Kay GuccioneResearcher Mentoring & Coaching

++ Thesis Coaching: enhancing PhD thesis submission rates through learning conversations

UG/M

BACKGROUND

++ The research career pipeline

PhDpost-doc

academic

FT 3+1

Prior focuses on student demographics: M/F, FT/PT, nationality, discipline etc

(Seagram, 1998; Wright & Cochrane, 2000)

Review of impact factors (Latona & Browne, 2001)

1. Institutional / environmental2. Supervisory arrangements3. Student cohorts and characteristics

BACKGROUND

++ Finishing on time matters

Financial penalties (future funding)

Research Excellence Framework

Research academy or centre status

Costs on supervisor and resources

Reputational risks – competitive business environment

International league tables

Postgraduate Research Experience Survey

The most vulnerable – the doctoral researcher

Longer = less likely to complete

Writing is an emotional process (Wellington, 2010; Baptista, 2013; Cotterall, 2013; Jairam and Kahl, 2012; Kearns et al, 2008 )

A NOVEL STUDY

++ stressfully unable to make progress

Dealing only with stumped students close to their deadline

Finding solutions not just looking for barriers

Via 1:1 coaching conversations making time for reflection, learning and planning

Coaching is the learning event… and the research method

METHODOLOGY

++ solutions focused approach

30 students 8 x 1h

coaching conversations over 16 weeks

GROUP INDUCTION TO A WRITING COMMUNITY

EVALUATION FORM & FOLLLOW UP INTERVIEWS

OBJECTIVE SETTING

O'Connell (1998)

A refusal to focus on a ‘problem story’ and constant search for solution

Focus on what you have got and can do

RESULTS

++ barriers to completion

RESULTS

++ barriers to completion

(A) Unclear expectations and lack of

defined goals

RESULTS

++ barriers to completion

(B) Lack of confidence &

associated self

sabotage

(A) Unclear expectations and lack of

defined goals

Kearns et al (2008)

RESULTS

++ barriers to completion

(C) Isolation in the academic environment

(B) Lack of confidence &

associated self

sabotage

(A) Unclear expectations and lack of

defined goals

Kearns et al (2008)

RESULTS

++ barriers to completion

“Little things build up into big

questions, long emails, that there

isn’t enough time to even write down. A chat as you come in

in the morning would solve this.””I will start it. I just

need to read more, I don’t know enough yet. In my head my thesis is perfect. If I

start writing it, we’ll all find out that it isn’t,

and I can’t stand that – I’m embarrassed.”

“I'm unsure of the timeframe or the amount of detail meant to go in. I don’t really know

what I’m aiming for”

RELATIONSHIP

++ barriers to completion

STANDARDS, ROLES AND RESONSIBILITIES

NOT DEFINED OR SPOKEN ABOUT

POOR QUALITY FEEDBACK & UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT TO TRY

NEW THINGS

SUPERVISOR PREFERENCE OR DEPT

POLICY

OUTCOMES

++ student-led solutions

In general students were able to find ways to overcome writing barriers when given the opportunity to reflect and plan;

Once a student had been able to solve a problem, they reported feeling confident in navigating further difficulties that may arise;

Many of the barriers to productivity were inextricable from the nature of the relationship with the supervisor, or with the organisation, and coaching was able to also help with this;

Even students who had reported a total breakdown in communication with their supervisor found it possible to renegotiate a working relationship to focus on thesis completion.

OUTCOMES

++ student-led solutions

In general students were able to find ways to overcome writing barriers when given the opportunity to reflect and plan;

Once a student had been able to solve a problem, they reported feeling confident in navigating further difficulties that may arise;

Many of the barriers to productivity were inextricable from the nature of the relationship with the supervisor, or with the organisation, and coaching was able to also help with this;

Even students who had reported a total breakdown in communication with their supervisor found it possible to renegotiate a working relationship to focus on thesis completion.

We can’t do, as Kearns did, position

all of the responsibility for writing

with the student

The PhD student isn’t solely

responsible, but they do need to

actively manage work relationships.

CONCLUSIONS

++ conclusions

Students struggling to write described in the vast majority, a poor working relationship with their supervisor that lacked trust;

Being outside a ‘community of practice’ causes academic isolation

CONCLUSIONS

++ conclusions & recommendations

Students struggling to write described in the vast majority, a poor working relationship with their supervisor that lacked trust;

Being outside a ‘community of practice’ causes academic isolation

Consequences are

underdeveloped sense of

agency and AUTHORity

Jiranek (2010)

CONCLUSIONS

++ conclusions & recommendations

Students struggling to write described in the vast majority, a poor working relationship with their supervisor that lacked trust;

Being outside a ‘community of practice’ causes academic isolation

Consequences are

underdeveloped sense of

AUTHORity and agency

Jiranek (2010)

No ideal conditions, no ideal candidatemore an individual approach to awareness, development and constantly renegotiating working relationships

a coaching style of management?

ONGOING

++ a work in progress…

A trust questionnaire – 36 items for all coachees, and later all thesis writers (after Hope-Hailey et al., 2012; Dietz & Den Hartog, 2006)

Interviews with those experiencing overall ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ relationships

The supervisor perspective on trust development

(!!!)

++ an anecdote…

An academic tale…