From collegiality to culture: lessons from 10 years of embedding a doctoral training programme Dr Colin Macduff & Professor Linda Lawton UKGCE Conference.

From collegiality to culture: lessons from 10 years of embedding a doctoral training programme

Dr Colin Macduff & Professor Linda Lawton

UKGCE Conference Dublin 3rd July 2014

Overview of presentation

• Course management team and other teaching contributors

• Context: national and local• Course content and format• Challenges/opportunities• Evaluations• Key lessons• Cultural integration

Course management team and other teaching contributors

Present CMT Past CMT members

• Dr Ines Arana Dr John Baldachinno

• Dr Winfred Eboh Prof Ian Bryden• Dr David Jones Dr Charles Juwah• Dr Sampath Kannangara Dr David Lal• Dr Rachel Knott Dr Stephanie Rigby• Prof Linda Lawton Dr Bernice West• Dr Cathy McCullagh• Prof Seonaidh McDonald• Dr Colin Macduff• Dr Catherine Ogilvie• Prof Dorothy Williams

Postgrad Programme Co-ordinator: Dorothy McDonaldResearch office: Martin Simpson and Rosie MearnsExternal examiner: Dr John Hamer (present)

Prof Ian Haines (former)

VP: Professor Peter Robertson

Other teaching contributors

Graham CarterDr Sarah ChristieVictoria FarmerProf John McCallColin MacLeanProf Julian MalinsAnne NicholDr Alan OwenProf Sarah PedersenDr Rob SmithProf Derek StewartDr Paul SwintonSteve ThomsonDr Hector WilliamsAlex Wilson

Supervisors and students: too numerous to mention!

National context

• During the past decade doctoral training and supervision have come under more critical scrutiny (McCallin and Nayar 2012)

• Growing support for more formalised educational preparation for students and supervisors alike

• Limitations of the master-apprentice model have been highlighted previously, particularly in scientific disciplines with the tradition of the lone scholar (Deem and Brehony 2000)

• Useful to reflect on lessons learned from a doctoral training programme that has been running for over ten years

Local context

• Post 1992 university

• 1992-2002: doctoral preparation very largely within discipline

• Collegiality but master-apprentice model predominant and lack of structure for interdisciplinary learning

• 2002: development of PG Cert in Research Methods for generic foundational preparation of all research degree students

• 2014: currently almost 300 research degree students (usually just over half are part time)

• Present PG Cert aim: to foster necessary knowledge, skills and capabilities; contribute to scholarly development; and facilitate interdisciplinary understanding of approaches to research

Content and format

Current PG Cert programme

Two modules over 1-2 years:

1) Developing research: principles and practice2) Research evaluation and critical analysis

5 days attendance at each followed by assignments relating to key stages on research journey

e.g. preparation of detailed proposal; preparation for transfer to PhD

Key refinements over the years have included reduction in the number of modules and separating off induction elements into a different programme

Challenges/opportunities

• Establishing shared vision, structures and processes

• Overcoming resistance

• Brokering buy-in

• Logistics

• Mixed cultures: disciplines and countries

Evaluations, review and feed forward

Student• Modular, ongoing• End of year

questionnaire• Programme wide exit

questionnaire• Research Student

Association• Input to Research

Degree Reviews• PRES

Staff• CMT meetings• Supervisory training• Graduate School

Boards• Research Degrees

Committee

Key lessons (1)

• Situational analysis of context and cultures

• Building content around common educational challenges for students and supervisors to optimise relevance

• Multidisciplinary CMT with credible champions

• Involving a range of disciplines in the teaching

• Varying teaching and learning methods

• Recognising tensions between generic and specific content

Key lessons (2)

• Drawing on national resources e.g. Vitae

• Fostering shared student identity and cohort creativity

• Supporting social integration

• Developing concurrent supervisory training

• Regular review responding to feedback

• Separating off induction aspects from main programme

Concluding reflexive questions

• Would this model be viable with larger annual student intakes?

• How critical is a VLE for success?

• How best should we engage with pressures from some students (and some supervisors) for APL and/or to undertake an online alternative?

The Burn May 2014: Vitae Effective Researcher

The Burn May 2014: Vitae Effective Researcher

The Burn May 2014: Vitae Effective Researcher

The Burn May 2014: Vitae Effective Researcher

Integral culture

Research Student Association: Best University Society 2013/2014

References

• Deem, R and Brehony, K (2000) Doctoral Students' Access to Research Cultures-are some more unequal than others? Studies in Higher Education 25 (2) 149-165

• McCallin, A and Nayar, S (2012) Postgraduate research supervision: a critical review of current practice Teaching in Higher Education 17 (1) 63-74