doctoral students’ identity positioning in networked learning · 2017-02-10 · doctoral...

ICDE Doctoral Consortium University of South Africa

October 19, 2016

Doctoral Students’ Identity Positioning in Networked Learning

Agenda

My interest in online doctorates The nature of the doctoral degree The challenges facing online doctoral students My Research description and results Implications

My interest in online doctorates

In 2008, Athabasca University opened the first “Doctor of Education (EdD) in Distance Education” program.

I was hired as the program administrator My task was to help organize and manage the program as well as field

inquiries. As the program began, I noticed that some students lacked preparation.

o Lack of financial preparation o Lack of job stability o Family instability o Lack of support

A year later, I began my own doctoral degree by distance at Lancaster University. I was interested in learner identity in online, distance programs. I focused on learner identity of doctoral students in distance programs.

o In this presentation, I will present my results.

The nature of the doctoral degree

Intensity & duration is greater than other degrees Working at a conceptual level Considering the nature of knowledge Making an original contribution to the body of knowledge New identities

Significance of doctoral degrees The source of new knowledge, practices, and technologies.


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Retention can be seen as an indicator of a university’s commitment to student success or even of the quality of the institution itself (ICEF Monitor, 2014); a reflection of the institution’s prestige.

Doctoral studies may have significant impacts on society as learners potentially emerge with increased ‘resilience, creativity, determination and problem-solving abilities that shape the subjectivities and identities of individuals and [such individuals] make a longer term contribution to the public and social good’ (Halse & Mowbray, 2011, p. 521).

Types of doctoral degrees From most traditional:

o Traditional PhD with individual supervision o PhD by publication o Taught doctorate characterized by courses, research training, and a

shorter thesis o Practice-based doctorates with written piece and other expressive

elements (art, performance, portfolio, etc.) o Practice-based doctorates with written piece and other expressive

elements (art, performance, portfolio, etc.) o Professional / work-based doctorate with taught elements and

"applied" research

Modalities o Individual/group face-to-face meetings o Face-to-face classes o Telephone o Videoconferences (online) – individual/group o Email / text message? o Virtual reality?

Challenges with distance learning Students (across levels) pursuing degrees through online learning are

thought to be 15–20% less likely to complete their programs when compared to students enrolled in face-to-face learning (Varney, 2009).

How can distance-based doctoral students observe the norms of academic conduct in their field?

Why offer doctoral degrees online? Notwithstanding efforts to modify traditional PhD courses to accommodate

the demands of knowledge production and social accountability in the current economy (Chiang, 2003), the newer professional doctorates, particularly those offered at a distance, can offer greater flexibility to accommodate the needs of professionals and practitioners. Increasingly,


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programs encourage cohort interaction as a means of reducing isolation and increasing support (Loxley & Seery, 2011; Neumann, 2005; Wellington & Sikes, 2006).

Why should we study online doctorates?

Statistics / proliferation of online doctorates o Enrollments in distance education programs continues to grow at

much faster rates than traditional, face-to-face programs; their findings show online enrolment increases at yearly rates of 10%, compared to less than 1% growth in the overall population of higher education (Allen and Seaman, 2011).

o Increases in doctoral enrolments around the world, accompanied by an increasingly diverse doctoral student demographic with wider age ranges, more part-time enrolments, different purposes, and a variety of employment choices following graduation contribute to the difficulty of measuring the complex ways in which doctoral research affects society (Halse & Mowbray, 2011).

o A report published in 2012 by the Canadian Virtual University makes it clear that online students are more likely to have characteristics and be in situations, which challenge completion and that online retention is more negatively impacted by a lack of supports such as early interventions and social connectivity than is face-to-face learning.

Completion rates (over 10 years) Such statistics are difficult to measure, but here are some that I have found:

Canada: 34% to 71% Australia: 30% to 70% England: 76% for full-time students; 48% for part-time students United States: 54%

The important thing about these and other statistics is that it suggests there is a high non-completion rate. And, this is as source of criticism. Other criticisms revolve around the inability of recent graduates to secure academic work. (Statistics from: Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (2004); Bourke, Holbrook, Lovat, & Farley (2004); Gittoes (2007); Council of Graduate Schools in the United States (2008).

Theoretical framework of my work


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Philosophical background – social constructionist view of identity: co-construction of identity through social discourse.

Theoretical framework – Social positioning (Harré, 2010).

The SPC (annotated) adapted from Harré (2010, p. 144).

This diagram, as it currently appears, neglects the other social environments in which the distance doctoral students remain embedded. (Face-to-face doctoral students can become somewhat sequestered from their other social environments.)

The study

Research question: o The main goal of this research was to explore how doctoral students

in NL programs experience challenges to their current identities, norms, and relationships across the various boundaries of their academic and non-academic worlds.

o The main research question was: ‘How do doctoral learners in NL programs describe identity positioning?’

Participants o Two programs in a Canadian distance university


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Education (n = 15) Business (n = 4) Participants were in various stages of their degree programs 8 male; 11 female Only one was not working Mostly in the 40-49 and 50-59 age groups


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Fie ld Ty p e Nu m ber

Ed u ca t io n Po st -seco n d a r y p r o fe sso r , lect u r e r ,

in st r u ct o r

5

Le a r n in g d e sign e r 4

Tea ch e r (K-1 2 ) 2

He a lt h Ca r e Nu r se 1

Ed u ca t o r 1

Ma n a gem en t Dir ect o r (p o st -seco n d a r y ) 1

Execu t iv e o ffice r 2

Acco u n t a n t 1

Ot h e r Wr it e r 1

No t in d ica t ed N/ A 1

To t a l 1 9

Table 4.2. Occupation of interview participants.

Methodology

o Preliminary questionnaire o Qualitative, open coding (influences from phenomenography) o Discourse analysis

Data collection

o Semi structured interviews o Described their experiences

Data analysis

o Themes, patterns, co-occurrences noted.


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The Results – Positioning within general society

Re in fo rced v alu e o n se rv in g so c ie t y

o ch o o sin g t o t each

In creased sen se o f u n d erst an d in g

so cie t y

o t each in g as m ean s o f

p erp e t u at in g u n d erst an d in g

am o n gst p eo p le

A p p reciat io n o f o t h ers in so cie t y

o in cre ased in t e ract io n an d

sh arin g id eas

o crit iq u in g id e as

Re ject io n / ad o p t io n o f age m y t h s

o d ecis io n t o p ersist in d o ct o ral

st u d ie s

Ch an gin g p ract ice s an d p ersp e ct iv e s

o m o v in g ch ild re n t o

p r iv at e sch o o l

V alu es

Pract ice s

M y t h o lo gie s

Disco u rse s

Conventionalization On

Ap

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Transformation

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Manifestation Public

Location Collective

Individual


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Sen sin g:

o an x ie t y

Qu est io n in g

o reaso n s fo r st u d y

o b en e f it s o f st u d y ( so cial an d

p erso n al)

o st u d y in g af t e r 5 0 y ears o f age

o o t h ers’ b eh av io u rs / re act io n s

o in fo rm at io n circu lat in g in t h e

m ed ia

Ob serv ed p ract ice s an d v alu es:

Use fu ln e ss o f d o ct o ral st u d ie s

o st at u s

o in t e lligen ce

o p ract icalit y

Ex p ect ed b eh av io u rs at ce r t ain age s

Private


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4.3.2 Positioning amongst friends and family The most salient narratives in this context were related to how friends and family members reacted to the participants’ doctoral studies. Figure 4.8 provides a visual summary of the participants’ descriptions.

In creased co m m it m en t t o se lf

Se t t in g p r io r it ie s lead in g t o h o w o n e

sp en d s o n e ’s t im e

o read in g , re f lect in g , co n v ers in g

o t e ch n o lo gy en ab lin g

m an agem en t o f m u lt ip le

p r io r it ie s

Co n t ro l o v er in fo rm at io n ab o u t o n e ’s

d o ct o ral st u d ie s

o scaf fo ld in g

o sim p lif icat io n

o w it h h o ld in g

o h u m ilit y

o o p en co m m u n icat io n

A cce p t in g su p p o rt o f o t h ers

Beco m in g a ro le m o d e l

V alu es

Pract ice s

M y t h o lo gie s

Disco u rse s


Ap

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Transformation

Pu

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Individual

Location Collective


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Fee lin g alien at ed

Exam in in g p r io r it ie s

o t im e

o act iv it ie s

o p eo p le

o se lf

Ob serv ed react io n s o f o t h ers t o o n e ’s

d o ct o ral st u d ie s

o d isin t e rest

o re je ct io n

o lack o f u n d erst an d in g

o f am iliar it y w it h acad e m ic

id en t it y

o su rp r ise

o ex cit em en t

o crit ic ism

o su p p o rt

o acce p t an ce

Private


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4.3.3 Positioning within the professional context

In cr ea sed sen se o f age n cy

o in t ro d u cin g n ew id eas an d

p ract ice s

Sy n t h esiz in g o f acad e m ic an d

w o rk p lace k n o w led ge

In creased st at u s

o h av in g a v o ice in d ecisio n

m ak in g

Jo b st ab ilit y

o p ro m o t io n

o p re st ige

o w o rt h in e ss

Re ject io n / su p p o rt

o ch an ge jo b s

o st ren gt h en n e t w o rk

V alu es

Pract ice s

M y t h o lo gie s

Disco u rse s


Ap

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Transformation

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Location Collective

Individual


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Crav in g fo r in t e llect u al en gagem en t

A lien at io n , sen se o f b e co m in g

d if f e ren t

De sire t o in f lu en ce t h e w o rk p lace

Examining o ld p ract ice s an d w o rk p lace

id en t it y

Ob serv at io n s in t h e w o rk p lace :

Few o t h ers w it h d o ct o rat e s

o h o st ilit y an d sen se o f t h reat

o lack o f u n d erst an d in g o f

d o ct o ral w o rk

Ot h ers w it h d o ct o rat e s

o su p p o rt n e t w o rk

o lack o f align m en t

T rad it io n al/ ex p e ct ed p ract ice s an d

at t it u d es

o n o n -ad h eren ce lead in g t o

co n f lict

Private


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4.3.4 Positioning within the doctoral cohort During the interviews, the doctoral cohort emerged as a significant location of positioning. Figure 4.10 provides a representation of the participants’ descriptions of their experience.

In creased co n f id en ce

o at sim ilar st age o f d ev e lo p m en t

o acce p t an ce o f d if f e ren ces

o d ecre ased d e f en siv en e ss

o w illin gn ess t o sh are in secu r it ie s

o in cre ased co llab o rat io n an d

sh arin g

o m u t u al su p p o rt an d sh arin g

o act in g an d p o rt ray in g se lf as

lead er

Re ject io n / accep t an ce o f co h o rt

o se ek in g in t e llect u al

s t im u lat io n t h ro u gh

read in g an d ex t e rn al

so u rces

o Fu t u re co llab o rat io n

V alu es

Pract ice s

M y t h o lo gie s

Disco u rse s


Ap

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Transformation

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Location Collective

Individual


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Fear o f d iv u lg in g

o lack o f k n o w led ge

o lack o f in t e lligen ce

o p o o r lev e l o f e xp ressio n

Se ek in g

o reassu ran ce

o co m fo rt

o co n n ect io n

Ob serv at io n s o f co h o r t b eh av io u r:

o d e f en siv en ess / o p en n ess

o co m p e t it io n / co llab o rat io n

o co llegialit y an d su p p o r t iv en e ss

o f ru st rat io n

o d if f e r in g p r io r ed u cat io n an d

ex p er ien ce

o sh allo w d iscu ss io n s

o v alu es: acco u n t ab ilit y , in t egr it y

4.3.5 Positioning within the academic department During the interviews, the participants revealed some of the struggles they experienced whilst attempting to locate themselves within the academic department (figure 4.11).

In creased co n f id en ce

o sh arin g w rit in g

o ex p re ss in g acad em ic p o sit io n s

o align in g o n ese lf

o u n d erst an d in g m e t h o d o lo gy

o p assin g p er fo rm an ce m easu re s

V alu es

Pract ice s

M y t h o lo gie s

Disco u rse s

Private


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Transformation

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Location Collective Individual


October 19, 2016

Fear , sh o ck , co n f u s io n o f / f ro m

n o t m e e t in g st an d ard s

lack in g ab ilit y

lack o f co n t ro l

lack o f p rep arat io n

co n f lict in g e xp ect at io n s

Qu est io n in g o n t o lo gy

align m en t w it h acad em ic

p o sit io n s

co n f lict in g

p o sit io n s/ ex p ec t at io n s

Qu est io n in g e p ist em o lo gy

cert ain t y o f k n o w in g , h o w o n e

k n o w s, w h at o n e k n o w s

Ev alu at in g se lf again st m easu res

can d id acy

d e f en ce ( v iv a)

Ob serv at io n s o f t h e acad em ic

d ep art m en t :

o ex p e ct at io n s o f b eh av io u r

o read in g , d iscu ss io n

o re lat io n sh ip s w it h p ro f e sso rs

o st an d ard s o f p er fo rm an ce

Private


October 19, 2016

4.3.6 Positioning within the academy



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In fo rm in g p ract ice

o ex p an d in g k n o w led ge

o t y in g k n o w led ge t o p ract ice

In creasin g co n f id en ce

o b eco m in g a p eer

Ex p re ss in g

o care fu l argu m en t s

o co m m it m en t t o v alu es ( su ch as

acad em ic in t egr it y )

V alu es

Pract ice s

M y t h o lo gie s

Disco u rse s

N ew id eas / ch allen ges

o ex p lo r in g, exam in in g an d

w e igh in g

o in cre asin g o n e ’s re p ert o ire

N ew e xp ect at io n s

o lo ss o f co n f id en ce

Qu est io n in g co n f lict in g id eas

o co n sid er in g o t h ers’ v ie w s

o p o ssib le cr it iq u e o f t h e m ast e rs

in t h e f ie ld

Qu est io n in g o n e ’s p lace an d se lf

p re sen t at io n

Ob serv at io n s an d p reco n cep t io n s

‘‘acad e m ia’’:

o h o w acad em ics b eh av e an d

t h in k

o a saf e -h av en o f t h o u gh t

o t h e acad em ic m y st iq u e

o in fallib ilit y


Ap

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Transformation

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Private

Location Collective

Individual


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Implications

Distance-based doctoral students remain embedded within multiple social contexts, which . . .

o have various views of the value of doctoral study, o place demands, and expectations upon the students, o require careful management to ensure support

Students can actively shape their support structures:

o Locate a mentor(s) o Foster relationships with other students o Learn to describe their research in non-threatening and meaningful

ways to friends and family o Consider the timing of the doctoral journey

Institutions can

o Provide orientation sessions that include Discussion of how to manage support structures, finances,

health, cohort relationships, schedules, etc. Clarify standards of performance and expectations of

behaviour (provide writing samples, analytical work, etc.) Encourage conference participation and publication.

References

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doctoral students’ identity positioning in networked learning · 2017-02-10 · doctoral...

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