Abstract
<p class="apa">Several research findings conclude that many doctoral students fail to complete their studies within the allowable time frame, in part because of problems related to the research and supervision process. Surveys show that most doctoral students are generally satisfied with their dissertation supervision. However, these surveys also reveal some students think their supervisors meet with them too infrequently, lack interest in their dissertation topics, and provide insufficient practical assistance. Furthermore, many countries will soon witness a large turnover in the labour market as people near retirement. Because this is also the case at many universities and colleges, the expectation is that there will be many teaching and research vacancies. Therefore, many new doctoral students who plan to enter academia after earning their doctoral degrees are needed. In responding to these complaints, this conceptual paper examines the use of the agile approach–which has achieved recognition and approval in software development–in the doctoral dissertation process. In the teaching/learning sphere, the agile approach can be used in iterative meetings between doctoral student and supervisor for dissertation planning, direction, and evaluation. The focus of the iterations, the so-called Sprints, is on communication and feedback throughout the entire process. The paper is based in theories on teaching/learning and on the author’s personal experience with the agile approach. Use of the agile approach, which can decrease the time required for doctoral studies, may thus increase the number of graduates with doctoral degrees. The paper makes suggestions for practical implementation of the agile approach.</p>
Highlights
Many countries will soon witness a large turnover in the labour market as people near retirement
Several research findings conclude that many doctoral students fail to complete their studies within the allowable time frame, in part because of problems related to the research and supervision process
According to Ismail, Abiddin, and Hassan (2011), the research shows that many doctoral students fail to complete their studies within the allowable time, in part because of problems related to the research and supervision process
Summary
Many countries will soon witness a large turnover in the labour market as people near retirement. Björnermark, Kettis-Lindblad, and Wolters (2010) reached a similar conclusion in a survey of doctoral students about their graduate studies at the University of Uppsala in Sweden These researchers found that 29% of the students think poor advisory supervision, to a fairly high or high degree, is an obstacle to their research. The use of agile methodologies in software development (e.g., Gustavsson, 2010; Palmquist, Lapham, Miller, Chick, & Ozkaya, 2013; Williams & Cockburn, 2003) was one inspiration for the idea that an agile approach can improve doctoral dissertation supervision Another inspiration was Marshall’s (2009) discussion of how to achieve the fine balance between too much and too little supervision of research students. As Grossman et al (2011) found, and as my search confirms, very few studies have explored the agile approach in teaching, learning, and advising
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