Academic Involvement in Doctoral Education: Predictive Value of Faculty Mentorship and Intellectual Community on Doctoral Education Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction Doctoral education is the backbone of scientific innovation and creativity and is a critical fuel for the global knowledge economy. Having reached the pinnacle of academic achievement, doctoral graduates understand what is known and discover what is yet unknown (Shulman, 2008, p. ix) and are expected to use that knowledge to provide intellectual leadership to face the challenges of today and tomorrow (Commission on the Future of Graduate Education in the United States, 2010). Envied around the world, doctoral programs in the United States continue to attract the best and brightest from overseas, while doctoral educational practices in the United States continue to serve as a model for other countries (Altbach, 2004; Walker, 2008). Despite its prominence, doctoral education is not without criticism. Problems such as high attrition, lengthy time-to-degree, and inadequate professional preparation persist as long-term concerns. Doctoral education is also historically the least studied level of formal education; however, that is now beginning to change. Over the past two decades, a push for greater levels of accountability in higher education has stimulated interest in assessing educational effectiveness of doctoral education by measuring desired educational outcomes and identifying factors that promote those outcomes. A burgeoning body of literature and a number of initiatives on doctoral education have emerged over the past two decades reflecting the growing interest and increased attention of scholars in the preparation of the next generation of intellectual leaders. Organizations such as the Council of Graduate Schools, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation have undertaken projects aimed at improving educational effectiveness of doctoral education. Although problems, purposes, and recommendations of these projects are complex and multifaceted, the quality of students' educational experience as it relates to immediate departments or program communities appears to be a common focal point of the initiatives. In particular, students' interactions with faculty mentors and peers in supportive yet challenging environments along with developmentally meaningful and authentic learning experiences are considered critical to the effective preparation of the next generation of scholars, researchers, and educators (Nyquist, 2002; Walker, 2008; Walker, Golde, Jones, Bueschel, & Hutchins, 2008). Furthermore, some even propose a Bill of Rights for doctoral students (Schniedeijans, 2007). Although calls for more deliberate, systematic, and structured approaches to doctoral education are increasing in the relevant literature, there is a paucity of evidence that informs the extent to which doctoral programs have implemented emerging recommendations. Similarly, the extent to which doctoral students value such educational practices is yet unknown. Finally, there is little published quantitative research that has explored relationships between factors deemed important in effective doctoral education, particularly research employing multivariate analyses. Those concerned with the effectiveness and efficiency of doctoral programs have limited evidence to draw upon in the further study and improvement of educational experiences and outcomes for doctoral students. There is a need for greater understanding of students' educational experiences and the merit of academic involvement, in the form of intellectual community and mentorship, in promoting desired educational outcomes. Purposes of the Study This study served several purposes. The study first sought to measure the frequency of academic involvement students experienced in doctoral programs and to gauge the perceived importance of such involvement from a student perspective. Relationships between academic involvement and a number of widely accepted doctoral education outcomes were also explored. …