The Origins of Social Competence in a Pluralist Society∗

This paper explores the changing relationships between the UK government, its research councils and universities, focusing on the governing, funding and organisation of doctoral training. We use the Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs) funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a prism through which to study the shifting nature of university governance more broadly. Taking up ministerial policy ‘steers’ around research selectivity, knowledge exchange and collaboration, the national research councils position themselves as active partners to universities, working closely with their selected institutional ‘investments’.

Drawing on interviews with directors of these DTCs, we document the range of ways in which universities are responding to these dynamic and sometimes unpredictable governance practices. This paper also highlights the growing number of collaborations between universities that are emerging. We use recent work in science governance to argue that, through the Doctoral Training Centres, these ‘lively’ Research Council bureaucracies are reshaping the social sciences and universities more broadly.     

If We Teach Them, They Can Learn: Young Students Views of Nature of Science Aspects to Early Elementary Students During an Informal Science Education Program

There have been substantial reform efforts in science education to improve students’ understandings of science and its processes and provide continual support for students becoming scientifically literate (American Association for the Advancement of Science in Benchmarks for science literacy, Oxford University Press, New York, 1993; National Research Council in Mathematics and science education around the world, National Academy Press, Washington DC, 1996; National Science Teachers Association in NSTA position statement 2000). Despite previous research, it is still unclear whether young children are actually developmentally ready to conceptualize the ideas that are recommended in the reforms (Akerson V, Volrich M (2006) Journal of Research and Science Teaching, 43, 377–394). The purpose of this study was to explore how explicit-reflective instruction could improve young students’ understanding of NOS. During an informal education setting, the authors taught NOS aspects using explicit-reflective instruction. Overall the students participating in the program improved their understanding of the target aspects of NOS through use of explicit reflective instruction. However, the levels of improvement varied across different aspects. Students improved the most in their understanding of the tentative nature of science and the roles of observation in scientific work, although there was still some confusion regarding the distinction between observation and inference. More work needs to be done exploring these specific topics and the role explicit reflective practice can play in identifying the particular problems students have in distinguishing these constructs.     

The Training of Adequate Leadership for Week‐Day Religious Education

The 51 abstracts of doctoral theses printed below were sent to the Bureau of Research of the National Council of Churches for abstracting in Religious Education since the last series of such doctoral abstracts was printed in this journal (see Religious Education, Vol. 56, pages 359–382, 1961). The abstracts here printed have been substantially limited to studies containing explicit reference to current educational processes, procedures, and personnel in religious institutions. Persons interested in reviewing complete dissertations usually may obtain these in one of two ways. The school granting the degree will either loan complete dissertations to local libraries on interlibrary loan, or it will direct interested persons to ordering that dissertation on microfilm. Readers are reminded that an indispensable library resource for obtaining information on available doctoral theses from many of the major academic institutions is Dissertation Abstracts. Please do not address requests for dissertations to this magazine or to the National Council of Churches     

Evaluating Doctoral Education in Physical Activity: Role of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education

This paper summarizes recent events concerning the evaluation of doctoral programs in kinesiology and physical education. An overview is provided of issues related to the evaluation process used by the National Research Council (NRC). The American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education (AAKPE) has developed a proposal to have our field included in the upcoming evaluation of doctoral programs conducted by the NRC currently scheduled for 2007. Also described is an overview of the plan by the AAKPE to conduct its own evaluation of doctoral programs in 2005. Finally, a listing of the 62 identified doctoral programs in our field is presented along with some program characteristics.     

Doctoral Research Training of Counselor Education Faculty

Counselor educators (N = 167) in programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs were surveyed regarding research training received during their doctoral studies. Respondents shared perspectives regarding the quality and quantity of their research course work as well as suggestions on how to enhance research training in counselor education programs. Differences in the amount, type, and attitudes toward research were found according to programs from which educators were graduated and year of graduation. The influences of mentoring as a critical practice in research training also emerged. Implications for research training in counselor education are discussed.     

从声望排名到质量改进——美国博士生教育评估模式的演进

自1924年首次实施博士生教育质量评估以来,美国博士生教育评估模式经历了以休格斯和肯尼斯顿为代表的声望研究、以美国教育委员会实施的两次质量评估为代表的客观指标研究和以全美研究委员会为代表的相关定量研究三个阶段。评估方法论的不断改进也意味着质量评估的目的从单纯的声望排名转向了真正的质量改进。     

A PhD In motion: Advancing a critical academic mobilities approach (CAMA) to researching short-term mobility schemes for doctoral students

ABSTRACT

Short-term mobility has been neglected in the higher education mobilities literature, which tends to focus on longer stays such as study abroad or entire degrees. Short-term doctoral mobility schemes are relatively low-cost, potentially high-value investments in the development of early career researchers. Doctoral mobilities research – and the field of academic mobilities research more broadly – is characterised by a positivist, often atheoretical orientation; this article responds to this by introducing a critical academic mobilities approach (CAMA). This approach is rooted in the ‘mobilities paradigm’, and involves (i) questioning the status of mobility as a universal good; (ii) exploring the subjectivity of mobile subjects as dynamic and shifting, but also structurally determined; (iii) a commitment to researching mobility processes as well as investments and outcomes. The article explores ‘autoethno-case studies’ of two doctoral mobility schemes funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): Overseas Institutional Visits (OIV) and the PhD Partnering Scheme (PPS).     

Publication Productivity among Doctoral Graduates of Educational Psychology Programs at Research Universities before and after the Year 2000

Research suggests that new doctoral graduates face increased publication pressure to achieve tenure: doctoral programs may have also increased this expectation. We examined whether faculty graduating before and after the year 2000 differed significantly in total publications, peer-reviewed publications, and first-authored publications as of the year they graduated with their doctoral degrees along with peer-reviewed publications as of tenure. A sample of 197 curriculum vitae was retrieved from educational psychology departmental websites across the 24 universities; vitae were coded for year the faculty member completed his/her doctorate and total number of publications, number of peer-reviewed publications and number of first-authored, peer-reviewed publications. Results indicated that faculty who graduated in the year 2000 and beyond had a significantly greater number of total publications—more peer-reviewed publications, more first-authored, peer-reviewed publications as of the year they graduated with their doctoral degrees, along with more peer-reviewed publications as of tenure. Publication productivity among doctoral graduates of educational psychology programs at research universities before and after the year 2000.     

Doctoral students on the university–industry interface: a review of the literature

Doctoral students are highly important in university—firm relationships, since they are significant producers of knowledge in collaborative research projects, they are an important channel for knowledge transfer between universities and firms, and are vital in network configurations between firms and universities. An increasing number of doctoral students interact with firms, but we know relatively little about the experiences of these students or how collaboration influences their training, research and subsequent careers. With this in mind, this paper presents a literature review of (1) theoretical assumptions concerning the roles doctoral students are expected to fulfill in university–industry relationships, and (2) empirical research of doctoral students’ interaction experience and outcomes of doctoral student-industry interaction. The aim of the paper is to develop hypotheses for further research on doctoral student—industry interaction.     

European Survey of Master's and Doctoral Dissertions in Science Education

Editorial comment and summaries

English

Drs Kjöllerström and Lybeck present here a brief report of their European survey of master's and doctoral dissertations in science education, undertaken subsequently to a workshop on Research in Science Education in Europe held at Malente, FR Germany in 1976. The full report of their survey has recently been published by the Institute for Science Education (IPN), Kiel, FR Germany.

The article published here reports on the distribution, size and organization of science education research groups, their areas of research interest and higher degree programmes. It also surveys the main areas of science education research at master's and doctoral level undertaken during the period 1971‐1976, and the employment taken up by master's and doctoral students upon completion of their studies.     

站在理论前沿,促进学科发展

本文通过对一高等教育学科点历届博士学论文的初步考察认为,这些研究成果对拓展和深化高等教育学科基础理论,探求和解决改革实践中的重大理论和实践问题,丰富和完善学科研究方法,继承和发展学科点学术研究特色等方面做出了应有的贡献。但也存在研究的承续性、方法论及选题等方面的一些不足。     

Becoming researchers: doctoral students' developmental processes

A key step in the development of skills to conduct independent research is the ability to develop topics of interest into research studies that examine problems of significance in a field of study. This qualitative interview study conducted in the USA examined how seven novice qualitative researchers who had taken course work in qualitative research methods selected topics for research and developed these into studies for dissertation research. Findings identify processes contributing to novice researchers' abilities to conceptualize their topics as significant. These processes include recognizing the need to integrate their interests in existing disciplinary fields, learning that occurred through the practice of fieldwork, applying guidance from advisors and committee members, and developing a deeper understanding of the relationship of their studies to existing research. The paper suggests points of tension for new scholars in the development of research topics, exploring how doctoral supervisors and instructors might assist students in learning how to design and conduct qualitative studies for doctoral research.     

PhD by Publication: innovative approach to social science research,or operationalisation of the doctoral student … or both?

ABSTRACT

The PhD by Publication offers doctoral students an opportunity to focus on publishing during their candidature. A considerable body of literature has explored questions of legitimacy, consistency and quality of this model of scholarship, while students have reflected on how this approach helped build a publishing track record and develop skills associated with writing scholarly articles [Jackson, D. (2013). Completing a PhD by publication: A review of Australian policy and implications for practice. Higher Education Research & Development, 32(3), 355–368; Robins, L., & Kanowski, P. (2008). PhD by publication: A student’s perspective. Journal of Research Practice, 4(2), 1–20]. However, there is a need to explore how this approach both shapes and reflects the student experience of doctoral studies. This auto-ethnographical article analyses my own experience of the PhD by Publication. On the one hand, this method suited my multidisciplinary research topic and approach to research and assisted the flexibility and creativity of my research. On the other, I began to view my value as a researcher and the value of my research, in terms of the quantitative performance metrics of research in output, citation counts and h-index. Concept of performativity, I analyse how the PhD by Publication potentially reshapes what it is to be a doctoral student, and how the value of doctoral students is construed by themselves and others within their university.     

Distinctives of High Producers of Minority Science and Engineering Doctoral Starts

Demographic shifts in recent years have resulted in a smaller proportion of white males in the American population. Historically, we have depended on these individuals to comprise almost all of the science and engineering doctorates for our workforce. America must now develop S&E talent more fully among minority groups and women. Colleges and universities have moved ahead admirably in bringing these individuals into S&E programs and preparing them for doctoral study. Predictably, some have had greater success than others. The present study was completed under a National Science Foundation grant. It sought to identify the more successful institutions and to identify the elements of their success in an effort to effect a sharing of know-how. The National Research Council was asked to rank-order institutions according to their rates of success in sending Indian, Hispanic and black students on to graduate study in science and engineering. Site visits and interviews were made at ten of the top institutions. Using George Kuh's rubric for involving institutions, site visitors identified valuable threads among the practices for talent development among the populations under study.     

The association of thinking styles with research agendas among academics in the social sciences

Research agendas are understudied, despite being key to academic knowledge creation. The literature suggests that the ways that academics determine their research agendas are conditioned by individual, organisational and environmental characteristics. This study explores the cognitive aspects of academics' research agendas in the social sciences by using a theory on thinking styles as an analytical framework. The results suggest that the research agendas of academics in the social sciences are significantly associated with their thinking styles. These findings aid understanding of how academics set their research agendas. This study also represents an important landmark in research on thinking styles, focusing on academic research work as a potential venue for further studies. The findings are relevant for policymakers, research funding agencies, university administrators and academics because they have implications for academic research development processes, outcomes, and for research and academic identity socialisation during doctoral studies.     

A model for the supervisor–doctoral student relationship

The supervisor–doctoral student interpersonal relationship is important for the success of a PhD-project. Therefore, information about doctoral students’ perceptions of their relationship with their supervisor can be useful for providing detailed feedback to supervisors aiming at improving the quality of their supervision. This paper describes the development of the questionnaire on supervisor–doctoral student interaction (QSDI). This questionnaire aims at gathering information about doctoral students’ perceptions of the interpersonal style of their supervisor. The QSDI appeared to be a reliable and valid instrument. It can be used in research on the relationship between supervisor and doctoral student and can provide supervisors with feedback on their interpersonal style towards a particular student.     

Examining paradigmatic development in criminology and criminal justice: A content analysis of research methods syllabi in doctoral programs

Kuhn (1996) describes a paradigm as a model for a field of scientific inquiry. He notes the importance of shared scientific research methods in the paradigm. This study examines the teaching of research methods in doctoral programs to identify elements of a paradigm. Research methods syllabi were obtained from schools that have a doctoral program in criminology and criminal justice. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes in courses and readings. There was little evidence of consensus in doctoral-level research methods teaching at these institutions. This is indicative of a discipline that does not have an established paradigm.     

Efficiency analysis of research universities in Turkey

Research universities have emerged as a basic asset in international local institutions that contribute to the knowledge and socio-economic development of countries. Research universities in Turkey were established in national policies in 2017. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of ten research universities and five candidate research universities by the Council of Higher Education (CHE). The paper further aims at determining the factors that influence the efficiency of these universities on the basis of 2017 input and output data. As input variables, the number of faculty members per program and the number of scientific research projects were used in the efficiency analysis. As output variables, the ratio of the citation per publication in 2017 in Web of Science (WoS), the ratio of the research project income to the total appropriations, and the ratio of the PhD graduates to the number of PhD programs were used. Surprisingly, the number of scientific research projects in the major field of study negatively influences the efficiency scores of research universities. Instead of centralized management and output-oriented evaluation, university-based regulations must be identified, and process-oriented measures should be taken. The rate of citations per publication and the rate of PhD graduates per PhD program affect the efficacy scores positively. Because research as the main indicator of universities is well established, directing academics to scientific studies instead of course load is likely to increase the efficiency of research universities. Finally, focusing on doctoral education in terms of internationalization is likely to increase the scientific studies of universities and their quality development of research universities.     

Understanding,embracing and reflecting upon the messiness of doctoral fieldwork

This Forum issue discusses the centrality of the fieldwork in doctoral research. The inevitability of researchers’ influence and of their values apparent during and after their fieldwork calls for a high degree of reflexivity. Since the standard methodology textbooks do not sufficiently guide on addressing such challenges, doctoral researchers go through stressful phases, at times revising various decisions they made before starting fieldwork. By drawing upon four case studies from varied contexts, this forum highlights some of these challenges including: going beyond signing the consent form and building rapport to elicit student voices; the ethical implications of White privilege of researchers turning consent into an obligatory contract with participants; unanticipated delays in the fieldwork opening up new possibilities; and tensions resulting from negotiating between insider and outsider identities while researching in two hostile contexts.