Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the research was to examine the function and application of delimitations—what the researcher includes and excludes in a study—in the dissertation process. The aim was to map the delimitations process to improve research, rigor and relevance of findings, and doctoral completion rates using a formalized and standardized approach applied flexibly. Background: All research is bounded whether formally defined or not. Unlike limitations, which are issues which the researcher addressed after the completion of a study and cannot control, delimitations are what a researcher includes and excludes to make a project manageable and focused on the research question. Yet, there was no research identified which specifically discussed delimitations. Researching the structure and utility of delimitations in educational administration dissertations provided a systematic analysis of the formation of the scope and boundary of research in doctoral studies. Methodology: The structure of delimitations in dissertations were examined using descriptive quantitative statistics and a qualitative thematic analysis from 28 universities. The first stage included delimitations from 30 dissertations. Triangulation was conducted using the findings with a training set of delimitations in 15 dissertations with a rubric generated from the primary sample. Contribution: The thematic analysis presented a description and interpretation of the nature of delimitations and a systematic framework to improve the research process in dissertations. Mapping the delimitations process gave a detailed portrait of internal and external characteristics which could aid doctoral students in completing the dissertation. Doctoral attrition rates, poorly completed dissertations, and lack of relevance or applicability of results need remedied. Furthermore, the delimitations rubric provided a systematic method to focus communities of learners around a common goal. Findings: Findings suggested doctoral students used delimitations haphazardly and lacked a systematic application to research. Three major themes emerged from the delimitations sections: rituals, equifinality, and pragmatism. Topics within delimitations sections centered around two axes: the internal topics of sampling procedures and factors/variables and external topics of research design and conceptual/theoretical framework. Recommendations for Practitioners: Poorly understood and developed delimitations negatively impacted findings in dissertations, completion rates, and future research skills of doctoral students. By applying delimitations to a design of research framework in a community of learners, doctoral students and dissertation chairs could improve the dissertation completion process and improve research results using a Delimitations Evaluation Rubric. Recommendation for Researchers: Developing a rules-based process with a formalized and standardized process could give researchers a way to evaluate a
{"title":"A Thematic Analysis of the Structure of Delimitations in the Dissertation","authors":"David C Coker","doi":"10.28945/4939","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4939","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the research was to examine the function and application of delimitations—what the researcher includes and excludes in a study—in the dissertation process. The aim was to map the delimitations process to improve research, rigor and relevance of findings, and doctoral completion rates using a formalized and standardized approach applied flexibly. Background: All research is bounded whether formally defined or not. Unlike limitations, which are issues which the researcher addressed after the completion of a study and cannot control, delimitations are what a researcher includes and excludes to make a project manageable and focused on the research question. Yet, there was no research identified which specifically discussed delimitations. Researching the structure and utility of delimitations in educational administration dissertations provided a systematic analysis of the formation of the scope and boundary of research in doctoral studies. Methodology: The structure of delimitations in dissertations were examined using descriptive quantitative statistics and a qualitative thematic analysis from 28 universities. The first stage included delimitations from 30 dissertations. Triangulation was conducted using the findings with a training set of delimitations in 15 dissertations with a rubric generated from the primary sample. Contribution: The thematic analysis presented a description and interpretation of the nature of delimitations and a systematic framework to improve the research process in dissertations. Mapping the delimitations process gave a detailed portrait of internal and external characteristics which could aid doctoral students in completing the dissertation. Doctoral attrition rates, poorly completed dissertations, and lack of relevance or applicability of results need remedied. Furthermore, the delimitations rubric provided a systematic method to focus communities of learners around a common goal. Findings: Findings suggested doctoral students used delimitations haphazardly and lacked a systematic application to research. Three major themes emerged from the delimitations sections: rituals, equifinality, and pragmatism. Topics within delimitations sections centered around two axes: the internal topics of sampling procedures and factors/variables and external topics of research design and conceptual/theoretical framework. Recommendations for Practitioners: Poorly understood and developed delimitations negatively impacted findings in dissertations, completion rates, and future research skills of doctoral students. By applying delimitations to a design of research framework in a community of learners, doctoral students and dissertation chairs could improve the dissertation completion process and improve research results using a Delimitations Evaluation Rubric. Recommendation for Researchers: Developing a rules-based process with a formalized and standardized process could give researchers a way to evaluate a","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"279 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86378903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the main conceptualizations of learning space from doctoral students’ perspectives. The aim was to develop a participatory approach to make students’ multiple voices heard. Background: Doctoral experience is viewed as being influenced by social practices of the scholarly communities; learning space in this context is a collective resource that can be altered through imagination of its inhabitants. The intersection of Lefebvre’s Production of Space in architecture and situated learning theory in education enabled building an integrated conceptual framework to explore learning space of doctoral students in its complexity. Methodology: Three research questions reflected theoretical and practical aims. To answer them, drawing on Design Based Research, I developed multi-phased research through three sequential phases: questionnaire, Photovoice, and prototyping, which respectively addressed subjective, objective, and co-constructed aspects of learning spaces. Contribution: This study is one of the few studies that looks at doctoral students learning spaces within the literature of learning spaces. It supports the development of a participatory procedure to design learning spaces for doctoral students. Findings: Findings suggested that learning space is a layered multi-faceted phenomenon and a changing entity. Doctoral students believed that learning space is an indicator of support from doctoral programs and has a potential to improve and sustain their well-being. Recommendations for Practitioners: Inviting students to take charge of the configurations of their working environment is suggested for higher education institutions. Doctoral students imagined using movable, folding, and writable walls to create private spaces for individuals as well as collaborative workspaces. Recommendation for Researchers: Identifying the interactions between learning space and learning over a longer time frame both in undergraduate and graduate settings can help us view the campus through a spatial ecology model. Also, future research might examine a participatory approach to design and research on learning spaces around parallel partnerships with other research-intensive universities. Impact on Society: Findings from this study identified areas for future studies and actions suggesting implications for learning space studies for the U15 (Group of Canadian Research Universities) and U21 (the leading global network of research universities for the 21st century). Future Research: Considering the radical changes that COVID-19 has brought in how we work, collaborate, study, and engage in social events, it is vital for higher educational institutes to rethink their learning spaces for the post- COVID era to support students’ learning and their meaningful engagement in learning communities and learning spaces. Further exploration on learning spaces in post COVID era is needed to expand the empirical
目的/目的:本定性研究的目的是从博士生的角度确定学习空间的主要概念。其目的是发展一种参与式的方法，让学生的多种声音得到倾听。背景:博士经历被认为是受到学术界社会实践的影响;在这种情况下，学习空间是一种集体资源，可以通过居住者的想象力来改变。列斐伏尔的建筑空间生产理论与教育情境学习理论的交集，使我们能够构建一个完整的概念框架，探索博士生学习空间的复杂性。方法论:三个研究问题反映了理论和实践目的。为了回答这些问题，我借鉴Design Based Research，通过三个连续的阶段进行了多阶段的研究:问卷调查、Photovoice和原型设计，分别解决了学习空间的主观、客观和共同构建方面的问题。贡献:本研究是研究博士生学习空间文献中为数不多的研究之一。它支持为博士生设计学习空间的参与式程序的发展。研究结果表明，学习空间是一个多层次的多面现象，是一个不断变化的实体。博士生认为，学习空间是博士项目支持的一个指标，有可能改善和维持他们的幸福感。对从业者的建议:建议高等教育机构邀请学生负责他们工作环境的配置。博士生们设想使用可移动、可折叠和可书写的墙壁为个人创造私人空间以及协作工作空间。给研究人员的建议:在更长的时间框架内确定学习空间和学习之间的相互作用，可以帮助我们通过空间生态学模型来看待校园。此外，未来的研究可能会研究一种参与式的方法，围绕与其他研究密集型大学的平行伙伴关系来设计和研究学习空间。对社会的影响:本研究的结果确定了未来研究的领域和行动，为U15(加拿大研究型大学集团)和U21(21世纪领先的全球研究型大学网络)提出了学习空间研究的建议。未来研究:考虑到COVID-19给我们的工作、协作、学习和参与社会活动的方式带来的根本性变化，高等教育机构必须重新思考其后COVID时代的学习空间，以支持学生的学习以及他们在学习社区和学习空间中的有意义的参与。需要进一步探索后新冠时代的学习空间，以拓展关于学习空间的实证知识，从而为研究学者在教育领域的后续工作提供指导。
{"title":"A Multilayered Approach to Understand and Imagine Doctoral Students’ Spaces of Learning","authors":"S. Naghshbandi","doi":"10.28945/5014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/5014","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the main conceptualizations of learning space from doctoral students’ perspectives. The aim was to develop a participatory approach to make students’ multiple voices heard. Background: Doctoral experience is viewed as being influenced by social practices of the scholarly communities; learning space in this context is a collective resource that can be altered through imagination of its inhabitants. The intersection of Lefebvre’s Production of Space in architecture and situated learning theory in education enabled building an integrated conceptual framework to explore learning space of doctoral students in its complexity. Methodology: Three research questions reflected theoretical and practical aims. To answer them, drawing on Design Based Research, I developed multi-phased research through three sequential phases: questionnaire, Photovoice, and prototyping, which respectively addressed subjective, objective, and co-constructed aspects of learning spaces. Contribution: This study is one of the few studies that looks at doctoral students learning spaces within the literature of learning spaces. It supports the development of a participatory procedure to design learning spaces for doctoral students. Findings: Findings suggested that learning space is a layered multi-faceted phenomenon and a changing entity. Doctoral students believed that learning space is an indicator of support from doctoral programs and has a potential to improve and sustain their well-being. Recommendations for Practitioners: Inviting students to take charge of the configurations of their working environment is suggested for higher education institutions. Doctoral students imagined using movable, folding, and writable walls to create private spaces for individuals as well as collaborative workspaces. Recommendation for Researchers: Identifying the interactions between learning space and learning over a longer time frame both in undergraduate and graduate settings can help us view the campus through a spatial ecology model. Also, future research might examine a participatory approach to design and research on learning spaces around parallel partnerships with other research-intensive universities. Impact on Society: Findings from this study identified areas for future studies and actions suggesting implications for learning space studies for the U15 (Group of Canadian Research Universities) and U21 (the leading global network of research universities for the 21st century). Future Research: Considering the radical changes that COVID-19 has brought in how we work, collaborate, study, and engage in social events, it is vital for higher educational institutes to rethink their learning spaces for the post- COVID era to support students’ learning and their meaningful engagement in learning communities and learning spaces. Further exploration on learning spaces in post COVID era is needed to expand the empirical","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78674996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to use narrative inquiry to discover and understand how Chinese students leverage their strengths and multiple identities in socializing to American higher education and their profession. Chinese students engage with American academic culture while embracing their multiple identities. I will explore the cultural strengths they use to socialize and develop their personal, social, cultural, and professional identities in their doctoral educational experience. Background: Chinese international doctoral students encounter a unique socialization experience during their doctoral studies because they lack meaningful cross-cultural support. Likewise, it is problematic that Chinese students are often viewed as a homogeneous group and much prior research has emphasized the traditional deficit perspective in explaining how Chinese students must adjust and assimilate to the university environment. Methodology: This qualitative research uses narrative inquiry to study Chinese international doctoral students’ socialization experiences while retaining their authentic voices. Narrative inquiry allows for a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of Chinese students compared to the perceptions imposed by other stakeholders. The narrative methodology provides diverse ways to understand Chinese student interactions within American culture, place, and context. This study applies the three-dimensional approach to retell participants’ stories. The three-dimensional approach is more holistic and provides a broad lens to learn about the interactions, past, present, and future experiences of individuals through time and space. Contribution: This research shifts the narrative from the deficit view to a strength-based perspective as to how Chinese international doctoral students can rely on their cultural values and multiple identities as strengths to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Findings: Findings related to the literature in two important ways. First, findings support how the six cultural strengths of Yosso’s community cultural wealth apply to Chinese international doctoral students. Chinese students’ stories align with these strengths and through these strengths, they explore and develop their personal, social, cultural, and professional identity. Second, Chinese students’ stories as a counternarrative challenged and contradicted the essentialist view and misconception that Chinese students are a homogenous group personally, socially, culturally, or academically. Recommendations for Practitioners: The findings from this study offer insight for practitioners into what institutions and departments might do to support Chinese international doctoral students in their socialization journey. It is vital to support the whole student through understanding their multiple identities. Recommendation for Researchers: Chinese students and other diverse learners may benefit from peer and faculty mentors in diff
{"title":"Chinese International Doctoral Students’ Cross-Cultural Socialization: Leveraging Strengths and Multiple Identities","authors":"Shihua Chen Brazill","doi":"10.28945/4925","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4925","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to use narrative inquiry to discover and understand how Chinese students leverage their strengths and multiple identities in socializing to American higher education and their profession. Chinese students engage with American academic culture while embracing their multiple identities. I will explore the cultural strengths they use to socialize and develop their personal, social, cultural, and professional identities in their doctoral educational experience. Background: Chinese international doctoral students encounter a unique socialization experience during their doctoral studies because they lack meaningful cross-cultural support. Likewise, it is problematic that Chinese students are often viewed as a homogeneous group and much prior research has emphasized the traditional deficit perspective in explaining how Chinese students must adjust and assimilate to the university environment. Methodology: This qualitative research uses narrative inquiry to study Chinese international doctoral students’ socialization experiences while retaining their authentic voices. Narrative inquiry allows for a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of Chinese students compared to the perceptions imposed by other stakeholders. The narrative methodology provides diverse ways to understand Chinese student interactions within American culture, place, and context. This study applies the three-dimensional approach to retell participants’ stories. The three-dimensional approach is more holistic and provides a broad lens to learn about the interactions, past, present, and future experiences of individuals through time and space. Contribution: This research shifts the narrative from the deficit view to a strength-based perspective as to how Chinese international doctoral students can rely on their cultural values and multiple identities as strengths to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Findings: Findings related to the literature in two important ways. First, findings support how the six cultural strengths of Yosso’s community cultural wealth apply to Chinese international doctoral students. Chinese students’ stories align with these strengths and through these strengths, they explore and develop their personal, social, cultural, and professional identity. Second, Chinese students’ stories as a counternarrative challenged and contradicted the essentialist view and misconception that Chinese students are a homogenous group personally, socially, culturally, or academically. Recommendations for Practitioners: The findings from this study offer insight for practitioners into what institutions and departments might do to support Chinese international doctoral students in their socialization journey. It is vital to support the whole student through understanding their multiple identities. Recommendation for Researchers: Chinese students and other diverse learners may benefit from peer and faculty mentors in diff","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88960465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: The study examines the perspectives of convenors, examiners, supervisors, and candidates to gather their views on the presence of the supervisor in oral examinations (doctoral viva) and to reassess the role of the mainly silent supervisor in the doctoral viva. Background: Supervisors are central to candidates’ doctoral journey, and their roles have been well documented. However, supervisors’ role in the doctoral viva remains elusive, insignificant, and misunderstood. Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative survey method and qualitative interviews to examine the perspectives of 94 participants, including conveners, examiners, supervisors, and candidates. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and an open-ended survey and was later analyzed using a qualitative approach. Contribution: The findings have implications for the doctoral viva and policies that seek to make it a collegial and equitable practice. Findings: The findings offer two main explanations that warrant supervisors’ physical presence in oral examinations: psycho-emotional support and procedural/regulatory purposes. Supervisors’ voices serve psycho-emotional and technical purposes and aid in dialogue and knowledge construction. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is recommended that practitioners need to move on from the customary ‘smile and nod’ role of supervisors to allowing their voices to be heard, perhaps at the end of the viva. This would not only facilitate candidates’ performance by offering affirmation and assurance through psychological and moral support but also provide an opportunity for discussion. Recommendation for Researchers: This study furthers our understanding of the ‘anatomy of a doctoral viva’ and examines a comprehensive picture of the supervisor’s role in a doctoral oral exam from all stakeholders’ perspectives. Impact on Society: The role of supervisors in the doctoral viva, beginning from the medieval period, has consistently evolved. The research provides a fresh outlook on supervision where the supervisor is not only recommended to be present during the viva, but also to play an active role. Future Research: Future research should include diverse cultural, institutional, and disciplinary contexts to advance our understanding of the supervisor’s role during oral exams. Also, whether supervisors should have a more active role independent of what a convenor may desire should be investigated.
{"title":"‘Smile and Nod’ or More? Reassessing the Role of the Silent Supervisor in the Doctoral Viva","authors":"Vijay Kumar, A. Kaur, S. Sharmini, Mohammad Noman","doi":"10.28945/5002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/5002","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The study examines the perspectives of convenors, examiners, supervisors, and candidates to gather their views on the presence of the supervisor in oral examinations (doctoral viva) and to reassess the role of the mainly silent supervisor in the doctoral viva. Background: Supervisors are central to candidates’ doctoral journey, and their roles have been well documented. However, supervisors’ role in the doctoral viva remains elusive, insignificant, and misunderstood. Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative survey method and qualitative interviews to examine the perspectives of 94 participants, including conveners, examiners, supervisors, and candidates. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and an open-ended survey and was later analyzed using a qualitative approach. Contribution: The findings have implications for the doctoral viva and policies that seek to make it a collegial and equitable practice. Findings: The findings offer two main explanations that warrant supervisors’ physical presence in oral examinations: psycho-emotional support and procedural/regulatory purposes. Supervisors’ voices serve psycho-emotional and technical purposes and aid in dialogue and knowledge construction. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is recommended that practitioners need to move on from the customary ‘smile and nod’ role of supervisors to allowing their voices to be heard, perhaps at the end of the viva. This would not only facilitate candidates’ performance by offering affirmation and assurance through psychological and moral support but also provide an opportunity for discussion. Recommendation for Researchers: This study furthers our understanding of the ‘anatomy of a doctoral viva’ and examines a comprehensive picture of the supervisor’s role in a doctoral oral exam from all stakeholders’ perspectives. Impact on Society: The role of supervisors in the doctoral viva, beginning from the medieval period, has consistently evolved. The research provides a fresh outlook on supervision where the supervisor is not only recommended to be present during the viva, but also to play an active role. Future Research: Future research should include diverse cultural, institutional, and disciplinary contexts to advance our understanding of the supervisor’s role during oral exams. Also, whether supervisors should have a more active role independent of what a convenor may desire should be investigated.","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"71 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86243968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to find out the influence of information literacy and research self-efficacy on the research productivity of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. Background: The prosperity of any nation is inextricably tied to its research productivity in both quality and quantity. Hence, doctoral education, among others, is meant to sustain research productivity by training students that will possibly assume the role of researchers in the future. However, despite the importance of research productivity to the prosperity of a nation and the sustenance of scholarship, evidence from the literature has shown that doctoral students globally and in the study’s locale do experience low research productivity, manifested as low publication count, underdeveloped strategies for thesis writing, and unusually prolonged doctoral education. This study, therefore, examined the influence of information literacy and research self-efficacy on research productivity of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. Methodology: The study used a survey research design. The population of the study was 1,418 doctoral students from six universities in Ogun State already undertaking doctoral programs out of nine licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The Research Advisor’s table was used to select a sample size of 306. A structured and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient for the constructs ranged from 0.72 to 0.98. The response rate was 92%. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (simple and multiple regression) statistics. Contribution: To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is the only study that has combined information literacy with research self-efficacy as predictors of doctoral students’ research productivity. Therefore, it has added to the existing literature on information literacy, research self-efficacy, and research productivity by shedding light on the influence of information literacy and research self-efficacy on research productivity. Findings: The findings of this paper are the following. 1. Research productivity of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria was low as majority of the respondents scored below the criterion mean in all the measured items. 2. This low research productivity was notable in publication count, presentations at conferences and thesis writing, leading to unusually prolonged doctoral education for most of the respondents. 3. The study showed that doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria possessed a high level of information literacy. 4. There was a positive and significant relationship between information literacy and research productivity (R2= 0.076, F(1,282) = 4.582, p <0.05) of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. 5. There was a positive and significant relationship between research self-efficacy and research pr
目的:本研究的主要目的是了解信息素养和研究自我效能对尼日利亚奥贡州大学博士生研究生产力的影响。背景:任何一个国家的繁荣都与它的研究生产力在质量和数量上密不可分。因此，博士教育，除其他外，是为了通过培养未来可能承担研究人员角色的学生来维持研究生产力。然而，尽管研究生产力对一个国家的繁荣和学术的维持至关重要，但文献证据表明，全球和研究地区的博士生确实经历了较低的研究生产力，表现为出版物数量少，论文写作策略不发达，博士教育异常漫长。因此，本研究考察了尼日利亚奥贡州大学博士生的信息素养和研究自我效能对研究生产力的影响。方法:本研究采用调查研究设计。该研究的人口是来自奥贡州六所大学的1418名博士生，这些大学已经在国家大学委员会(NUC)许可的九所大学中进行博士课程。研究顾问的表格被用来选择306个样本量。采用结构化和有效的问卷进行数据收集。构式的Cronbach 's α信度系数为0.72 ~ 0.98。应答率为92%。数据分析采用描述性和推断性(简单回归和多元回归)统计。贡献:据研究者所知，这是唯一一项将信息素养与研究自我效能结合起来作为博士生研究效率预测因子的研究。因此，通过揭示信息素养和研究自我效能对研究生产力的影响，补充了现有关于信息素养、研究自我效能和研究生产力的文献。研究发现:本文的研究发现如下:尼日利亚奥贡州大学博士生的研究生产力较低，因为大多数受访者在所有测量项目中得分低于标准平均值。这种较低的研究效率在出版物数量、会议演讲和论文写作方面都很明显，导致大多数受访者的博士教育时间异常延长。研究表明，尼日利亚奥贡州大学的博士生具有较高的信息素养。尼日利亚奥贡州高校博士生信息素养与科研生产力之间存在显著正相关(R2= 0.076, F(1,282) = 4.582, p <0.05)。5 .尼日利亚奥贡州高校博士生科研自我效能感与科研生产力呈显著正相关(R2= 0.060, F (1,282) = 17.218, p<0.05)。调查结果显示，尼日利亚奥贡州大学博士生的研究自我效能水平很高。从业人员建议:教师应确保每个博士生都能接触到平易近人的指导老师或导师。这将为博士生提供实践路线图和建设性反馈。通过加强博士生与教师之间的关系，有抱负的研究人员有更多的机会学习进行和设计研究、收集和分析数据以及撰写组织良好的手稿的一般做法和程序。对研究人员的建议:研究人员可以采用所得模型来加强相关研究。此外，后续研究可以在实证研究结果的基础上扩大学者研究生产力的范围。对社会的影响:该研究强调了研究及其持续生产对国家各阶层增长和发展的首要作用。因此，政府和其他利益相关者有责任通过为尼日利亚的博士生创造有利的环境来促进其持续的生产力。未来研究:为进一步拓展这一研究领域，建议在以下方面进行进一步研究。博士生信息素养、研究自我效能和研究生产力的定性/焦点小组调查。这可能会揭示出当前研究中没有捕捉到的更深入的数据。这项研究也可以在美国其他州和世界其他地区复制，因为研究生产力及其预测因素在各国之间存在差异。进一步的研究可以调查研究生产力预测因子的其他组合。
{"title":"Information Literacy, Research Self-Efficacy, and Research Productivity of Doctoral Students in Universities in Ogun State, Nigeria","authors":"Adesola Paul Adekunle, E. Madukoma","doi":"10.28945/5030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/5030","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to find out the influence of information literacy and research self-efficacy on the research productivity of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. Background: The prosperity of any nation is inextricably tied to its research productivity in both quality and quantity. Hence, doctoral education, among others, is meant to sustain research productivity by training students that will possibly assume the role of researchers in the future. However, despite the importance of research productivity to the prosperity of a nation and the sustenance of scholarship, evidence from the literature has shown that doctoral students globally and in the study’s locale do experience low research productivity, manifested as low publication count, underdeveloped strategies for thesis writing, and unusually prolonged doctoral education. This study, therefore, examined the influence of information literacy and research self-efficacy on research productivity of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. Methodology: The study used a survey research design. The population of the study was 1,418 doctoral students from six universities in Ogun State already undertaking doctoral programs out of nine licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The Research Advisor’s table was used to select a sample size of 306. A structured and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient for the constructs ranged from 0.72 to 0.98. The response rate was 92%. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (simple and multiple regression) statistics. Contribution: To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is the only study that has combined information literacy with research self-efficacy as predictors of doctoral students’ research productivity. Therefore, it has added to the existing literature on information literacy, research self-efficacy, and research productivity by shedding light on the influence of information literacy and research self-efficacy on research productivity. Findings: The findings of this paper are the following. 1. Research productivity of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria was low as majority of the respondents scored below the criterion mean in all the measured items. 2. This low research productivity was notable in publication count, presentations at conferences and thesis writing, leading to unusually prolonged doctoral education for most of the respondents. 3. The study showed that doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria possessed a high level of information literacy. 4. There was a positive and significant relationship between information literacy and research productivity (R2= 0.076, F(1,282) = 4.582, p <0.05) of doctoral students in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. 5. There was a positive and significant relationship between research self-efficacy and research pr","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"23 1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91219508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to explore the challenges faced by international doctoral students in Chinese universities and find out what international doctoral students perceive to be effective supervision. Background: As higher education internationalization is proliferating, there is a need for adjustment in every educational system. Despite the rise in the internationalization of higher education in China, very little research has been carried out on internalization at the doctoral level. Since research forms an essential part of doctoral programs, it is necessary to examine the challenges international students face as far as research supervision is concerned. Methodology: This study employed the exploratory case study research design adopting the qualitative research methodology. The study participants were 68 doctoral students from two comprehensive universities in China. A comprehensive university consists of diverse programs and students: for example, master’s programs, doctoral programs, undergraduate programs, and professional programs. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide. The qualitative data collected was analyzed thematically. Contribution: This study offers new insights into the research supervision of international doctoral students. This study suggests that every university hosting international students should pay attention to doctoral students’ research supervision and implement appropriate strategies such as those proposed in this study to allow international students to acquire new knowledge and skills as far as research is concerned. This study also proposed some strategies based on what doctoral students perceive to be effective supervision that universities can implement to improve research supervision. Findings: The study found that international doctoral students faced many challenges regarding research supervision. These challenges are language barriers, ineffective communication with supervisors, insufficient time to discuss with supervisors, cultural differences and adapting to a new environment, depression, and forcing students to change research topics. Moreover, this study found that the following strategies can be implemented to improve research supervision of international students: considering student’s research interests when assigning them to supervisors, the need for a specific time to meet with supervisors, providing or directing students where to get research materials, in-service training for research supervisors, and evaluating and modifying criteria for selecting supervisors. Recommendations for Practitioners: University administrators can establish informal research supervision learning communities that can enable supervisors from different universities to share cross-cultural supervision ideas and learn from one another. Moreover, it is necessary for supervisors to guide and direct students both in academics and social life to help them overcome depression; isolation, and
{"title":"Research Supervision of International Doctoral Students: Perspectives of International Students in Two Comprehensive Universities in China","authors":"Marinette Bahtilla","doi":"10.28945/4970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4970","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to explore the challenges faced by international doctoral students in Chinese universities and find out what international doctoral students perceive to be effective supervision. Background: As higher education internationalization is proliferating, there is a need for adjustment in every educational system. Despite the rise in the internationalization of higher education in China, very little research has been carried out on internalization at the doctoral level. Since research forms an essential part of doctoral programs, it is necessary to examine the challenges international students face as far as research supervision is concerned. Methodology: This study employed the exploratory case study research design adopting the qualitative research methodology. The study participants were 68 doctoral students from two comprehensive universities in China. A comprehensive university consists of diverse programs and students: for example, master’s programs, doctoral programs, undergraduate programs, and professional programs. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide. The qualitative data collected was analyzed thematically. Contribution: This study offers new insights into the research supervision of international doctoral students. This study suggests that every university hosting international students should pay attention to doctoral students’ research supervision and implement appropriate strategies such as those proposed in this study to allow international students to acquire new knowledge and skills as far as research is concerned. This study also proposed some strategies based on what doctoral students perceive to be effective supervision that universities can implement to improve research supervision. Findings: The study found that international doctoral students faced many challenges regarding research supervision. These challenges are language barriers, ineffective communication with supervisors, insufficient time to discuss with supervisors, cultural differences and adapting to a new environment, depression, and forcing students to change research topics. Moreover, this study found that the following strategies can be implemented to improve research supervision of international students: considering student’s research interests when assigning them to supervisors, the need for a specific time to meet with supervisors, providing or directing students where to get research materials, in-service training for research supervisors, and evaluating and modifying criteria for selecting supervisors. Recommendations for Practitioners: University administrators can establish informal research supervision learning communities that can enable supervisors from different universities to share cross-cultural supervision ideas and learn from one another. Moreover, it is necessary for supervisors to guide and direct students both in academics and social life to help them overcome depression; isolation, and","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84554304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alice Shu-Ju Lee, William J Donohue, Shelah Y. Simpson, Kathleen Vacek
Aim/Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown required doctoral writers to demonstrate resiliency to continue their culminating projects. This study examines the socioecological factors that fostered that resiliency. Background: Resiliency is a key factor in determining whether doctoral writers continue with their culminating projects. Thus far, studies on doctoral student experiences during the pandemic have yet to investigate doctoral students’ adaptive strategies to continue with their projects. Methodology: The qualitative study uses in-depth interviews to document the narrative journeys of four research participants pre-pandemic and in-pandemic. Those narratives are analyzed using an infectious disease resilience framework as a metaphor to highlight the resilience within each participant’s writing ecology. Contribution: The study seeks to reframe the approach to doctoral writing beyond the individual student toward a broader ecological system to better serve those students and the knowledge produced, regardless of a disruptive crisis. Findings: The disruptions that the four participants experienced are documented through their narratives. The participants described their coping strategies related to their workspace, technology, loss of connection, and their breaking point. Recommendations for Practitioners: The resilience shown by the four participants demonstrates areas where institutions can provide assistance to alleviate the pressures placed on doctoral writers. Reframing the dissertation writing process as a socioecological system rather than a cognitive one allows for solutions to problems that are not limited to individual writers. Recommendation for Researchers: Extending the socioecological systems metaphor, further research should investigate other stakeholders in a writer’s ecology to obtain different perspectives on a particular system. Impact on Society: The pandemic has presented an opportunity for educational institutions to reassess how they can cultivate students’ resilience to positively impact their socioecological balance. Future Research: It would be worthwhile to document the post-pandemic experiences of doctoral writers to find out how they seek balance in their ecology as they continue to deal with the post-pandemic fallout.
{"title":"Doctoral Writers’ Resiliency in the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Alice Shu-Ju Lee, William J Donohue, Shelah Y. Simpson, Kathleen Vacek","doi":"10.28945/4956","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4956","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown required doctoral writers to demonstrate resiliency to continue their culminating projects. This study examines the socioecological factors that fostered that resiliency. Background: Resiliency is a key factor in determining whether doctoral writers continue with their culminating projects. Thus far, studies on doctoral student experiences during the pandemic have yet to investigate doctoral students’ adaptive strategies to continue with their projects. Methodology: The qualitative study uses in-depth interviews to document the narrative journeys of four research participants pre-pandemic and in-pandemic. Those narratives are analyzed using an infectious disease resilience framework as a metaphor to highlight the resilience within each participant’s writing ecology. Contribution: The study seeks to reframe the approach to doctoral writing beyond the individual student toward a broader ecological system to better serve those students and the knowledge produced, regardless of a disruptive crisis. Findings: The disruptions that the four participants experienced are documented through their narratives. The participants described their coping strategies related to their workspace, technology, loss of connection, and their breaking point. Recommendations for Practitioners: The resilience shown by the four participants demonstrates areas where institutions can provide assistance to alleviate the pressures placed on doctoral writers. Reframing the dissertation writing process as a socioecological system rather than a cognitive one allows for solutions to problems that are not limited to individual writers. Recommendation for Researchers: Extending the socioecological systems metaphor, further research should investigate other stakeholders in a writer’s ecology to obtain different perspectives on a particular system. Impact on Society: The pandemic has presented an opportunity for educational institutions to reassess how they can cultivate students’ resilience to positively impact their socioecological balance. Future Research: It would be worthwhile to document the post-pandemic experiences of doctoral writers to find out how they seek balance in their ecology as they continue to deal with the post-pandemic fallout.","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"23 8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83392355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of expectancy-value beliefs on Algerian doctoral students’ academic burnout. Descriptive-inferential research was adopted to measure the potential association and predictive relationship between the variables of the study. Background: It is commonly known that candidates undertaking a doctoral course experience significant amounts of pressure for the sake of finishing their doctoral programmes. However, their expectations of success and course values, which stem from the very essence of motivation theory, are assumed to be connected to their experience of academic burnout. Methodology: Quantitative research methods were used to study the relationship between the variables of the study. Through snowball sampling, the sample of the study consisted of doctoral students (N= 104) from three different Algerian universities, representing five faculties (Nature and Life Sciences, Science and Technology, Maths and Computer Sciences, Economy, and Languages and Literature). The measures used in this study are adapted versions of the Students’ Expectations and Value Beliefs Survey, and the Maslash Burnout Inventory – Students’ Survey (MBI-SS). Contribution: This study attempts to expand on the existing literature on the rather new concept of student burnout through the inclusion of the expectancy-value variables and offers practical recommendations to practitioners, supervisors, and doctoral students alike. Findings: The findings indicated the existence of significant differences between doctoral candidates in terms of their faculty attachment and years of enrolment in their respective courses. The study also revealed the existence of significant negative correlations between the dimensions of expectancy-value and academic burnout. Students’ success expectancy and course values were significant negative predictors of Algerian doctoral students’ academic burnout. Recommendations for Practitioners: Supervisors are recommended to equip their doctoral supervisees with realistic expectations of the required abilities of the course right from the beginning, elaborate on the abilities needed to finish their respective doctoral programmes, and regularly remind them of the values of their programmes should they experience academic burnout. Recommendation for Researchers: The present study relies heavily on quantitative research methods. Researchers could expand on the same topic of the current study by examining the subjective inclinations of doctoral candidates to understand more about the association of their success expectancy and course values to their experience of academic burnout. Researchers could also expand on the sample of the study in different contexts in the world to add more constructive criticism to the current study, with better probability sampling techniques. Impact on Society: The current study seeks to raise awareness on the importance of doctoral candidates’ percep
{"title":"Predicting Algerian Doctoral Students’ Academic Burnout Using the Expectancy-Value Model: The Effect of Faculty Attachment and Years of Enrolment","authors":"Rida Sellali, Nour El Houda Lahiouel","doi":"10.28945/5044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/5044","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of expectancy-value beliefs on Algerian doctoral students’ academic burnout. Descriptive-inferential research was adopted to measure the potential association and predictive relationship between the variables of the study. Background: It is commonly known that candidates undertaking a doctoral course experience significant amounts of pressure for the sake of finishing their doctoral programmes. However, their expectations of success and course values, which stem from the very essence of motivation theory, are assumed to be connected to their experience of academic burnout. Methodology: Quantitative research methods were used to study the relationship between the variables of the study. Through snowball sampling, the sample of the study consisted of doctoral students (N= 104) from three different Algerian universities, representing five faculties (Nature and Life Sciences, Science and Technology, Maths and Computer Sciences, Economy, and Languages and Literature). The measures used in this study are adapted versions of the Students’ Expectations and Value Beliefs Survey, and the Maslash Burnout Inventory – Students’ Survey (MBI-SS). Contribution: This study attempts to expand on the existing literature on the rather new concept of student burnout through the inclusion of the expectancy-value variables and offers practical recommendations to practitioners, supervisors, and doctoral students alike. Findings: The findings indicated the existence of significant differences between doctoral candidates in terms of their faculty attachment and years of enrolment in their respective courses. The study also revealed the existence of significant negative correlations between the dimensions of expectancy-value and academic burnout. Students’ success expectancy and course values were significant negative predictors of Algerian doctoral students’ academic burnout. Recommendations for Practitioners: Supervisors are recommended to equip their doctoral supervisees with realistic expectations of the required abilities of the course right from the beginning, elaborate on the abilities needed to finish their respective doctoral programmes, and regularly remind them of the values of their programmes should they experience academic burnout. Recommendation for Researchers: The present study relies heavily on quantitative research methods. Researchers could expand on the same topic of the current study by examining the subjective inclinations of doctoral candidates to understand more about the association of their success expectancy and course values to their experience of academic burnout. Researchers could also expand on the sample of the study in different contexts in the world to add more constructive criticism to the current study, with better probability sampling techniques. Impact on Society: The current study seeks to raise awareness on the importance of doctoral candidates’ percep","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"151 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74690052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aim/Purpose: Latina doctoral students’ educational experiences are often mediated by their social class status, race, and gender. Latinas have sustained an increasing presence in doctoral programs at various colleges and universities across the United States; yet, they are continually underrepresented in doctoral programs at predominantly White institutions. The author identifies evidence-supported, personal and institutional factors that may contribute to working-class Latina doctoral students’ successful persistence at predominantly White institutions. Background: The tension between personal identities versus academic capability can make the doctoral education experience academically, socially, emotionally, and financially challenging for Latinas from low-income backgrounds. Latina/Latino Critical Race Theory and Multiracial Feminist Theory are introduced as lenses to examine aspects of the doctoral education experience that may impede or support Latina students’ retention. Methodology: As a conceptual article, this paper is an examination of research regarding the experiences of doctoral students of color at predominantly White institutions in the United States and summarizes how Latina doctoral students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds can succeed in these environments. Contribution: This article outlines evidence-supported strategies that may influence working-class Latina doctoral students’ successful persistence at predominantly White institutions. Findings: The research highlighted in this article emphasizes how factors such as embracing familismo, increasing faculty diversity, establishing peer networks, and creating inclusive class-concious academic programs and new student orientations, may contribute to the doctoral persistence of Latinas from economically disadvantaged backgrounds attending predominantly White institutions. Recommendations for Practitioners: Personal and institutional factors are recommended for faculty and student affairs professionals to support the doctoral persistence of Latina students such as embracing personal agency and academic efficacy, embracing familismo, recognizing the myth of meritocracy, establishing peer support networks, creating inclusive academic environments, establishing formal faculty mentorships, and fostering class conscious faculty. Recommendation for Researchers: The literature presented in this paper provides ideas for future research opportunities that could further examine how supportive relationships and inclusiveness promote Latina doctoral students’ educational success. Impact on Society: Latinas experience overlapping forms of privilege and subordination depending on their race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and academic setting. Future Research: Further development of transformative research on this topic may improve inclusive educational practices and potentially increase access to doctoral-level education for Latinas and other economically disadv
{"title":"Fostering the Success of Working-Class Latina Doctoral Students at Predominantly White Institutions","authors":"Loni Crumb","doi":"10.28945/4886","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4886","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: Latina doctoral students’ educational experiences are often mediated by their social class status, race, and gender. Latinas have sustained an increasing presence in doctoral programs at various colleges and universities across the United States; yet, they are continually underrepresented in doctoral programs at predominantly White institutions. The author identifies evidence-supported, personal and institutional factors that may contribute to working-class Latina doctoral students’ successful persistence at predominantly White institutions. Background: The tension between personal identities versus academic capability can make the doctoral education experience academically, socially, emotionally, and financially challenging for Latinas from low-income backgrounds. Latina/Latino Critical Race Theory and Multiracial Feminist Theory are introduced as lenses to examine aspects of the doctoral education experience that may impede or support Latina students’ retention. Methodology: As a conceptual article, this paper is an examination of research regarding the experiences of doctoral students of color at predominantly White institutions in the United States and summarizes how Latina doctoral students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds can succeed in these environments. Contribution: This article outlines evidence-supported strategies that may influence working-class Latina doctoral students’ successful persistence at predominantly White institutions. Findings: The research highlighted in this article emphasizes how factors such as embracing familismo, increasing faculty diversity, establishing peer networks, and creating inclusive class-concious academic programs and new student orientations, may contribute to the doctoral persistence of Latinas from economically disadvantaged backgrounds attending predominantly White institutions. Recommendations for Practitioners: Personal and institutional factors are recommended for faculty and student affairs professionals to support the doctoral persistence of Latina students such as embracing personal agency and academic efficacy, embracing familismo, recognizing the myth of meritocracy, establishing peer support networks, creating inclusive academic environments, establishing formal faculty mentorships, and fostering class conscious faculty. Recommendation for Researchers: The literature presented in this paper provides ideas for future research opportunities that could further examine how supportive relationships and inclusiveness promote Latina doctoral students’ educational success. Impact on Society: Latinas experience overlapping forms of privilege and subordination depending on their race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and academic setting. Future Research: Further development of transformative research on this topic may improve inclusive educational practices and potentially increase access to doctoral-level education for Latinas and other economically disadv","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89239452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F. Tommasi, Ferdinando Toscano, Davide Giusino, Andrea Ceschi, R. Sartori, Johanna Lisa Degen
Aim/Purpose: This paper presents a quantitative investigation of the organizational factors predicting the attrition of doctoral students’ experience of meaning and how meaningful experience and meaningless work affect doctoral students’ mental health and achievements. Background: Today’s academic environment subsumes neoliberal principles of individualism, instrumentality, and competition. Such an environment can harm doctoral students’ meaningful experience. Universities’ market-driven practices, indeed, can lower doctoral students’ motivation and affect their mental health. Methodology: In this paper, we referred to empirical knowledge to identify the ways through which today’s academia erodes doctoral students’ meaningful experiences. We hypothesized that environmental sources of meaning (e.g., coherence, significance, purpose, and belonging) become subsumed under neoliberal principles of individualism, instrumentality, and competition. Lower levels of sources of meaning directly predict the experience of meaningless work, which is linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and intention to quit among doctoral students. We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of N = 204 doctoral students who volunteered to participate by completing a survey with self-reported measures. We analyzed data collected via structural equation modelling to test the associations among the variables. Contribution: The present paper represents one an attempt attempts to investigate doctoral students’ experience as subsumed to market-driven principles of the neoliberal ideology. Findings: Results of structural equation modelling show that higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms and intention to quit are associated with the lack of external supporting factors (i.e., PhD support), the perception of broad-based managerial practices as meaningless and instrumental, and a general sense of emptiness at work (i.e., meaningless work). Ultimately, doctoral students may strive to have a meaningful experience in today’s academic environment. The experience of meaningless work leads to the risk of mental illness symptoms and quitting intention. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study suggests to practitioners to improve doctoral students’ well-being with multilevel interventions approach as well as including academic stakeholders to have broader practical implications. Recommendation for Researchers: For researchers, it is suggested to focus on the managerial and organizational conditions of the academic environment that influence the basis of doctoral students’ experience of doing a PhD. Impact on Society: This study affords society the importance of prioritizing the academic environment by looking at the meaning in work through the intersection of meaningful experience and meaningless work for doctoral students’ mental health and achievement. Future Research: Future research can consider the role of factors contributing to doctoral students’ me
{"title":"Meaningful or Meaningless? Organizational Conditions Influencing Doctoral Students’ Mental Health and Achievement","authors":"F. Tommasi, Ferdinando Toscano, Davide Giusino, Andrea Ceschi, R. Sartori, Johanna Lisa Degen","doi":"10.28945/5011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/5011","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: This paper presents a quantitative investigation of the organizational factors predicting the attrition of doctoral students’ experience of meaning and how meaningful experience and meaningless work affect doctoral students’ mental health and achievements. Background: Today’s academic environment subsumes neoliberal principles of individualism, instrumentality, and competition. Such an environment can harm doctoral students’ meaningful experience. Universities’ market-driven practices, indeed, can lower doctoral students’ motivation and affect their mental health. Methodology: In this paper, we referred to empirical knowledge to identify the ways through which today’s academia erodes doctoral students’ meaningful experiences. We hypothesized that environmental sources of meaning (e.g., coherence, significance, purpose, and belonging) become subsumed under neoliberal principles of individualism, instrumentality, and competition. Lower levels of sources of meaning directly predict the experience of meaningless work, which is linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and intention to quit among doctoral students. We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of N = 204 doctoral students who volunteered to participate by completing a survey with self-reported measures. We analyzed data collected via structural equation modelling to test the associations among the variables. Contribution: The present paper represents one an attempt attempts to investigate doctoral students’ experience as subsumed to market-driven principles of the neoliberal ideology. Findings: Results of structural equation modelling show that higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms and intention to quit are associated with the lack of external supporting factors (i.e., PhD support), the perception of broad-based managerial practices as meaningless and instrumental, and a general sense of emptiness at work (i.e., meaningless work). Ultimately, doctoral students may strive to have a meaningful experience in today’s academic environment. The experience of meaningless work leads to the risk of mental illness symptoms and quitting intention. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study suggests to practitioners to improve doctoral students’ well-being with multilevel interventions approach as well as including academic stakeholders to have broader practical implications. Recommendation for Researchers: For researchers, it is suggested to focus on the managerial and organizational conditions of the academic environment that influence the basis of doctoral students’ experience of doing a PhD. Impact on Society: This study affords society the importance of prioritizing the academic environment by looking at the meaning in work through the intersection of meaningful experience and meaningless work for doctoral students’ mental health and achievement. Future Research: Future research can consider the role of factors contributing to doctoral students’ me","PeriodicalId":53524,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Doctoral Studies","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73069375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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