Scholarly Identity Research Articles

Academic publishing as an exercise of leadership: evidence from doctoral students in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong

ABSTRACT This study inquires into the experiences of 15 doctoral students from universities in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong to examine the factors that contribute to publishing first-authored academic papers and explores their self-perceptions of their scholarly identities. Using Leadership for Learning as a theoretical framework, the research findings show that successful academic publishing is underpinned by powerful learning experiences, the sharing of leadership and a shared sense of accountability. The study demonstrates that student agency, which links leadership and learning, is manifested through purposeful action, relational engagement and self-transformation. The research results acknowledge the unequal power dynamics in different research collaborations and reveal that doctoral students’ identity development is interlinked with a passion for research, strong learning experiences, the way that others position themselves and autonomy. The study highlights the need for robust learning experiences, tailored support for academic publishing and leadership development opportunities that facilitate academic collaborations.

Academic Libraries, Counter-Storytelling, and Minoritized Students' Scholarly Identity Development

Academic Libraries, Counter-Storytelling, and Minoritized Students' Scholarly Identity Development

Transforming Ethics Education Through a Faculty Learning Community: “I’m Coming Around to Seeing Ethics as Being Maybe as Important as Calculus”

Ethics is central to scientific and engineering research and practice, but a key challenge for promoting students’ ethical formation involves enhancing faculty members’ ability and confidence in embedding positive ethical learning experiences into their curriculums. To this end, this paper explores changes in faculty members’ approaches to and perceptions of ethics education following their participation in a multi-year interdisciplinary faculty learning community (FLC). We conducted and thematically analyzed semi-structured interviews with 11 participants following the second year of the FLC. Qualitative themes suggested that, following two years of FLC participation, faculty members (1) were better able to articulate their conceptualizations of ethics; (2) became cognizant of how personal experiences, views, and beliefs informed how they introduced ethics into their curriculum; and (3) developed and lived instructional principles that guided their ethics teaching. Results thus suggested that faculty members benefitted from exploring, discussing, and teaching ethics, which (in turn) enabled them to see new opportunities and become confident in integrating ethics into their courses in meaningful ways that aligned with their scholarly identities. Taken together, these data suggest faculty became agents of change for designing, implementing, and refining ethics-related instructional efforts in STEM. This work can guide others interested in designing faculty learning communities to promote instructional skill development, faculty members’ awareness of their ethical values, and their ability and agency to design and integrate ethics learning activities alongside departmental peers in an intentional and continuous manner.

The Moral Economies of Reflexive Migration Studies

Abstract Reflexive Migration Studies has emerged as a subfield of Migration Studies. Drawing on moral economy perspectives, we explore how the entanglement of, and tensions between, moral and economic rationalities shape the development of a field of knowledge production in which we ourselves partake. Clearly, Reflexive Migration Studies has not emerged in a vacuum but through socio-material practices and in a specific scientific context and community. Using the case of the Migration Studies landscape in Germany, we suggest that a moral economies perspective allows us to examine the production of knowledge infrastructures, scholarly identities, and research outputs that are key in creating a new academic field. By scrutinizing these infrastructures, identities, and outputs, we point to tensions between some of the morally charged claims and the material conditions and labour contexts of doing Reflexive Migration Studies. With our contribution, we want to raise questions regarding the direction that we, as scholars participating in the field, are taking. We see the risk that the critique brought forward in Reflexive Migration Studies falters in light of prevailing economies of scientific knowledge production and academic labour.

An Analysis of Ibn Taimmiyah's Hijā' in Qasīdah Lāmiyah as the Identity of the Mahdzab Hambali

This research aims to analyze the style of satire (hijā’) used by Ibn Taymiyyah in his book titled "Qasīdah Lāmiyah (The Satirical Poem)". It is a work by Ibn Taymiyyah that contains satirical poetry directed towards those who questioned his scholarly identity. Hijā’ style is poetry used to mock other poets in a distinctive manner, often in the form of self-praise or disparagement of a group. However, since the advent of Islam, this style has frequently been used to defend Islam, whether individuals or groups, including scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah. This research employs a qualitative approach using content analysis method. Content analysis, according to Creswell, is a qualitative research method used to identify specific patterns or themes within text. The analysis results indicate that verses of satirical poetry (shiʿr hijâ) were found in Qasīdah Lāmiyah, consisting of 2 types of ethical satire (al-hijâ al-akhlâqî) and 14 verses of religious satire (al-hijâ al-dînî).

Fostering student authorship skills in synthetic biology.

Women and racial minorities are underrepresented in the synthetic biology community. Developing a scholarly identity by engaging in a scientific community through writing and communication is an important component for STEM retention, particularly for underrepresented individuals. Several excellent pedagogical tools have been developed to teach scientific literacy and to measure competency in reading and interpreting scientific literature. However, fewer tools exist to measure learning gains with respect to writing, or that teach the more abstract processes of peer review and scientific publishing, which are essential for developing scholarly identity and publication currency. Here we describe our approach to teaching scientific writing and publishing to undergraduate students within a synthetic biology course. Using gold standard practices in project-based learning, we created a writing project in which students became experts in a specific application area of synthetic biology with relevance to an important global problem or challenge. To measure learning gains associated with our learning outcomes, we adapted and expanded the Student Attitudes, Abilities, and Beliefs (SAAB) concept inventory to include additional questions about the process of scientific writing, authorship, and peer review. Our results suggest the project-based approach was effective in achieving the learning objectives with respect to writing and peer reviewed publication, and resulted in high student satisfaction and student self-reported learning gains. We propose that these educational practices could contribute directly to the development of scientific identity of undergraduate students as synthetic biologists, and will be useful in creating a more diverse synthetic biology research enterprise.

SoTL as a catalyst for the development of medical educator scholar identity

AbstractThis chapter explores the experiences of undergraduate medical educators with the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and the impact it has had on their educator identity and practice.

Academic writing and identity: evaluative discourse in academic papers across cohorts of 20th century linguists

Abstract Using a cohort sequential quantitative design and evaluative features drawn from Systemic Functional Grammar, this study investigates diachronic variation in linguists’ use of evaluation to perform scholarly identities in English academic writing. More specifically, it focuses on the use of statements, commands, modality, comment assessment, and positive and negative lexis, in early and late career papers from 30 linguists born between 1905 and 1960. These linguists were grouped into three cohorts based on year of birth and studied in terms of variation along developmental and cross-generational timescales. Within the developmental timescale, scholars were found to use more evaluation in early career writing than in late career writing. Cohort-specific developmental changes are identified in the frequency of modality and comment assessment. Developmental and cohort-specific trends are found to occur within the backdrop of an overall decrease in the use of evaluative language within the discipline. Results point to a complex diachronic model of academic identity enactment in writing, whereby evaluative features pattern in similar or different ways depending on the timescale considered.

“I notice I'm getting more involved, interested, and excited about my future topic.” Action research as a transition from research steps to navigating graduate students' scholarly dispositions

Graduate students often approach research with predefined steps emphasising procedural aspects that occasionally expose their inadequate preparation for research as social practice. The purpose of this paper is to show how an action research (AR) methodology, in conjunction with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), has facilitated the scaffolding of explicit formal, rhetorical, procedural, and strategic knowledge in research discourse. We followed a cyclical action research model consisting of 1) recognising students' limited understanding of research as a social practice, 2) developing interventions to promote understanding of how language is structured, represented, and negotiated in scientific discourse, 3) results of the intervention, and 4) reflection. Thematic analysis of six participants' data, including their tasks, reflections, and draft proposals, revealed a discernible progression towards scholarly thinking, transformative learning, and the embodiment of scholarly identity. Integrating ESP and SFL frameworks enhanced our ability to guide students through research-specific discourses, moving beyond a purely theoretical understanding to engage in authentic practices. This approach contributed to the cultivation of Communities of Practice (CoP) in which student-faculty collaboration fostered a shared scholarly mindset and facilitated the gradual integration of students into these academic communities.

The dark side of national team identity: ethnocentrism and xenophobia

ABSTRACT The emphasis in team identity scholarship often is on the positive effects of social identity, such as consumer behaviour and sense of belonging, often ignoring the potential negative effects. Within the context of national teams, where the team is symbolic of the overall nation, we posit that team identity can also have broader negative societal effects such as xenophobia and ethnocentrism. Using a survey design, we collected data from 655 Dutch citizens and propose a structural equation model examining the effects of national team identity and national identity on ethnocentrism and xenophobia. Findings reveal that feelings of xenophobia and ethnocentrism were significantly greater among participants who showed a stronger national team identity and national identity and provide evidence that team identity does have a dark side. As elite sport often is subsidised by public funding, we provide constructive proposals to governments that invest public money into support for elite sport.

Contesting the margins of coloniality: Māori adoptee identities in the context of Māori identity scholarship

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, understandings of Māori identity have been enriched through emphases on non-binary categorizations, processual ‘becoming’, and flexible ‘routes’ rather than rigid ‘roots’. While this work is commendable for expanding the range of identity options for Māori, it has not accounted for the unique position of Māori adoptees. This article presents the findings of research focused on the identity-related experiences of Māori adopted into Pākehā families in Aotearoa New Zealand. The ongoing and intricate workings of colonialism, and key limitations of Māori cultural, ethnic and Indigenous identities as currently conceptualized are elucidated in this unique case.

International collaborative research, systems leadership and education: reflections from academic biomedical researchers in Africa

ScopeAcademic biomedical researchers and educators in African countries navigate complex local, national, and international systems to conduct grant-funded research. To secure funding, collaboration with researchers from high-income countries is often necessary. Existing literature highlights that these global health initiatives are commonly fraught with unequal power dynamics and lead by the foreign partners. Despite these inequalities, African faculty can benefit from these collaborations, fostering the development of their labs and careers. This study delves into reflections on lived experiences from academic biomedical researchers in Africa to better understand the impact of foreign collaborations.MethodsWe designed a qualitative study using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method and used Self-determination and Complex Systems Leadership theories to frame this study. Ten academic biomedical researchers in Africa consented to join this study. The participants submitted a four-week series of reflective journals through an online data management platform. Subsequently, IPA methods were employed to analyze the collected journals.ResultsParticipants’ reflections yielded six thematic key findings, encompassing their experiences in international collaborative research. The findings included: foreign dominance within the international macrosystem; resource challenges in their local microsystems; mesosystem dependency from collaborations; scholarly identity within research relationships; collaborative leadership; and the impact of the foreign perspective. From these findings, three implications were drawn suggesting that participants were (1) motivated by scholarly identity found in collaborations; (2) depended on collaborations that were colonialist but beneficial; and (3) created change through leadership at the microsystem level.ImplicationsForeign collaborators and funders in global health education and research should critically consider how implications of this study relate to their collaborative work. Based on our analysis, recommendations for foreign collaborators and funders include prioritizing local leadership and perspectives in education initiatives and research grants; reviewing and leveraging collective leadership; engaging in bidirectional training, and mentoring opportunities; participating in power assessments; and removing publication barriers for researchers in Africa (and low-and middle-income countries). Insights from this study could impact global health research and education in multiple ways including new initiatives in mentorship and training in international collaborations along with increased awareness and correction of colonialism within these collaborations.

Why We Can’t Wait: A Guide for Black Student Achievement Programs

Black student achievement is vital. There must be a focused national effort to establish and sustain Black Student Achievement Programs (BSAPs). The development of BSAPs centers on African American history, culture, language, knowledge, and values. This article describes Black Student Achievement Program standards and the components of service design, curriculum and instruction, scholar identity development, and social and emotional needs, connecting the home and community for Black students in K-12th grade settings. Educators can play a vital role in the efforts to build and sustain BSAPs at their school sites and school districts.

Ushering in an age of scientific principles for communication research

Abstract Communication seeks internal coherence and external distinction as its research profile grows and diversifies. The present essay calls for the establishment of scientific principles to guide future communication research and solidify the field’s unique scholarly identity within the marketplace of ideas. An argument is made that the field has achieved the necessary foundations to establish scientific principles but has yet to embrace this undertaking as a collective goal. This offering is intended as an initial foray into the process of identifying and evaluating scientific principles of communication by considering the value of these fundamental pillars for the field’s maturation. It proposes evaluation criteria which are then applied in a rendering of two candidate principles. These observations aim to initiate a broader conversation and spark a collective effort toward elucidating scientific principles of communication that can help to guide and anchor the field in its next stage of knowledge generation.

Forging Talent Pathways: Signaling A Call to Action

ABSTRACT Although her career was cut woefully short, Dr. Marcia Gentry’s contributions to the field of gifted and talented education will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come. Building on landmark historical events that highlighted the need for talent development, Gentry fervently worked to address complex, enduring questions within our field, namely: Who are gifted and talented students? How do we find them? What strategies will develop students’ emerging gifts and talents? Gentry’s research on enrichment clusters, cluster grouping, access and equity, identification, and scholarly identity development in underserved youth made commendable progress, but further work is needed. Gentry’s enduring body of work signals an important call to action. We must honor her legacy by answering it.

Book Review: The impacts of green space on student experience at an urban community college: An exploration of wellbeing, belonging, and scholarly identity, Naidoo, V.

Book Review: <i>The impacts of green space on student experience at an urban community college: An exploration of wellbeing, belonging, and scholarly identity</i>, Naidoo, V.

Discoursal scholarly identity in research writing

The construction of a discoursal scholarly identity is central to research writing (Hyland, 2013). However, the definition of such an identity is still elusive in current scholarship, and the discussion regarding its construction sporadic. We reviewed relevant research published in English-medium academic journals within the recent two decades (2003–2022) in an attempt to demystify the concept of discoursal scholarly identity and its construction in research writing practices. This literature review identified three main streams of research that focus respectively on (1) the manifestation of a discoursal scholarly identity in academic written discourse, (2) the reconstruction of such an identity by readers, and (3) the construction of such an identity in and through social practices. Key conceptions and features of discoursal scholarly identity as discursively constructed, dialogically negotiated, and dynamic also emerged from such synthesis of literature. We end by identifying and discussing areas for future research on the construction of a discoursal scholarly identity in research writing practices, and the means to inform novice writers, especially L2 writers, of the proper manifestation and negotiation of such an identity in research writing.

A Journey to a Global Scholar Identity: An Autoethnography of Agricultural and Extension Faculty’s Experiences

A Journey to a Global Scholar Identity: An Autoethnography of Agricultural and Extension Faculty’s Experiences

Schizo-Poetic Inquiry of a First-Year Doctoral Experience

Undertaking a doctoral program is a significant commitment involving sustained effort as an individual engages in academic work and scholarly identity formation. As a graduate student with a psychiatric disability, I face an added layer of challenge: dealing with symptoms as I navigate an academic system that is not designed for bodyminds like mine. This poetry and visual art collection offers a glimpse into my experience as a first-year doctoral student with schizoaffective disorder1 as I navigated Zoom classrooms, considered academic timelines and campus mental health awareness week, and wrestled with symptoms during the summer session. Through a schizo-poetic and visual inquiry informed by disability poetry and schizo-poetics, I present an embodied, multi-sensory exploration to highlight similarities and differences in the experiences of doctoral students with mental illness and their neurotypical peers, as well as to expand the conversation around disability and academia.

Understanding teacher identity in teachers' professional lives: A systematic review of the literature

AbstractThis article presents a systematic review of a substantial body of literature that considers the ways in which the concept of teacher identity has been used to understand and explore teachers' professional lives. The aim of the review was to go beyond the limitations of specific areas of teachers' practice to explore the broad and rich field of teachers' professional lives. Drawing on 412 articles from 2000–2021, the review demonstrates the growth in teacher identity research, particularly since 2010. Results from the review are categorised into seven thematic groups that span key areas related to teachers' professional lives: (1) Models and frameworks of professional lives; (2) Narratives of professional lives; (3) Becoming a teacher; (4) Contexts; (5) Communities; (6) Change, transition and conflict; and (7) Subject specialisms. The review reveals gaps in teacher identity research, such as: few research studies from Global South countries; a limited number of studies focusing on non‐core curriculum subjects, including arts, history, geography and physical education; fewer studies focusing on primary school and early years teacher identities; and a divide between identity scholarship and research, and policy and practice. The article concludes with a call for teacher identity research to be expanded and broadened with the aim to facilitate the progress of identity work in scholarship, policy and practice. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyIn the context of a growing body of research on teacher identity, particularly in the last decade, there remains a paucity of identity‐focused systematic reviews. Existing systematic reviews tend to focus on specific fields such as subject specialisms, teacher education and beginning teachers. However, far fewer reviews span the broader field of teachers' professional lives; this article responds to this gap in the literature.Why the new findings matterThe findings from this review are important in highlighting the most commonly explored areas in teacher identity research as it relates to teachers' professional lives. As such, the findings can inform policy and practice for teacher education and professional development at local, national and international scales. The findings also highlight gaps in the literature and the implications this may have on teacher identity scholarship.Implications for educational researchers and educatorsFirstly, educational researchers can identify key themes arising from existing teacher identity research studies. This can help them to focus on specific areas that would benefit from further research as well as providing them with a single space from which to draw on the existing corpus of research studies. Secondly, teacher identity research is important for the professional lives and practice of educators and this review provides educators with an opportunity to understand the teacher identity scholarly landscape and, in turn, apply findings from the research to their own professional practice.