Higher Degree Research Research Articles

Collaborative Online Professional Development Design

COVID-19 has impacted not only higher education teaching practice, but also professional development (PD) such as F2F workshop sessions for supervisor training have had to pivot to online modes. This presentation overviews the process of designing an academic supervision training workshop as an online module that can be used as a design framework for other professional development and training contexts. We used a design-based research methodology (McKenney & Reeves, 2019) encompassing three stages.
 Stage 1 Evaluation and Analysis
 We formed a collaborative design team of two academics and a professional staff member and met regularly over Zoom as due to COVID-19 we were all working from home, and across countries (Australia and New Zealand). We began with an evaluation of the existing introductory supervision online module to identify key design elements and refinements that we could integrate into the new refresher module. This was followed by a collaborative definition of the scope of the new PD module that was focused upon providing a ‘Refresher Course’ for experienced higher degree research supervisors. We decided to focus the content of the module upon authentic user-generated scenarios from highly experienced academics across the university. User reflection was designed through an optional link to contribute to an institutional Wiki page to provide tips and comments from user experiences in supervision. The analysis of users needing an informative but short time investment in the refresher module highlighted the need for collating resources that would be referenced throughout the module to be made available at the end of the module as a downloadable interactive PDF resource for users.
 Stage 2 Collaborative Prototype Design
 An initial storyboard module prototype based upon learning object and instructional design principles (Boyle, 2003; Author1, 2007; Reigeluth et al., 2016) was created. While we began with big ideas based upon the rapid prototype of how to make the new module interactive and appealing to the users there were significant design restraints imposed by the institutional Course Builder online development platform, that provides a basic Web 1.0 approach to online module design and delivery. This meant that user interaction options were limited, file size uploads were small, and display dimensions fixed. Therefore, Vimeo was used to host and embed the video vignettes in the module pages through an institutional license providing a range of privacy and customisation options. We were able to negotiate these technical design hurdles, albeit with downgraded expectations of user interaction within our new module design.
 Stage 3 Evaluation and Redesign
 User feedback on the initial prototype was very positive and the user-generated video vignettes and funky iPad created graphics were highlights. Feedback also highlighted the need for additional user instructions, a more unified design across the module and implementation of accessibility features such as closed captioning for the video vignettes. This was achieved through maintaining a consistent font and paragraphing style and creating a new embedded player style format for the Vimeo video host platform. Closed captions were added by manually transcribing and timecoding the videos on Vimeo.

Learning to be a doctoral supervisor: Experiences and views of nurse supervisors of higher degree research students

Given the importance of doctoral training to the future of the discipline, we sought to gain insight into nurse doctoral supervisor's experiences of supervision training and preparation and their views on what quality training for doctoral supervisors in nursing would look like. Doctorally prepared nurses have been found to contribute significantly to improvements in knowledge to inform patient care; yet there is little focus on the development of this aspect of the nursing workforce, and little evaluation of supervisor training, confidence and competence. Qualitative storytelling, semi-structured interviews were conducted via a videoconferencing programme, audio-recorded and thematically analysed with twenty-one experienced nurse doctoral supervisors. Findings are reported in line with the COREQ guidelines. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: 'I had a great mentor': the importance of mentorship and role modelling; 'Sometimes it's just trial and error': learning through experience; 'It's like tick a box': strengths and limitations of formal supervisor training; and 'The training should be more holistic': what should be in supervisor training. We recommend doctoral supervisors be encouraged to seek mentoring for supervision, formal mentoring and clinical supervision for the first five completions and the formation of discipline-based supervisor learning groups in nursing as an adjunct to generic mandatory supervisor training. Further development of clinical nursing is inextricably linked to quality nurse-led research, and doctorally prepared nurses are essential to the continued development of nursing as an evidence-informed practice discipline. Quality doctoral supervision for and by nurses is crucial and we argue that focus must be given to ensuring the development of a skilled doctoral supervision workforce in nursing.

The musings of an Aboriginal researcher: disrupting the thesis template

The thesis template is the guiding document for higher degree researchers to assist their transition into research. But what happens when the template does not mirror your ways of knowing, being and doing? How do we speak back to an institutionalised structure that advocates support and yet, feels like a boa constrictor squeezing you into conformity? If I was to embark on and isolate myself for such an extended length of time, it needed to be a reflection of me. I have never seen myself as an activist. I like to sit back and observe my surroundings and ascertain the landscape before inserting myself. In my PhD, I introduced each chapter with a narrative using the metaphor, ‘Research is an ocean’. In this paper, I share a selection of those entries to illustrate the struggles with the chasms of identity and dominant social norms and how I navigated the undulating mountains and valleys of policy discourse on the land prior to entering my boat. I provide insight to the waves of achievement and the troughs of isolation as a PhD candidate. Articulation of the ethical rogue waves that saw my data disappear below the waves is presented. This paper aims to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HDR students to further take up the challenge to disrupt the thesis and to challenge the institutional structures so that the thesis template can start reflecting our voices rather than making us fit the box.

How can universities better support the mental wellbeing of higher degree research students? A study of students’ suggestions

ABSTRACT Prevalence studies indicate that higher degree research (Master's and Doctoral) students experience high rates of psychological distress. As a result, universities are seeking evidence-based interventions to better support the mental wellbeing of this student cohort. The present study contributes to that evidence base by asking higher degree research students (HDRs) from a large Australian research-intensive university what they think should be done to improve their wellbeing. After inductively analysing 595 open-ended survey responses, nine themes emerged. The four most prominent themes were culture and community, support services, supervisors and supervision practices, and peer engagement and networking. These themes are interpreted by drawing on the Job Demands-Resources theory of occupational stress. We also compare our findings with typologies of ‘doctoral challenges’ developed in prior research to extend and refine the ‘roadmap’ for policy, action and research to better understand and address the high levels of psychological distress that HDRs experience. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that HDRs are likely to benefit from a whole-of-university approach to supporting their wellbeing, and from an academic research culture that values the wellbeing of all its members.

СУЧАСНІ ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ ПРОБЛЕМАТИКИ ОБЛІКУ, АНАЛІЗУ ТА АУДИТУ ОСНОВНИХ ЗАСОБІВ СУБ’ЄКТІВ ДЕРЖАВНОГО СЕКТОРУ ЕКОНОМІКИ У РОБОТАХ ВІТЧИЗНЯНИХ НАУКОВЦІВ

The article examines the level of development of the topic and highlights current trends in research on accounting, analysis and audit of fixed assets in the public sector based on 26 publications of Ukrainian scientists published in professional journals over the past decade. The urgency of the problem is related primarily to changes in the methodology of accounting for fixed assets in connection with the adoption of National regulations (standards) of accounting in the public sector, adapted to international standards and their maximum approximation to the NR(S)A of commercial sector. It is proposed to distinguish the following stages in the recent history of research on budget accounting, analysis and audit of fixed assets: stage 1 (until 2014) – preparatory, related to the study of the impact developed at that time standards on the current state of the accounting system in the public sector; stage 2 (2015-2016) – transformational, during which scientists set themselves the goal of solving the problems of transition of budgetary institutions to new accounting standards; stage 3 (2017 – present) – modern, associated with the reorientation of the interests of scientists to address methodological issues related to the reflection in the accounting of fixed assets. Peak levels of publishing activity were observed after the introduction of basic regulations on the accounting of fixed assets in 2015 and 2017. A high degree of research into the problem of accounting for fixed assets in the public sector of the economy has been demonstrated, but with a significant tendency of modern scientists to use it as an information base for their own articles of legislation and educational literature. The problem of relatively low level of citation in the works of domestic researchers of scientific publications on the subject of fixed assets accounting is pointed out. Insufficient work has been established to reflect information on the availability and movement of fixed assets in the reporting of public sector entities, especially statistics, as well as the formation of indicators of primary documentation.

Life after Higher Degree Research in Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Life after Higher Degree Research in Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Генетический состав носителей тагарской культуры: современное состояние и перспективы исследований

Despite the high degree of archaeological and anthropological research of the Tagar culture and its carriers, many directions of study of this Sothern Siberian Iron Age population remain relevant. This work is devoted to the consideration of the data on the genetic composition of the Tagar culture population, obtained to date by paleogenetic methods. The study of representative mtDNA sample series from chronologically different groups of the Tagar population (N = 79), carried out by the authors of this work, allow us to obtain the first objective view on the composition of its mitochondrial gene pool. The obtained results illustrate well the significance of analysis of representative sample series when performing paleogenetic reconstructions. The general Tagar population is characterized by the presence in the gene pool of both Western Eurasian (H, HV6, HV*, I, K, T, U2e, U4, U5a, and U*) and Eastern Eurasian (A*, A8, C*, C5, D, G2a, F1b) mtDNA haplogroups. Unlike other populations of southern Siberia of the Scythian time, Western Eurasian variants dominate in the Tagar gene pool. Among the previous populations, the Tagar population demonstrates affinity with the populations of the Minusinsk Basin of the Middle Bronze Age. When compared with the groups of early nomads of Eurasia, the Tagar population shows a similarity in terms of the mtDNA variability with the carriers of other cultures of the Scythian circle, occupying an intermediate position between the geographically distant Scythians of the Northern Black Sea region and the population of the south Siberian cultures, Pazyryk and Aldy-Bel. During the transition from the Podgorny to the Saragashen stages, the Tagar population converges with other groups of early nomads of southern Siberia. In the Tagar gene pool of the Y chromosome, the dominance of variants of the R1a1a haplogroup was revealed. This genetic cluster was first introduced into the Minusinsk Basin by the carriers of the Andronovo (Fedorovo) culture. However, additional in-depth analysis of the Tagar Y chromosome lineages is required to clarify their origin. The paper presents the most promising directions for further research of the Tagar populations using paleogenetic methods.

The higher degree by research student as ‘master’: Utilising a design thinking approach to improve learner experience in higher degree research supervision

This article presents a work-based learning and research approach to professional postgraduate education specifically in the case of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs. It highlights a prototype of the Cohort-based Advisory Team (CAT) model as a useful strategy. The authors propose that a design thinking approach that empathises with the student experience as the 'Master' of the design reveals insights that may inform future formal higher education in the professions. An overview of the design thinking process associated with the Professional Studies programs as developed at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is provided. Case accounts of HDR students in the law and engineering disciplines provide exploratory evidence of the student experience. The article concludes that there is a case to be made to professional associations that this form of professional development (work-based learning and research) should be recognised in terms of the contributions it makes to the knowledge, skills and abilities of graduates.

The higher degree by research student as ‘master’: Utilising a design thinking approach to improve learner experience in higher degree research supervision

This article presents a work-based learning and research approach to professional postgraduate education specifically in the case of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs. It highlights a prototype of the Cohort-based Advisory Team (CAT) model as a useful strategy. The authors propose that a design thinking approach that empathises with the student experience as the “Master” of the design reveals insights that may inform future formal higher education in the professions. An overview of the design thinking process associated with the Professional Studies programs as developed at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is provided. Case accounts of HDR students in the law and engineering disciplines provide exploratory evidence of the student experience. The article concludes that there is a case to be made to professional associations that this form of professional development (work-based learning and research) should be recognised in terms of the contributions it makes to the knowledge, skills and abilities of graduates.

Predictors of future research interest among allied health professionals at a regional tertiary hospital

Introduction: Allied health professionals (AHPs) are core service providers in acute healthcare. AHPs’ career trajectory may be via post-graduate education in clinical, management or research higher degrees. However, little is known of AHP post-graduate education and future research aspirations. This study calculates predictors of future research interest of AHPs at a regional Australian hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was sent to all AHPs working for the Townsville Hospital Health Service from October 2014 until March 2015. The survey collected information about past, current and future education and research motivating factors. Data was analysed using SPSS (Version 24, IBM Corp, USA). Univariate and multivariate binomial logistic regression analyses were performed with future research interest as the outcome variable. Free-text responses were analysed with content analysis.Results: Most AHPs (56%) indicated they were interested in research in the future. The significant predictors of an increased likelihood of future research interest in our study cohort were prior master’s or PhD qualification (OR: 4; 95% CI: 1.1–15.6), fewer years since graduation (OR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.2–1.9), attending research education (OR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.3–6.6), having a research topic (OR: 4.9; 95% CI: 1.9–13.9) and prior qualitative research experience (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.1–5.5).Discussion:The predictive factors for future research quantifies allied health research interest for the first time. AHPs in clinical roles within hospital and health services have the potential to derive research questions from ground level clinical practice. Therefore, universities, hospital and health services and policymakers could exploit these predictive factors and strengthen their focus on supporting AHPs’ research education at the level of developing research questions.Conclusion: Predictors of future allied health research interest included having a research topic, having a master’s or PhD qualification, fewer years since graduation and having prior research education or prior qualitative research experience.

Behaviours in a peer-only creative writing HDR support group: the experiences of two students of colour

The experience of the creative writing higher degree research student is unique. The practice-led methodology many candidates apply to their research differs significantly to that of other disciplines, even those arts disciplines where practice is the focus of the research. Student life is further complicated by the need not only to be working towards research publication, but creative publication too. In some instances, feelings of isolation can contribute to HDR students failing to complete their studies. For women of colour, the need for counterspaces in the academy is also apparent. This reflective paper examines and discusses how a peer-only, diverse, horizontalised group facilitates the development of a sense of belonging and critical ‘disappearing’ relational behaviours that sit outside formal, academic supervisory interaction. Of particular importance in this reflection comes from the perspective of two students of colour. Through conversation with these two current members of the group, this paper discusses the behaviours and outcomes of peer-only support groups for HDR students in creative writing. It examines why HDR students of colour may prefer to seek support outside of the predominantly white formal structures that characterise the academy in Australia, and how such groups could potentially create effective counterspaces for students of colour.

Collaborative Creative Processes That Challenge Us as "Anomaly", and Affirm Our Indigeneity and Enact Our Sovereignty

Collaborative Creative Processes That Challenge Us as "Anomaly", and Affirm Our Indigeneity and Enact Our Sovereignty

How to embed a conceptual or theoretical framework into a dissertation study design.

Using a theoretical framework is often viewed as laborious or unnecessary for higher degree research projects. However, considering research problems through the lens of a theoretical framework can provide a structure for students to focus their research questions and produce findings that are more likely to address the research problem. To explain the utility of a theoretical framework and demonstrate the inclusion of a theoretical framework - deterrence theory - in a research project exploring plagiarism in nursing education. The experiences of a higher degree research student provided insight into the inclusion of a theoretical framework in a research plan. The benefits of this process are highlighted so other students can appreciate the importance of this process to their research plan and findings. A framework can add value to the overall research plan, from developing the research question through to the analysis and presentation of research findings. Fundamentally, frameworks provide a map for a study, providing a rationale for the development of the research questions or research hypothesis. A theoretical framework brings cohesion to the research project by linking the research questions and providing 'intellectual bins' for data analysis and presentation of research findings. This article may assist higher degree research students in recognising the benefits of using a theoretical framework and provides an example of a 'real-life' application in a research project. The authors argue that theoretical frameworks can strengthen the likelihood that the research has produced meaningful findings that have addressed the research problem.

Enhancing the roles of information and communication technologies in doctoral research processes

While information and communication technologies (ICT) are prominent in educational practices at most levels of formal learning, there is relatively little known about the skills and understandings that underlie their effective and efficient use in research higher degree settings. This project aimed to identify doctoral supervisors’ and students’ perceptions of their roles in using ICT. Data were gathered through participative drawing and individual discussion sessions. Participants included 11 students and two supervisors from two New Zealand universities. Focus of the thematic analysis was on the views expressed by students about their ideas, practices and beliefs, in relation to their drawings. The major finding was that individuals hold assumptions and expectations about ICT and their use; they make judgements and take action based on those expectations and assumptions. Knowing about ICT and knowing about research processes separately form only part of the work of doctoral study. Just as supervision cannot be considered independently of the research project and the student involved, ICT skills and the use of ICT cannot be considered in the absence of the people and the project. What is more important in terms of facilitating the doctoral research process is students getting their “flow” right. This indicates a need to provide explicit support to enable students to embed ICT within their own research processes.

Supervising cohorts of higher degree research students: design catalysts for industry and innovation

Higher degree research students and their contributions to society and the economy are well known. However, the recognition of the increasing numbers of such students and the decreasing availability of supervisors implies that traditional individual modes of research supervision are no longer sufficient, while models of cohort supervision have led to successful outcomes. This paper uses the notion of threshold crossing to reflect upon a case study of higher degree research (HDR) supervision in an action research program, where students are immersed in industry projects to investigate company issues, innovate and transform the organisation. The action research model balances structure and flexibility, with set tasks and embedded reflexivity; the responsiveness of the model ensures timely project completion and the development of critical thinking skills. Balancing the proximity and distance between the supervisors, student, cohort and industry partner ensures that students are socialised into both academic and industry settings, developing self-efficacy to succeed in both worlds. Analysis of interviews with students and firm partners reveals that the cohort model valorises the higher research degree, developing research students. Three trends in HDR supervision are reconciled in the pedagogical approach outlined: bridging industry and academia, enculturation and emancipation and communities of learning and practice.

I’m a unicorn, ask me how! What the rise of ‘quit lit’ and ‘staypieces’ says about higher education and academia

ABSTRACT This paper analyses a sample of academic ‘quit lit’ to explore how graduate students might be better prepared for the realities of higher degree research and employment. It will pay particular attention to how graduate programs can provide realistic, transparent career advice and promote alternatives to academic (Alt-ac) employment for graduates. By considering the reasons ‘quit litters’ themselves give for their departure from the tertiary education sector, this investigation will be listening to the voices of those most affected by the rapidly changing face of academia.

The Experiences and Identity Structures of Teacher-Researcher Hybrid Professionals in a Primary School Mathematics Context

There is frequently a substantial disconnect reported between educational research and classroom practice. It has been proposed that individuals operating at the intersection of research and practice can potentially strengthen the relationship between the two communities through transcending institutional boundaries. The current study involved semi-structured interviews with three such ‘hybrid professionals’, who were all currently working as teachers in Australian primary schools and had completed PhDs in mathematics education. The purpose of the interviews was to gain insight into their experiences, and associated professional identity structures. Thematic analysis revealed that all participants were motivated to pursue higher-degree research to enhance their practice through the opportunity to specialise and work with an expert in their field. Consequently, rather than the proposed disconnect, there was evidence that at least some researchers within primary mathematics education were viewed as exemplifying expert practice. By contrast, participant professional identity structures did not converge, but remained idiosyncratic. In particular, participants varied in relation to the complexity of their researcher identity when in the classroom teacher role. Several possible directions for future research are outlined.

Why Ecology of Knowledges and Multilingual Habitus Matter in Higher Degree Research Student Training

Author(s): Ndhlovu, Finex J.; Kelly, Stephen John | Abstract: Scholars speaking from Southern perspectives have long argued in favor of recognizing diverse ways of knowing and against the hegemony of Euro-modernist epistemologies that have crystallized into orthodoxy within the academy. Euro-modernist epistemologies proceed from positivist “scientific” principles that turn a blind eye to the diversity of ways of reading and interpreting social experience. They reflect and represent subjective perceptions about what constitutes valid and legitimate knowledge. In this paper, we address the question: How do we prepare higher degree research students for the opportunities that flow and strategic challenges that arise from a diverse global network of knowledge societies? We suggest “ecology of knowledges paradigm” and “multilingual habitus” as the linchpin of higher degree research student training. This approach brings together diverse linguistic and cultural traditions to mediate pathways for producing interconnected forms of knowledge that transcend the limits of monolingual and mono-epistemic ways of seeing. The argument is that the struggle for cognitive justice in education and training is inseparable from the broader struggle for global social justice.

Lung Cancer Mortality in China: Spatial and Temporal Trends Among Subpopulations

Background: Little is known regarding spatial and temporal trends of lung cancer mortality (LCM) among subpopulations in China. The study identified the changing spatial and temporal patterns of LCM across China as a whole and in different subpopulations (ie., region, age, and sex). Methods: The data on LCM for the period of 2006 to 2015 by region, age, and sex were extracted from the Chinese National Death Surveillance. Joinpoint regression and seasonal decomposition were used to assess the temporal trends of LCM. Geographic information system and spatial kriging interpolation were used to examine the spatial distributions of LCM. Findings: LCM was highest in men aged 70+ (annual average mortality rate 397·2 (95%CI (394·6-399·8)) per 100,000 person-years). LCM rate in men aged 30 to 49 significantly declined from 2009 to 2015 (annual percentage change: -2·7%, P<0·05). However, LCM continued to rise in men aged 70+ and women aged 50+ in the east, men and women aged 50 to 69 in the south, and most groups in the southwest. Among provincial capital cities, Shenyang, Changsha, and Hohhot had the highest ten-year average LCM rates for men aged 30 to 49, 50 to 69, and 70+, respectively, while among all ages of women, Harbin had the highest ten-year average LCM rates. When dividing the period by 5 years, the odds of the increases in LCM in men and women aged 30 to 49 and 50 to 69 decreased by 3% to 7% with the longitudes increasing by 1° (OR ranged from 0·93 (95%CI 0·90-0·95) to 0·97 (95%CI 0·95-0·99)), and decreased by 5% to 6% with the latitudes increasing by 1° (OR ranged from 0·94 (95%CI 0·91-0·97) to 0·95 (95%CI 0·92-0·98)). Interpretation: Disparities in the spatial and temporal patterns of LCM among different subpopulations support the need for long-term LC surveillance covering larger geographical areas in China and the need for exploration of possible socio-environmental drivers in a spatiotemporal context. Further investigation into the potential risk factors for rising LCM are urgently required in the east, south, and southwest of China. Funding Statement: For continuous support and assistance, we thank Peng Yin, Jiangmei Liu, and Yunning Liu (National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention). We thank all research staff from local Center for Disease Control and Prevention for collection of data. N Wang was supported by the Queensland University of Technology Postgraduate Research Award and Queensland University of Technology Higher Degree Research International Tuition Fee Sponsorship. K Mengersen is supported by the ARC Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Statistical Frontiers. M Kimlin is supported through a Cancer Council Queensland Professorial Chair. W Hu is supported by ARC future fellowship (FT140101216). Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Queensland University of Technology (Reference No. 1700001107).

Supporting higher degree research collaboration

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate the value of a collaborative research culture framework (Gasson and Bruce, 2018a), featuring trust and respect as core elements of healthy collaborations, to support the research success of higher degree research (HDR) students. HDR is a term used in Australia to reference Doctoral and Master by research programmes. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose that by positioning collaboration as part of a research culture built on trust and respect, discussion about and the development of healthy collaborative research culture will be facilitated. A healthy culture is defined as one that supports sustainable and productive collaborative research. Findings The applications of the framework demonstrate the role the framework can play in supporting researchers to understand, engage in and manage collaborations. Research limitations/implications Reflection on discussions to date has led to the authors’ view that collaborative success requires a unique set of skills (i.e. skills in the development of a collaborative research culture) and that the framework provides a deliberate and overt way of supporting development of those skills. Originality/value The framework helps HDRs develop the capacity to build healthy collaborative research cultures vital for their research productivity and longer-term success as researchers.