Research and Professional Development Needs and Expectations of Doctoral Students: A Methodological Framework
Location
1053
Format Type
Paper
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
12-1-2017 11:45 AM
End Date
12-1-2017 12:05 PM
Abstract
Most of the challenges related to doctoral education have a long history including the length of the doctoral programs, high rate of students’ drop out, and failing to prepare doctoral students for their future responsibilities as teachers and faculty members. Gaining a better understanding of doctoral students’ professional development needs would serve as a useful foundation for addressing the perennial issues that exist in graduate education. However, the challenge requires a methodological approach that seeks and encourages ongoing critical reflection of practices and processes related to the preparation essential for the practitioner doctoral student. Action research involves the development and use of a number of skills to include “careful planning, sharpened observation and listening, evaluation, and critical reflection” (Koshy et al., 2010, p. 2). Any discussion centering on the reflective practitioner implies a question. “What kind of professional education would be appropriate to epistemology of practice based on reflection-in-action?” (Schön, 1987, pp. xi – xii). The practice of critical reflection holds a direct approach to solving the challenging professional development puzzle of becoming aware of the hidden assumptions that frame how we think. The intersection of action research and critical reflection becomes one where the reflective practitioner critically considers the nature of the perennial problems in graduate education through understanding the needs and expectations of doctoral students within professional practitioner doctoral program. This presentation will suggest an action research with critical reflection as a methodological framework to explore doctoral students’ research and professional development needs and expectations.
Research and Professional Development Needs and Expectations of Doctoral Students: A Methodological Framework
1053
Most of the challenges related to doctoral education have a long history including the length of the doctoral programs, high rate of students’ drop out, and failing to prepare doctoral students for their future responsibilities as teachers and faculty members. Gaining a better understanding of doctoral students’ professional development needs would serve as a useful foundation for addressing the perennial issues that exist in graduate education. However, the challenge requires a methodological approach that seeks and encourages ongoing critical reflection of practices and processes related to the preparation essential for the practitioner doctoral student. Action research involves the development and use of a number of skills to include “careful planning, sharpened observation and listening, evaluation, and critical reflection” (Koshy et al., 2010, p. 2). Any discussion centering on the reflective practitioner implies a question. “What kind of professional education would be appropriate to epistemology of practice based on reflection-in-action?” (Schön, 1987, pp. xi – xii). The practice of critical reflection holds a direct approach to solving the challenging professional development puzzle of becoming aware of the hidden assumptions that frame how we think. The intersection of action research and critical reflection becomes one where the reflective practitioner critically considers the nature of the perennial problems in graduate education through understanding the needs and expectations of doctoral students within professional practitioner doctoral program. This presentation will suggest an action research with critical reflection as a methodological framework to explore doctoral students’ research and professional development needs and expectations.
Comments
Breakout Session A