Abstract
Research students no longer need to spend long hours on campus under the gaze of their supervisors. Ubiquitous access to online databases and communication tools means that many PhD students operate in splendid isolation, away from the bustle and distractions of campus life. But this freedom may also bring with it strong feelings of isolation from academic community and peer support. The authors of this study have commenced an inquiry into whether the connectivity and interactivity of social media can provide a vital social lifeline for research students (particularly law students who work largely independently and are not frequently part of large research teams) in order to address these feelings of isolation. The role of social media in shaping academic identity and voice is also addressed. It considers a number of significant UK studies of higher degree by research students and their relevance for Australia and outlines the results of a small pilot survey conducted in an Australian law school.
Highlights
The role of social media in shaping academic identity and voice is addressed. It considers a number of significant UK studies of higher degree by research students and their relevance for Australia and outlines the results of a small pilot survey conducted in an Australian law school
The PhD student can be likened to Rapunzel, they sit in splendid isolation in a self-constructed ivory tower, occasionally shouting out to the world but for the most part left to their own devices, working quietly away at their research and observing the world from afar
If the sense of isolation could be reduced and the student provided with a support network, the experience would be enriched both personally and academically. In addressing this issue we cannot hope to solve the isolation of the PhD student nor can we address broader institutional, economic and policy questions that arise around the appropriateness of this isolation
Summary
Research students no longer need to spend long hours on campus under the gaze of their supervisors. Ubiquitous access to online databases and communication tools means that many PhD students operate in splendid isolation, away from the bustle and distractions of campus life. This freedom may bring with it strong feelings of isolation from academic community and peer support. The role of social media in shaping academic identity and voice is addressed. It considers a number of significant UK studies of higher degree by research students and their relevance for Australia and outlines the results of a small pilot survey conducted in an Australian law school
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