinent to the objectives of the study, the archival data regarding the PhD students were collected from the Registrar Office of the University under study. Contribution: Amid an ongoing global debate about best practices in doctoral education, the research on study delays contributes not only to filling the existing empirical gap in the area but also in identifying factors, for example, related to financial matters, family commitment, and student-supervisor rapport, that help address the challenges faced and improving the provision of doctoral education. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that the cumulative average completion time for a PhD study was 6.19 years— over two years more than the four years given as the optimum duration for completing a PhD program. The institutional pattern of delays over the last ten years indicates that doctoral students are requiring more and more years to complete their PhDs. The study further revealed that completing a PhD in time is a process that can be influenced by many interacting factors, which include student commitment and preparation, favourable academic and research environment, and positive student-supervisor rapport. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is important for practitioners and higher education institutions to find ways to improve the on-time completion of doctoral programmes in order to minimise the continued financial, emotional, and opportunity costs the higher education sector is currently incurring. Recommendation for Researchers: The fact that this study was limited to a single institution by itself warrants more studies about time-to-degree in PhD programs and causes for study delays as well as studies about successful interventions in doctoral education. Future research should particularly explore the nature of the advisor/advisee relationship and other critical factors that appear to have a significant role in addressing the challenges of study delay. Impact on Society: The expansion of PhD programmes is an encouraging development in Ethiopia. The findings of this study may help improve completion rates of doctoral students and reduce program duration, which would have significant implication to minimise the ensuing financial, emotional, and opportunity costs involved at individual, national, and institutional levels. Future Research: Given the growing number of universities in Ethiopia and their possible diversity, PhD students’ profiles, backgrounds, and expectations, more research is needed to examine how this diversity may impact doctoral students’ progression and persistence.

scholarly journals Perspectives on Historically Marginalized Doctoral Students in the United States and South Africa

10.28945/4210 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cultural Frameworks ◽  
Higher Education Internationalization ◽  
Doctoral Experience

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the 2019 issue of the International Journal of Doctoral Studies, Volume 14] Aim/Purpose: This work expands discussions on the application of cultural frameworks on research in doctoral education in the United States and South Africa. There is an emphasis on identifying and reinterpreting the doctoral process where racial and cultural aspects have been marginalized by way of legacies of exclusions in both contexts. An underlying premise of this work is to support representation of marginalized students within the context of higher education internationalization. Background: Decades of reporting provide evidence of statistical portraits on degree attainment. Yet, some large-scale reporting does not include representation of historically marginalized groups until the 1970’s in the United States, and the 2000’s for South Africa. With the growth of internationalization in higher education, examination of the impact of marginalization serves to support representation of diversity-focused discussions in the development of regional international education organizations, multilateral networks, and cross-collaborative teaching and research projects. Methodology: Qualitative research synthesis of literature focused on a dimensional framework of diversity provides a basis for this discussion paper regarding the potential of Sankofa as a cultural framework for examining the historically marginalized doctoral experience in the United States and South Africa. Contribution: A major contribution of this work offers critical questions on the use of cultural frameworks in doctoral education in the US and South Africa and broader dynamics of higher education internationalization. Findings: Sankofa reveals critical insight for reinterpretation of the doctoral process through comparison of perspectives on the historically marginalized doctoral experience in the United States and South Africa. They include consideration of the social developments leading to the current predicament of marginalization for students; awareness of the different reporting strategies of data; implementation of cultural frameworks to broaden the focus on how to understand student experiences; and, an understanding of the differences in student-faculty relationships. Recommendations for Practitioners: Recommendations for practitioners highlight the application of cultural frameworks in the development and implementation of practical strategies in the support of historically marginalized doctoral students. Recommendations for Researchers: Recommendations for researchers consider the application of cultural frameworks in the development of scholarship supporting historically marginalized doctoral students within a global context. Impact on Society: Intended outcomes for this work include increasing awareness about historically marginalized doctoral students. Recommendations are focused on improving their academic and career experiences in the United States and South Africa with global implications for this student population. Future Research: Future research should consider the application of cultural frameworks when examining the historically marginalized doctoral experience within global, national, and local contexts.

scholarly journals “There’s a Human Being Here”: A Doctoral Class Uses Duoethnography to Explore Invisibility, Hypervisibility, and Intersectionality

10.28945/4658 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 637-652
Author(s):  
Annemarie Vaccaro ◽  
Chiquita Baylor ◽  
Desiree Forsythe ◽  
Karin Capobianco ◽  
Jana Knibb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Post Secondary

Aim/Purpose: This paper contributes to the scholarly literature on intersectionality and social injustice (invisibility, hypervisibility) in higher education and serves as a model for enacting doctoral education where research, theory, and practice converge. Background: Invisibility and hypervisibility have long been documented as social injustices, but very little literature has documented how doctoral students (who are also university employees) make meaning of intersecting privileges and oppressions within post-secondary hierarchies. Methodology: This study used a 10-week Duoethnography with co-researchers who were simultaneously doctoral students, staff, instructors, and administrators in higher education settings. Contribution: This paper offers a unique glimpse into currere—the phenomenon of theory and practice converging—to offer an intensive interrogation of life as curriculum for five doctoral students and a professor. Findings: This paper illuminates rich meaning-making narratives of six higher educators as they grappled with invisibility and hypervisibility in the context of their intersecting social identities as well as their varied locations within post-secondary hierarchies/power structures. Recommendations for Practitioners: Duoethnography can be an effective strategy for social justice praxis in doctoral programs as well as other higher education departments, divisions, or student organizations. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can use Duoethnography to explore a plethora of social justice issues in doctoral education and across staff, faculty, and Ph.D. student experiences within the power structures of post-secondary education. Impact on Society: Examining intersectionality, invisibility and hypervisibility is an important way to delve into the complexity of oppression. There will be no justice until all forms of oppression (including hypervisibility and invisibility) are extinguished. Future Research: Future research can more deeply explore social injustices and the intersections of not only social identities, but also social locations of doctoral students who are simultaneously employees and students in a university hierarchy.

scholarly journals Stressors and coping mechanisms of older adults teaching in higher education institutions in Manila

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-58
Author(s):  
Elmer G. De Jose
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Correlation Method ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
And Coping

This study explored the stressors and coping mechanisms of older adults, 60 years old and over, who teach in three state higher education institutions in Manila, Philippines. Descriptive correlation method of research was employed. One hundred eighty-eight were randomly selected from the roster of 356 target participants. The Older Adults Life Stress Inventory was used to identify the severity of stressors as experienced by the respondent senior professionals for the past 3 years along the areas of physical, health, social, family, occupational and financial domains. The Coping Strategy Inventory Short Form 32 was used to determine typical coping strategies that involve problem-solving, cognitive restructuring, express emotions and social contact. Tests of correlation, however, revealed that all the six stressors areas have a significant positive correlation with problem avoidance, wishful thinking, self-criticism and social withdrawal (p < 0.01). Multiple regression analyses disclosed that older adult men have a greater preponderance to experience stressors than older adult women   Keywords: Older adult professionals, stressors, coping mechanisms, physical-related stressors, health-related stressors, social-related stressors, family-related stressors, occupational stressors, financial stressors.

scholarly journals Doctoral Students’ Academic Engagements in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia: Nature, Sources, and Challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yekoyealem Desie ◽  
Belay Tefera
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Utrecht Work Engagement Scale ◽  
Addis Ababa University ◽  
Relational Concerns ◽  
Pour Cent ◽  
Engagement Scale

Doctoral education cultivates thinkers and researchers. This study investigated the engagement of 67 doctoral students conveniently sampled from different departments of Addis Ababa University. Engagement was operationalised in terms of vigour, dedication and absorption in academic activities and measured by the adapted Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for students (UWES-S). Qualitative data were also gathered to explore the sources and challenges of engagement. The results show that 62.7 percent of these doctoral students reported an average level of engagement and that there were no differences in terms of gender and feld of study. The need for professional growth, a sense of contribution, social recognition, and improved employability and income were found to be important sources of engagement. Inadequate research funds, poor facilities, extended coursework, difculty balancing family and academic responsibilities, and relational concerns with supervisors were the major challenges of engagement. La formation doctorale permet de cultiver des penseurs et des chercheurs. Cette étude analyse l’engagement d’un échantillon de 67 doctorants issus de différents départements de l’Université d’Addis Ababa. L’engagement des doctorants a été mesuré en termes de vigueur, de dévouement et de participation dans des activités académiques, en adaptant la « Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students » (UWES-S : Echelle d’engagement au travail d’Utrecht pour les étudiants). Des données qualitatives ont aussi été collectées pour explorer les sources de cet engagement et les défs qui y sont liés. Les résultats montrent que 62.7 pour cent de ces doctorants font preuve d’un niveau d’engagement moyen et qu’il n’y a pas de différence entre les genres et les domaines d’études. Le besoin de se développer professionnellement, le sentiment de contribuer, la reconnaissance sociale, et les perspectives d’emploi et de hausses de salaires sont d’importantes sources d’engagement. Des fnancements insufsants pour la recherche, de mauvais équipements, une charge de cours accrue, le difcile équilibre entre responsabilités familiales et académiques, et des inquiétudes liées à la relation avec le directeur de thèse sont les principaux problèmes faisant obstacle à l’engagement.

scholarly journals A Theoretical Perspective on How Doctoral Supervisors Develop Supervision Skills

10.28945/4446 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 721-739
Author(s):  
Katherine Fulgence Swai
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Supervision Process ◽  
Doctoral Supervision

Aim/Purpose: The paper establishes how doctoral supervisors develop the supervision skills needed to handle the doctoral supervision process in the contemporary world. Background: While the existing literature confirms that PhD holders can supervise doctoral students, there is a need to provide supporting evidence that the skills they possess qualify them to do this. Methodology: Using the qualitative research approach, the study established the knowledge and skills that are needed to supervise doctoral students in the contemporary world. Through thematic analysis of 82 scholarly publications, the study established, in order of preference, five mechanisms through which doctoral supervisors develop supervision skills, i.e. the supervision process, doctoral education, institutional guidelines, institutional training courses and individualized learning. Contribution: The study contributes to the ongoing research on the supervision of doctoral studies in the 21st century. Findings: Findings show that a well-structured doctoral education, including the related processes, imparts the knowledge and skills needed for doctoral supervision. Likewise, a combination of the mechanisms and an individual’s commitment, in terms of time and engagement, develop the skills that are relevant for doctoral supervision. Recommendations for Practitioners: Higher Education Institutions need to make supervisors aware of the potential of these mechanisms for developing the skills necessary for doctoral supervision and encourage them to use them Recommendation for Researchers: Further research on the development of doctoral supervision skills should broadly consider the role of different programmes in developing doctoral supervision skills in different contexts. Impact on Society: The study has implications for doctoral supervisors and universities as regards the need to ensure that both mechanisms are instituted to enable doctoral supervisors to develop doctoral supervision skills. Future Research: Since the study was done theoretically, it might be important to conduct further research using mixed-methods research with a phenomenological design to establish the skills possessed by doctoral supervisors and the mechanism they used to develop the supervision skills in any context.

scholarly journals Perceptions After Completing the Degree: A Qualitative Case Study of Select Higher Education Doctoral Graduates

10.28945/4572 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 305-327
Author(s):  
Meredith L Conrey ◽  
Gene Roberts, Jr. ◽  
Melissa R Fadler ◽  
Matias M Garza ◽  
Clifford V Johnson, Jr. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Doctoral Degrees ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Professional Goals ◽  
Education Administrators

Aim/Purpose: Limited research exists on the perceived value that a doctoral degree has on higher education administrators’ goals; therefore, this collective case study had two purposes. The first was to assess qualitatively the perceptions of four doctorate-holding higher education administrators to explore the potential value associated with their degrees, and the second was to determine whether they perceived that their degree attainments influenced the achievement of their professional goals, if at all. Background: Understanding goal attainment and the value associated with obtaining a doctoral degree is important to recognize the needs of doctoral students and to inform how to support degree-seeking professionals in achieving their professional goals. Building upon the conceptual model of doctoral value, as defined by Bryan and Guccione (2018), the researchers also utilized Becker’s (1964) human capital theory as the framework for understanding the perceptions of select administrative professionals who have completed their doctoral degrees in higher education. Methodology: Because this was a collective case study, four doctorate-holding higher education administrators were selected, through convenience sampling, to engage in a formal semi-structured face-to-face interview. Interview responses were evaluated using ethnographic analysis (i.e., domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, and componential analysis). Contribution: Findings from this research can be used to better understand the perceptions of graduates who earned a doctoral degree in education, particularly with an increase in the number of doctoral degrees in that field. The results from this study align with findings from previous studies. Findings: The ethnographic analysis of the data indicated that the administrators perceived their doctoral degree as a way to advance professionally (e.g., career opportunities and research publication) and as a way to improve personally (e.g., increased confidence and becoming a role model). Two domains emerged: attainment of goals and perceptions of doctoral degree value. The taxonomic analysis revealed that the attainment of goals included personal and professional goals. Lastly, the componential analysis led to the discovery of nine attributes associated with obtaining a doctoral degree. Recommendations for Practitioners: Administrators in higher education degree programs should understand the needs of their students while they are participating in doctoral studies. By knowing what doctoral students expect to gain after obtaining a doctoral degree, doctoral-program administrators might consider tailoring courses and support programs to meet doctoral student needs. Recommendation for Researchers: Additional longitudinal studies should be undertaken to understand better how doctoral graduates view the value of their degree many years later. Do their perceptions change over time, or are they solidified? Impact on Society: With an increasing number of individuals obtaining doctoral degrees in higher education, departments, colleges, and universities need to understand whether graduates find that their degree has been useful. Because there is a demand for agencies to emphasize skills and work-related training, the perceived value of the degree can inform policymakers on changes in curriculum and programming to increase the perceived value of the doctoral degree. Future Research: Future research should expand upon the number of students who are interviewed, and students in other academic programs may be interviewed to understand similarities and differences. Longitudinal studies should be conducted to understand if the perception of degree value changes over time.

scholarly journals Re-envisioning Doctoral Mentorship in the United States: A Power-Conscious Review of the Literature

10.28945/4735 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 237-252
Author(s):  
Genia M. Bettencourt ◽  
Rachel E. Friedensen ◽  
Megan L Bartlett
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Direct Applicability ◽  
Important Form ◽  
The U.S

Aim/Purpose: Multiple barriers exist within doctoral education in the United States that can undermine the success of students, particularly for students with marginalized identities. While mentorship can provide an important form of support, it must be done in an intentional way that is mindful of issues of equity and power. Background: By applying a power-conscious framework to current practices of doctoral mentorship in the U.S., we propose key considerations to help support doctoral students and shift power imbalances. Methodology: As a scholarly paper, this work draws upon a comprehensive review of existing research on doctoral mentorship in the U.S. Contribution: As a relatively recent development, the power-conscious framework provides an important tool to address issues of inequity that has not yet been applied to doctoral mentorship to our knowledge. Such a framework provides clear implications for mentorship relationships, institutional policies, and future research. Findings: The power-conscious framework has direct applicability to and possibility for reshaping doctoral mentorship in the U.S. as well as elsewhere. Each of the six foci of the framework can be integrated with research on doctoral students to help formal and informal mentors enhance their practice. Recommendations for Practitioners: Throughout our analysis, we pose questions for mentors to consider in order to reflect upon their practice and engage in further exploration. Recommendation for Researchers: Research on doctoral mentorship should explicitly engage with broader dynamics of power, particularly as related to understanding the experiences of marginalized student populations. Impact on Society: The demanding nature of and precarity within U.S. doctoral education leads to high rates of departure and burnout amongst students. By re-envisioning mentorship, we hope to begin a broader re-imagining of doctoral education to be more equitable and supportive of students. Future Research: To examine these claims, future research should explore doctoral student mentorship relationships and how power dynamics are contained therein both within the U.S. and in international contexts.

ICT Integration Efforts in Higher Education in Developing Economies

2011 ◽  
pp. 152-176
Author(s):  
Dawit Tibebu ◽  
Tridib Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Solomon Negash
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Institutional Support ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Ict Integration ◽  
Addis Ababa University ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Teaching Learning

A situational modified version of Tearle’s model (2004) is utilized in this study to understand the integration of ICTs in the educational process. The study evaluated self efficacy beliefs, institutional support and policy in the context of developing economies where challenges of inadequate resources and insufficient skills persist. We assess the state of affairs, and the challenges faced by teachers and management at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The results show that educators are generally appreciative of ICTs role in the teaching/learning process. [Article copies are available for purchase from InfoSci-on-Demand.com]

scholarly journals Lessons in Resilience: Initial Coping Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather R Fuller ◽  
Andrea Huseth-Zosel
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Proactive Coping ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Design And Methods ◽  
Psychological Coping

Abstract Background and Objectives In addition to increased physical health risks, older adults may also experience risks to their mental health and social well-being due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Yet, older adults may be uniquely able to cope given their life experiences and coping mechanisms. This study explores older adults’ coping experiences and strategies during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Design and Methods A Midwestern sample of 76 older adults aged 70–97 years completed a phone interview about their experiences with social distancing due to COVID-19. Interviews were conducted during the early weeks of regional social distancing (March 28–April 20, 2020). Participants rated their level of perceived coping and responded to open-ended questions about their daily life and coping. Results Mean perceived coping level (on a scale from 1 to 10) was 7.9, with 87% of participants rating their coping positively. Primary themes that emerged included (a) staying busy, (b) seeking social support, and (c) having a positive mindset. These emotion-focused coping strategies appeared adaptive in the early weeks of the pandemic for most older adults. Discussion and Implications Contrary to predominant messaging about the vulnerability of older adults, these findings highlight the resilient nature of older adults in terms of their psychological coping and adaptability during COVID-19. Future research should build upon these findings to better understand and promote late-life coping during crises. Practitioners should seek to support older adults’ engagement in such proactive coping, and social policies should be developed to acknowledge the variable needs of older adults.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document