Experiences Of Graduate Students Research Articles

Professional Development and Moral Reasoning in Higher Education Graduate Programs

Aim/Purpose: This work examines the role of professional development in higher education graduate programs through the use of reflective teaching approaches. We discuss the relevance of a professional development framework in supporting the exploration of moral reasoning in addressing challenges in the higher education profession. Background: Shifts in demographics within college university environments has resulted in increased diversity among students facilitating the need for professional development experiences that involve moral reasoning and self-reflection as resources to increase cultural awareness. Methodology: Case study overviews of higher education courses focused on supporting the development of graduate students’ professional interest illustrate ways moral reasoning can be examined to facilitate self-awareness as a professional skill and competency. Four teaching strategies reflect how professional learning can be used to shape students’ experiences, knowledge of critical issues, and understanding of organizational development in higher education. Contribution: This paper contributes to the knowledge of professional development in higher education graduate programs and the experiences faculty and graduate students. Findings: Strategies discussed provide a basis for further research to examine the role of professional learning framework in developing effective pedagogical strategies that facilitate moral reasoning, social justice, democratic values, and diversity. Previous research on the experiences of graduate students has not explicitly discussed the proposed professional learning framework across graduate student experiences. Recommendations for Practitioners: Administrators responsible for managing higher education graduate programs may find this work useful for understanding how moral reasoning can be used as tool for teaching professional development in graduate programs. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers of professional development within graduate programs may find the use of moral reasoning helpful in understanding strategies that support facilitating discussions of critical issues related to cultural awareness. Impact on Society: Moral reasoning is an effective resource for building the professional insight and awareness needed for understanding multiple experiences in the workplace. Future Research: Additional research is needed to understand how moral reasoning could be used to support the professional development of higher education graduate students.

English as Lingua Franca: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of English Language on Vietnamese Graduate Student Learning

Aim/Purpose: In this study, we explored the learning experiences of graduate students enrolled at Vietnamese-German University (VGU), a transnational collaborative university that uses English as the language for instruction that is primarily conducted by German faculty. Background: Transnational education has gained in popularity across the globe, often with English serving as the common language, or lingua franca. However, English as lingua franca contributes to learning challenges as a result of English language dominance in academia. Methodology: Case study methodology was used to examine the learning experiences of graduate students at Vietnamese-German University, with the institution as the case and 24 participants as the unit of analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face which allowed for rich data. Contribution: Transnational education has gained significant attention in recent years, including how language may influence operations and motivations of institutions. However, few studies exist that examine English as lingua franca at transnational universities from the student perspective. The context of Vietnam is also important as Asia is a growing region for the establishment of transnational universities. Findings: Participants expressed that the primary reason they chose to attend VGU was because of its use of English as lingua franca. However, they experienced several challenges, particularly with technical jargon and an overall language barrier in the classroom. Participants navigated challenges with three strategies for learning: asking the professor questions, talking with peers, and using supplemental resources to understand unfamiliar concepts. Recommendations for Practitioners: Results from this study include implications for instructors to better meet the needs of non-native English learners in the classroom, such as supporting peer engagement, group work, and engaging in pedagogical training. Impact on Society: The findings from this study provides additional perspectives on how English as lingua franca allows for affordances and challenges for student learning at transnational universities in Vietnam. The results of this study could inform other transnational universities in Asia. Future Research: Recommendations for future research include examining English as lingua franca from the perspectives of instructors. Additional suggestions include longitudinal studies on the outcomes of graduates’ English language learning and how English language training contributed to their employment in the global sector.

Negotiating Power

Learning to do qualitative research that is grounded in a critical perspective can be a turbulent time for graduate students and supervisors. The influence of power is omnipresent and can create significant problems for graduate student experiences. This article uses the graduate thesis research experience of one student and supervisor dyad to highlight the relational factors that we found to support learning: vulnerability, trust, and patience. For our dyad, negotiating the power structures surrounding us was one strategy that helped foster the development of a critical qualitative researcher. The relational factors that characterized our student-supervisor relationship, similar to those in the critical qualitative research process, provided a basis for discussion and growth through a graduate thesis in a nursing program.

Study on the exploration process of forming self-identity through learning experiences of freshman graduate students who are office worker adult learners

Study on the exploration process of forming self-identity through learning experiences of freshman graduate students who are office worker adult learners

Studying in Canada: Experiences of Female Graduate Students from Saudi Arabia

Studying in Canada: Experiences of Female Graduate Students from Saudi Arabia

International Student Involvement: Leading Away from Home

International students develop perceptions about leadership based on cultural practices in their home country. What is the leadership experience of international students in the United States? This study sought to describe the lived leadership experiences of international graduate students. A total of 17 participants, from 11 different countries were recruited for face-to-face in- depth interviews. The participants were enrolled in a large public university and served in a formal leadership position on campus. Four themes emerged concerning graduate students’ leadership experience with leadership and were categorized as: (1) contextually challenging; (2) essential; (3) task and people oriented, and; (4) rewarding. Recommendations are made for campus personnel and leadership educators who support international students.

Studying in Canada: Experiences of Female Graduate Students from Saudi Arabia

This paper presents findings from a study which explored experiences of Saudi Arabian female graduate students studying in Canada. The data for this descriptive qualitative study was collected through semi-structured interviews with ten students undertaking graduate studies in universities across 5 Canadian provinces. The findings of this study suggest that female graduate students from Saudi Arabia face unique challenges related to adaptation to a new education environment and to managing cultural expectations of Saudi and Canadian communities. Studying and living in Canada affected our participants’ personal values and changed the way they viewed themselves, their culture and community.

International Graduate Student Labor as Mergers and Acquisitions

This study critically examines the self-reported experiences of international graduate students using a framework understanding internationalization as acquisitions and mergers. Students reported positive experiences with their advisors. However, students’ accounts of laboratories and other research settings were diverse, ranging from co-contributors to knowledge and respected collaborators to employed cheap labor that their advisors depended upon for their own gains. In some cases, these students feared that their funding would be cut off or dismissed from the program (and consequently deported from the US) if they challenged their advisors. Whether such apprehensions were valid is unknown as this study focused on perceptions of the students only. The findings do lead to important future directions for research and practice.

Graduate Student Perceptions and Experiences with Connectivity in an Asynchronous, Online Distance Degree Program

Graduate Student Perceptions and Experiences with Connectivity in an Asynchronous, Online Distance Degree Program

The Sociology Teaching Fellowship: A Mentorship Model for Graduate Student Teacher Training

Scholars have long emphasized the importance of teacher training in higher education, including in sociology. Such calls have led to modest improvements in opportunities for graduate students to develop teaching-related skills and experience. However, many of these opportunities are not specific to sociology and may lack a teaching component. In this paper, we outline a teaching fellowship model for graduate student teacher training that integrates group training sessions, peer collaboration, and a teaching practicum component under the guidance of a faculty mentor. In the fellowship, graduate student teaching fellows receive a stipend for sharing the development and teaching of an undergraduate course, with supports and feedback throughout. We include data from post-fellowship questionnaires and follow-up data from fellows who went on to teach their own courses to highlight the strengths of the program. The data indicate that the fellowship is an overwhelmingly positive experience for graduate students.

Not Just an Undergraduate Issue: Campus Climate and Sexual Violence Among Graduate Students.

The lack of research on graduate students' experiences with campus sexual violence and the campus climate is a glaring gap in the literature (Bonistall Postel, 2020). Thus, the current exploratory study examines the experience of graduate students at one university to determine their victimization rates and the number of disclosures they receive from peers. In addition, we compare graduate and undergraduate students' awareness of resources on campus and their confidence in knowing where to seek assistance for their peers or themselves. Finally, we compare key influential factors related to the campus climate such as sense of community and perceptions of the university's responsiveness to incidents of sexual violence among graduate and undergraduate students. An online survey was administered to a sample of 9,546 students, with 79.9% undergraduates and 20.1% graduates. A total of 5.2% of graduate students reported experiences of sexual violence since attending the university, with 13% receiving disclosures from peers. MANCOVA revealed that compared with undergraduate students, graduate students had significantly less awareness of campus resources, less confidence in knowing where to seek assistance, and less of a sense of community. There were no differences in perceptions of the university's handling of sexual violence. The findings highlight the importance of including and targeting graduate students in sexual violence awareness and prevention programming on college campuses.

Required Counseling Experiences in Graduate Programs: A Policy Recommendation

ABSTRACTParticipation in either individual or group counseling during a counseling graduate program provides multiple personal and professional benefits. However, a consistent procedure for its implementation is not recognized within the profession. The barriers and benefits of requiring a personal counseling experience for graduate students are provided. Additionally, a policy for required counseling is offered as a recommendation to programs and to the profession.

2483 The Empower Lab: An innovative model for research experience and training for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The Empower Lab was established in 2015 with the goal of providing students with hands-on research experience in sexual and gender-based violence and health. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Empower Lab consists of 10–12 undergraduate, graduate, and medical students at a time. Students undergo a rigorous application process, and agree to volunteer 8 hours per week for at least 1 year. Students are assigned to teams, and learn research skills such as literature searches, systematic reviews, research question generation, study design, IRB procedures, database creation and management, data collection and analysis, oral and poster presentation, manuscript preparation, team collaboration and communication, advocacy, and leadership. Students start as research assistants, and can be promoted to team leader, and associate director of research. Students mentor and teach each other, and are supervised by the principal investigator (PI). A survey skill self-assessment is administered to lab members on entry to the lab, every 4–6 months, and upon exit. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In total, 20 students have participated in the lab to date, and 12 are currently enrolled. Eighty percent of the lab members are women. The students are 45% undergraduates, 15% graduate (nursing, social work, public health), 20% medical students, and 10% not currently enrolled in school (gap year). Twenty students completed entry surveys, 11 students have completed interim surveys, and 5 students have completed exit surveys. Examination of current surveys indicates that students are gaining skills throughout the lab experience. Free-text feedback provided further insight. Currently, the lab has 5 IRB-approved studies actively recruiting participants, 4 manuscripts being written, and 3 studies in the development phase. Students have presented at three local and 2 national meetings to date. Changes have been made to the lab structure over time in order to provide clear expectations and feedback, and strengthen student performance. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The Empower Lab is an innovative public health lab that provides opportunities for real-world research experience for students. The teamwork, collaboration, and structure of the lab permit mentoring, support, and teaching from peers, as well as from the PI. The Lab increases the PI’s productivity. Students are encouraged to develop and implement their own research ideas, further encouraging independence and initiative. Although the number of surveys is limited to date, they indicate improvement in skills and confidence among lab members. The predominance of women in the lab suggests that this is a strong model for recruitment and retention of women in STEM.

On Returning to School: Adults' Lived Experiences

In this paper, I use a phenomenological and hermeneutic approach to explore the lived experience of graduate students returning to school. The paper begins with a reflexive narrative in which I connect adults' experience of graduate school with children' s experience of elementary school. The paper then reports on some of the research interviews I conducted with 30 graduate students. I interlace direct quotations from the interviews with my interpretations of the students' experiences. I argue that the boundaries between child learner and adult learner are socially constructed and not ontological.

What Does Being a Settler Ally in Research Mean? A Graduate Students Experience Learning From and Working Within Indigenous Research Paradigms

Research with Indigenous peoples is fraught with complexity and misunderstandings. The complexity of negotiating historical and current issues as well as the misunderstandings about what the issues really mean for individuals and communities can cause non-Indigenous researchers to shy away from working with Indigenous groups. In conducting research for my doctoral dissertation, I was a novice researcher faced with negotiating two very different sets of social contracts: the Western Canadian university’s and my Indigenous participants’. Through narrative inquiry of my experience, this article explores issues of ethics, institutional expectations, and community relationships. Guided by Kirkness and Barnhardt’s “Four R’s” framework of respect, relevance, reciprocity, and responsibility, I aimed to meet the needs of both the groups, but it was not without challenges. What do you do when needs collide? This article shares my process of negotiating the research, the decisions made, and how I came to understand my role in the process as a Settler Ally. It closes with some implications for other researchers who are considering their own roles as Settler Allies.

Valuing Arts-based Academic Projects in a Faculty of Nursing: Experiences of Graduate Students and Supervisors

Valuing Arts-based Academic Projects in a Faculty of Nursing: Experiences of Graduate Students and Supervisors

Teacher training for PhD students and new faculty in economics

ABSTRACTPast studies suggest that a majority of economics graduate students engage in teaching-related activities during graduate school and many go on to academic positions afterwards. However, not all graduate students are formally prepared to teach while in graduate school nor are they fully prepared to teach in their first academic position. The authors characterize current teaching experience and training of graduate students from the point of view of directors of graduate studies and of newly minted academic economists. The authors also query department chairs and new faculty about teacher training, support available for new faculty, and the degree to which newly hired Ph.D. economists are prepared to teach. Findings indicate that while some training is available, there is room for enhancing teacher training in economics.

Essential Elements of Collaboration: Understanding How Chemistry Graduate Students Experience Collaboration through International Research Visits

This study explores how graduate students learn to participate in collaborative international science research. As part of an NSF-funded program, 21 graduate students participated in extended research visits to China, completing surveys before and after traveling, and participating in semistructured interviews upon returning to the U.S. These survey and interview data were qualitatively analyzed to determine how graduate student participants defined collaboration and how they positioned their own research experience in an international context. Data were coded using emergent thematic analysis via a first pass open-coding to generate a comprehensive list of descriptive codes for collaboration and then a synthesis of these codes through discussions guided by theories of situated learning in communities of practice. Findings suggest that all graduate students emphasized the importance of effective communication in collaboration. Graduate students also described collaboration as including at least one of the ...

Fostering the next generation of sustainability leadership

PurposeThis paper aims to explore graduate student experiences of ecohealth communities of practice in Canada, West and Central Africa and Central America, to better understand the role of student knowledge in advancing innovative practices in transdisciplinary, participatory and equitable research approaches.Design/methodology/approachThis ethnographic analysis builds on observations of graduate student participants in ecohealth communities of practice activities, along with 26 in-depth interviews conducted in 2011 with graduate students and professionals trained in ecosystem approaches to health. Interviews are transcribed by the author, and coded and analyzed using a grounded theory approach.FindingsAlthough ecohealth communities of practice open new space for students to experiment with innovative practices in transdisciplinary, participatory and equitable research approaches, the surrounding disciplinary, top-down structure of academic and professional careers continue to pose significant obstacles to how students can take up the principles of ecohealth in practice. Through their collective experiences of these obstacles, students have considerable knowledge about the opportunities and constraints that the ecohealth communities of practice afford; however, this student knowledge has not yet been systematized or adequately mobilized.Practical implicationsStudent knowledge gained through shared experiences of ecohealth communities of practice appears to be a critical, necessary and underused component in working on systemic change in the structure of sustainability leadership in higher education. However, more research is needed to understand how greater emphasis could be placed on putting students in charge of confronting the conditions of their own training, to collectively produce alternatives that challenge dominant structural norms.Originality/valueThe ethnographic approach re-centers student voices within debates about the relevance of ecohealth communities of practice for realizing the aims of transdisciplinary, participatory and equitable research approaches within the context of international sustainability challenges and graduate training.

Students Working Towards Robotic Chauffeurs: The SAE/GM Autodrive Challenge

This article focuses on efforts by automotive manufacturers and engineering students towards developing autonomous vehicles. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has defined different levels of autonomy (SAE J3016 standard), to describe how automated a vehicle is, which have also been adopted by the US Department of Transportation. The purpose of SAE and General Motors (GM) in designing and implementing hands-on engineering design and conducting technology-focused collegiate competition with an emphasis on autonomous driving and the associated technologies´ is to provide a professional development and educational experience for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at selected universities. SAE and its sponsors are supporting the competition with training and mentoring. Students are also learning how to work in interdisciplinary teams, which has its own issues. Different academic disciplines approach problems differently, use different techniques, and sometimes even seem to speak a different language. Another important thing about the Challenge is that it lets them see how their courses impact real engineering problems. Students taking a controls course see plenty of Laplace transforms and all sorts of plots—root-locus plots, perhaps Nyquist plots or Bode plots, time domain response plots—but they may not always realize how this links up to real life.