Variation in education doctoral students’ conceptions of university teaching

Mike Mimirinis,Kristina Ahlberg

doi:10.1002/berj.3669

Mike Mimirinis, Kristina Ahlberg

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3669

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Abstract

The development of doctoral students as university teachers has received substantially less attention compared with their development as researchers, with a similar deficit extending to research on how they experience and understand university teaching. This article reports the results of a phenomenographic study of education doctoral students’ conceptions of teaching in higher education. Using samples from two education departments in England and Sweden, we conducted interviews to identify variation in doctoral students’ experiences of university teaching. Analysis of the transcripts produced six qualitatively different conceptions of teaching: doctoral students conceptualised university teaching as a means of (A) transmitting knowledge, (B) presenting contrasting concepts of education, (C) communicating and engaging with students, (D) enabling students to apply knowledge and skills, (E) enabling students to interpret and compare concepts of education, and (F) promoting personal, professional and societal development and change. While in broad agreement with previous studies on university teachers’ conceptions of teaching, the study offers a unique insight into how the subject of education is understood by doctoral students who teach. The findings also underline the need to introduce common frameworks of academic development for academics and doctoral students alike that prioritise ways of representing and engaging with the structure of the subject, rather than the acquisition of teaching skills.

Highlights

Over the last three decades, the provision of doctoral degrees has increased in a number of countries (Pearson et al, 2008; Altbach et al, 2017)
Very little is known about how doctoral students teach, and how they conceive of teaching after experiencing it as university teachers themselves
Teaching could be viewed by education doctoral students as a means of: A Transmitting knowledge; B Presenting contrasting concepts of education; C Communicating and engaging with students; D Enabling students to apply knowledge and skills; E Enabling students to interpret and compare concepts of education; F Promoting personal, professional and societal development and change

Summary

Introduction

Over the last three decades, the provision of doctoral degrees has increased in a number of countries (Pearson et al, 2008; Altbach et al, 2017). A wealth of studies has explored students’ development as researchers (Wisker et al, 2003; Sinclair et al, 2014), argued that they should become prepared for epistemological diversity (Pallas, 2001), and identified how they conceive of research (Stubb et al, 2014). In light of earlier assertions that teaching is often enhanced by changes in how teachers think about their own teaching (Dall’Alba, 1991), it is important to examine the relationship between doctoral students’ conceptions of teaching and their teaching practice. Such an examination is necessary if we wish to understand and enhance doctoral students’ teaching development, and student learning

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