| 1. |
- Schmidt, Manuela, 1978-, et al.
(author)
-
“I didn’t want to be a troublemaker” – doctoral students’ experiences of change in supervisory arrangements
- 2022
-
In: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 2398-4686 .- 2398-4694. ; 13:1, s. 54-73
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeDuring the lengthy process of PhD studies, supervisory changes commonly occur for several different reasons, but their most frequent trigger is a poor supervisory relationship. Even though a change in supervisors is a formal bureaucratic process and not least the students’ rights, in practice it can be experienced as challenging. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how doctoral students experience a change in supervisory arrangements.Design/methodology/approachThis study highlights the voices of 19 doctoral students who experienced at least one supervisory change during their doctoral studies.FindingsThe findings were structured chronologically, revealing the students’ experiences prior, during and after the changes. In total, 12 main themes were identified. Most of the interviewed students experienced the long decision-making processes as stressful, difficult and exhausting, sometimes causing a lack of mental well-being. However, once the change was complete, they felt renewed, energized and capable of continuing with their studies. It was common to go through more than one change in supervisory arrangements. Further, the students described both the advantages of making a change yet also the long-lasting consequences of this change that could affect them long after they had completed their PhD programs.Originality/valueThe study fulfills an identified need to investigate the understudied perspective of doctoral students in the context of change in supervisory arrangements. A change in the academic culture is needed to make any changes in supervisory arrangements more acceptable thus making PhD studies more sustainable.
|
|
| 2. |
- Schmidt, Manuela, et al.
(author)
-
“I didn’t want to be a troublemaker” – doctoral students’ experiences of change in supervisory arrangements
- 2022
-
In: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 2398-4686 .- 2398-4694. ; 13:1, s. 54-73
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: During the lengthy process of PhD studies, supervisory changes commonly occur for several different reasons, but their most frequent trigger is a poor supervisory relationship. Even though a change in supervisors is a formal bureaucratic process and not least the students’ rights, in practice it can be experienced as challenging. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how doctoral students experience a change in supervisory arrangements.Design/methodology/approach: This study highlights the voices of 19 doctoral students who experienced at least one supervisory change during their doctoral studies.Findings: The findings were structured chronologically, revealing the students’ experiences prior, during and after the changes. In total, 12 main themes were identified. Most of the interviewed students experienced the long decision-making processes as stressful, difficult and exhausting, sometimes causing a lack of mental well-being. However, once the change was complete, they felt renewed, energized and capable of continuing with their studies. It was common to go through more than one change in supervisory arrangements. Further, the students described both the advantages of making a change yet also the long-lasting consequences of this change that could affect them long after they had completed their PhD programs.Originality/value: The study fulfills an identified need to investigate the understudied perspective of doctoral students in the context of change in supervisory arrangements. A change in the academic culture is needed to make any changes in supervisory arrangements more acceptable thus making PhD studies more sustainable.
|
|
| 3. |
- Wao, Hesborn, et al.
(author)
-
Encouraging social innovation for combating poverty : Master's students’ gendered experiences with a service-learning intervention in Kenya and Uganda
- 2022
-
In: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. - 2398-4686. ; 13:2, s. 171-187
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose – This study aims to understand master’s students’ experiences of service-learning, following their participation in a workshop with local social innovators whose activities had contributed to combating poverty in East Africa and to determine how this participation affected work on the students’ theses. The authors also explored possible gender differences in this context. Design/methodology/approach – The study was based on pretest–posttest mixed methods research design. Data were collected from master’s students within the social sciences and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, respectively, in Kenya and Uganda, via surveys and interviews before the workshop, immediately afterwards and six months later.Findings -Students’ immediate experience was that the workshop contributed to increased critical awareness, adoption of transdisciplinary community-serving approaches and strengthened self-confidence. Six months later, most had related their projects to social problems (e.g. poverty) in their communities. Moreover, the results motivated integration of gender-sensitive curricula based on service-learning in East Africa.Practical implications - Based on the results, the authors suggest a framework for gender-sensitive curriculum development that can stimulate service-learning in master’s students. Implementation of such a curriculum could eventually contribute to community development, including, e.g. poverty reduction.Originality/value - Studies on service-learning are rare in Africa, especially in postgraduate education. Gender-sensitive studies on service-learning are generally scarce and the same holds for studies on encouraging STEM students to integrate social innovation into their thesis work. By combining these aspects, this study presents an original contribution to existing research.
|
|
