Michelle Nilson, Lynn Fels and Bryan Gopaul
This research explores the various ways in which performative inquiry was implemented in a graduate organizational theories course within an educational leadership cohort at a…
Abstract
This research explores the various ways in which performative inquiry was implemented in a graduate organizational theories course within an educational leadership cohort at a medium- sized urban Canadian research university. Drawing on Fink’s framework for significant learning experiences, the researchers used performative inquiry to enact the “Practice” and “Reflection” domains of his pedagogical model. The data show that as the course unfolded, the class experienced a shift from instructor-centered transmission of information to a curriculum co- constructed by students and instructors. We conclude with ways in which educational leadership professors can incorporate performative inquiry as a teaching strategy to enhance the learning process for aspiring educational leaders.
Although the production of a dissertation and the transition to an independent researcher undergird the outcomes of doctoral education, this study aims to emphasize issues of…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the production of a dissertation and the transition to an independent researcher undergird the outcomes of doctoral education, this study aims to emphasize issues of inequality in doctoral study through the use of Bourdieu’s (1977, 1986) concepts of cultural capital and field.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study with 15 doctoral students in Engineering and in Philosophy revealed that activities in doctoral study that tend to socialize students possess value, given the conventions of various contexts or social spaces related to academe.
Findings
Doctoral students who attain particular accomplishments experience doctoral study in ways that suggest that doctoral study is a system of conventions and norms that imbue particular activities with value, which then impact students’ doctoral education experiences.
Originality/value
Inequality is tied to students’ portfolio of achievements, as the value of these achievements suggests differential socialization experiences, such that different students learn about the norms and practices within doctoral study in different ways.
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Keywords
The path to academic excellence is neither paved with roses nor easy; nonetheless, cautiously driving such a road has endless thrills especially when the driver is passionate…
Abstract
The path to academic excellence is neither paved with roses nor easy; nonetheless, cautiously driving such a road has endless thrills especially when the driver is passionate about academia. This chapter intends to bring to the fore the hurdles I have been confronting in my academic path as an international scholar and a researcher in some of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, Malaysia and Canada (Global North and South institutions) for over 14 years. Hence, it mirrors my research experiences to guide Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and accentuates the importance of research culture, professional designations and networking with experts from other world knowledge bodies.
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Monica A. van Winkel, Roeland M. van der Rijst, Wietske Kuijer-Siebelink, Floor Basten, Anneke M. Sools, Rob F. Poell and Jan H. van Driel
Guided by the quest concept, this study aims to explore how profession-focused PhD candidates, who are concurrently lecturing at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (UAS), make…
Abstract
Purpose
Guided by the quest concept, this study aims to explore how profession-focused PhD candidates, who are concurrently lecturing at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (UAS), make sense of change while pursuing doctoral objectives. The research question was: How do these PhD candidates navigate, experience and evaluate their enduring profession-focused doctoral quests across the nexus of research, education and professional fields, considering their aspirations?
Design/methodology/approach
Eight PhD candidates shared one-year quest experiences, illustrating how interactions with ‘actors’, ‘settings’ and ‘events’ shape doctoral transitions. These narratological concepts guided within-case and cross-case analyses, while grounded theory methodologies served to explore candidates’ sense-making of change over time.
Findings
Four story types of doctoral transitions emerged: “ups and downs”, “turnaround”, “continuous growth” and “scholarly recognition”. Candidates valued the Dutch UASs’ formal policy of supporting academic research with professional relevance. Across the story types, differences in aligning doctoral expectations among research and workplace supervisors and candidates affected knowledge exchange throughout the doctorate. When available, engagement in varied and comprehensive doctoral learning resources advanced candidates’ research competencies, including bridging diverse knowledge types. Autonomous candidate navigation was crucial for building partnerships, accessing dispersed learning resources and responding to uncertainties. Collaborative learning involving BSc-MSc students, colleagues and practitioners varied in strength across the story types, but enhanced the doctorate’s relevance, visible outcomes, feasibility and sustainability. The story types represent transition patterns that shaped how candidates developed new knowledge and contributed to their fields. While passion was a key motivator for candidates, it also heightened their vulnerability.
Practical implications
Analysing patterns in doctoral transitions provided actionable insights for optimising conditions and candidate navigation within the science–profession nexus.
Originality/value
The findings highlight that diverse actors can contribute to and benefit from profession-focused doctorates, driving momentum in integrating this research into education and innovation.