Training Of Doctoral Students Research Articles

A guide to science communication training for doctoral students.

A guide to science communication training for doctoral students.

Learning to be Reflexive in Qualitative Research: Improving Training for Doctoral Students in Business Schools

Doctoral education in business schools is focused on a functional approach to research training. While this approach is necessary, it rarely encompasses reflexivity in qualitative research, despite its importance. This paper provides the groundwork for educators in business schools to reconsider the conventional approach to teaching qualitative methods. It draws on my personal and professional experience as a key resource to shape its examination of doctoral education in conducting qualitative research. The paper offers points of reflection on the struggle students may face in conducting rigorous qualitative research without appropriately understanding the influence of self with previous experience, preconceived ideas, feelings, and even appearance. By emphasizing reflexivity, this paper urges business schools to move away from functional training on research conventions to instead improve students’ process of discovery by emphasizing interactive and transformational components of qualitative research.

Designing, executing, and publishing replication research: Best practices for successfully taking replication ideas from conceptualization to publication

Management scholars now recognize the important contribution that replication research can make to our field by examining the robustness of scientific findings and boundary conditions of previously tested relationships. Replications can also serve as an important tool for training doctoral students. Despite these strong arguments for conducting replication research, the field has been slow to respond to calls for increased use of replication. In part, this may be influenced by concerns that reviewers will discount the contribution of replication research. A less frequently discussed barrier to replication, however, is that due to a lack of replication training, engaging in this type of research constitutes embarking on unfamiliar territory. In this piece, I attempt to address the need for replication research training by providing researchers with a roadmap for taking replication ideas from conceptualization to publication, drawing on my own experience publishing replications and observations in the evolving replication literature.

Teaching the Teachers: What's Missing in LIS Doctoral Teacher Education?

This article offers a perspective on teacher education and training for doctoral students in LIS PhD programs. It discusses literature related to doctoral teacher education and training generally and in the LIS discipline in particular and provides an analysis of teacher education curricular offerings and requirements in doctoral programs based in the United States. The article suggests that this function of LIS doctoral studies is inconsistent across programs and potentially affects the quality of education in the LIS field. The article advocates for further discussion and research on the implications of effective doctoral teacher education and training for the profession.

A curricular model to train doctoral students in interdisciplinary research at the food-energy-water nexus

Food, energy and water (FEW) systems are inextricably linked, and thus, solutions to FEW nexus challenges, including water and food insecurity, require an interconnected science and policy approach framed in systems thinking. To drive these solutions, we developed an interdisciplinary, experiential graduate education program focused on innovations at the FEW nexus. As part of our program, PhD students complete a two-course sequence: (1) an experiential introduction to innovations at the FEW nexus and (2) a data practicum. The two courses are linked through an interdisciplinary FEW systems research project that begins during the first course and is completed at the end of the second course. Project deliverables include research manuscripts, grant proposals, policy memos, and outreach materials. Topics addressed in these projects include building electrification to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for heating, agrivoltaic farming to combat FEW vulnerabilities in the southwestern United States, assessment of food choices to influence sustainable dining practices, and understanding the complexities of FEW nexus research and training at the university level. Evaluation data were generated from our first three student cohorts (n = 33 students) using a mixed method, multi-informant evaluation approach, including the administration of an adapted version of a validated pre-post-survey to collect baseline and end-of-semester data. The survey assessed student confidence in the following example areas: communication, collaboration, and interdisciplinary research skills. Overall, students reported confidence growth in utilizing interdisciplinary research methods (e.g., synthesize the approaches and tools from multiple disciplines to evaluate and address a research problem), collaborating with range of professionals and communicating their research results to diverse audience. The growth in confidence in the surveyed areas aligned with the learning objectives for the two-course sequence, and the interdisciplinary project experience was continually improved based on student feedback. This two-course sequence represents one successful approach for educators to rethink the traditional siloed approach of training doctoral students working at the FEW nexus.

Training doctoral students in critical thinking and experimental design using problem-based learning

BackgroundTraditionally, doctoral student education in the biomedical sciences relies on didactic coursework to build a foundation of scientific knowledge and an apprenticeship model of training in the laboratory of an established investigator. Recent recommendations for revision of graduate training include the utilization of graduate student competencies to assess progress and the introduction of novel curricula focused on development of skills, rather than accumulation of facts. Evidence demonstrates that active learning approaches are effective. Several facets of active learning are components of problem-based learning (PBL), which is a teaching modality where student learning is self-directed toward solving problems in a relevant context. These concepts were combined and incorporated in creating a new introductory graduate course designed to develop scientific skills (student competencies) in matriculating doctoral students using a PBL format.MethodsEvaluation of course effectiveness was measured using the principals of the Kirkpatrick Four Level Model of Evaluation. At the end of each course offering, students completed evaluation surveys on the course and instructors to assess their perceptions of training effectiveness. Pre- and post-tests assessing students’ proficiency in experimental design were used to measure student learning.ResultsThe analysis of the outcomes of the course suggests the training is effective in improving experimental design. The course was well received by the students as measured by student evaluations (Kirkpatrick Model Level 1). Improved scores on post-tests indicate that the students learned from the experience (Kirkpatrick Model Level 2). A template is provided for the implementation of similar courses at other institutions.ConclusionsThis problem-based learning course appears effective in training newly matriculated graduate students in the required skills for designing experiments to test specific hypotheses, enhancing student preparation prior to initiation of their dissertation research.

A Model for Online Learning in Digital Hardware Design

The report presents a model of a calculator with a stack architecture. It is developed in the hardware description language TL-Verilog. The model is designed for online learning in a development environment for digital hardware design. It is part of a set of models used for training students and doctoral students at Technical University - Gabrovo.

Patient and public involvement in research: Reflections and experiences of doctoral cancer nurse researchers in Europe

Background Early career researchers lack guidance about patient and public involvement (PPI). The overall aim of the study was to explore the knowledge and experiences of using PPI in research among doctoral students who are registered nurses. Methods This qualitative study included findings generated from reflective essays and focus groups involving ten registered cancer nurses who are undertaking doctoral research. The study has two stages of data collection. Participants initially wrote a reflective essay using a set of guiding questions to structure a response which was subsequently analysed. Two focus groups were then conducted to provide further insight into the themes identified in the reflective essays. Reflective thematic analysis was used to identify, name, and define the final themes. Results There were ten participants from seven countries and were at various stages of their doctoral study. Analysis of data from reflective essays (n = 10) and focus groups (n = 2) identified four themes namely, (a) evolving recognition and appreciation of PPI, (b) embracing PPI and impact on doctoral studies, (c) the influence of the research environment, and (d) the need to empower doctoral students to integrate PPI in their research journey. Conclusion Participants reported differing experiences of PPI awareness showing disparity in guidance about PPI for junior researchers across Europe. We recommend provision of early PPI training for doctoral students to support and encourage involvement of patients and the public in their research. Opportunities for sharing PPI experiences to help improve PPI culture in research environments that support doctoral students should be explored.

How to Get a Job Offer from a Smaller Joint Teaching‐Research Mission University and What to Do Once You Have It

How to Get a Job Offer from a Smaller Joint Teaching‐Research Mission University and What to Do Once You Have It

Exploring Education Beyond Traditional Contexts: An Interview With Dr. Sarup Mathur

Dr. Sarup Mathur is the Ryan C. Harris Professor of Special Education in the Division of Educational Leadership at Arizona State University. She is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of emotional and behavioral disorders and juvenile justice, particularly specializing in the areas of social skills and re-entry of adjudicated youth. She has been the co-editor of a yearly special issue of Education and Treatment of Children on severe behavior disorders of children and youth, is the former secretary and president of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health, and has enabled teachers in juvenile justice to support adjudicated youth by developing transitioning planning processes. She has written numerous scholarly articles, published and edited books, and has secured extensive grant funding to support the training of doctoral students specializing in working with adjudicated youth.

Research productivity and training support for doctoral students in the biological and biomedical sciences.

Training of doctoral students as part of the next generation of the biomedical workforce is essential for sustaining the scientific enterprise in the United States. Training primarily occurs at institutions of higher education, and these trainees comprise an important part of the workforce at these institutions. Federal investment in the support of doctoral students in the biological and biomedical sciences is distributed differently than the distribution of students across different types of institutions, for example, public vs private. Institutions in states that historically receive less federal support for research also receive less support for doctoral student training. Doctorates at different types of institution exhibit little difference in research productivity, with the exception of citations, and subsequent receipt of additional NIH awards. Thus, training outcomes, which are related to the quality of the student and training environment, are similar across different institutions. Research productivity of doctoral students does not correlate with the number of F31s awarded to an institution. Factors that correlate with F31 funding include R01 funding levels and program size. The findings suggest strategies for institutions to increase success at securing F31s and modification of policy to promote more equitable distribution of F31s across institutions.

Reforming Doctoral Education through the Lens of Professional Socialization to Train the Next Generation of Chemists.

Several national organizations in the United States have questioned the effectiveness of doctoral education in chemistry in preparing and training doctoral students for their desired professional pathways outside of academia. This study investigates the knowledge and skills that chemists with a doctorate across academic and nonacademic job sectors perceive to be necessary for their careers and the ways that these chemists require and/or value certain skillsets over others depending on their job sector. Based on a prior qualitative study, a survey was distributed to gather knowledge and skills needed by chemists with a doctorate in different job sectors. Findings based on 412 responses provide evidence that many 21st century skills beyond technical chemistry knowledge affect success in many types of workplaces. Further, academic and nonacademic job sectors were found to require different skills. The findings question the learning goals of graduate education programs that exclusively target technical skills and knowledge mastery versus those programs that incorporate concepts from professional socialization theory to broaden their scope. The results of this empirical investigation can be used to illuminate those learning targets that currently are less emphasized, to provide all doctoral students with the greatest opportunities for career success.

Engaged, Exhausted or Indifferent? Study Environment Factors and Doctoral Students’ Well-being

Creating decent conditions for doctoral students is a challenge that higher education institutions do not always manage to cope with. This tendency is also indirectly seen in the indicators of the well-being of doctoral students. The purpose of this study was to distinguish different well-being groups of doctoral students and to identify predictors of belonging to them. 633 doctoral students from various fields of science participated in the study, and were asked to answer questions about their study engagement, exhaustion, and the main study environment characteristics (demands and resources). The applied cluster analysis revealed that according to study engagement and burnout, four groups of doctoral students’ well-being can be distinguished, i.e., successful, exhausted, burned-out and indifferent doctoral students. Regression analysis made it possible to distinguish four study environmental characteristics that differentiate different groups of doctoral students’ well-being. Fewer opportunities for development, lack of support from the dissertation supervisor, higher study load, and more frequent encounters with conflicting expectations were associated with a lower probability of belonging to the group of doctoral students of the highest well-being. The results show that the antecedents for the well-being of doctoral students should be sought in the institutional environment, which facilitates or complicates the implementation of the tasks. The article also discusses suggestions based on the research results to improve the process of training doctoral students.

CN37 Patient and public involvement in research: Reflections and experiences of doctoral cancer nurse researchers in Europe

Patient and public involvement (PPI) means doing research with the patient or members of the public wherein they contribute to research design, conduct and dissemination. Evidence shows the need for guidance about PPI among early career researchers. Our discussions about PPI during a doctoral workshop showed differences in our PPI experiences and the support we received. This motivated us to share our reflections and experiences to highlight gaps in PPI training and support. Between September to November 2021, cancer nurses from seven European countries who attended a doctoral workshop delivered by the European Oncology Nursing Society submitted written reflections of their experiences of PPI within the context of their doctoral research. Ten written reflective pieces were inductively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate initial themes. Audio-recorded focus groups (n=2) with four to six participants were conducted. Focus group data was deductively analysed using the initial themes as framework. Final themes were identified following interpretation and several discussions, until consensus was reached. Four themes were identified in the analysis: (a) evolving recognition and appreciation of PPI, (b) embracing PPI and impact on doctoral studies, (c) the influence of the research environment, and (d) the need to empower doctoral students to integrate PPI in their research journey. Factors such as training, level of support, available funding, and research environment influenced doctoral researchers’ awareness and experiences of PPI . Varying experiences of PPI awareness was noted across Europe showing disparity in guidance about PPI for early career researchers. We recommend provision of early PPI training for doctoral students to support and encourage involvement of patients and the public in their research. Opportunities for sharing PPI experiences to help improve PPI culture in research environments that support doctoral students should be explored.

Targeting phosphoglycerate kinase 1 with terazosin improves motor neuron phenotypes in multiple models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

SummaryBackgroundAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with heterogeneous aetiology and a complex genetic background. Effective therapies are therefore likely to act on convergent pathways such as dysregulated energy metabolism, linked to multiple neurodegenerative diseases including ALS.MethodsActivity of the glycolysis enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) was increased genetically or pharmacologically using terazosin in zebrafish, mouse and ESC-derived motor neuron models of ALS. Multiple disease phenotypes were assessed to determine the therapeutic potential of this approach, including axon growth and motor behaviour, survival and cell death following oxidative stress.FindingsWe have found that targeting a single bioenergetic protein, PGK1, modulates motor neuron vulnerability in vivo. In zebrafish models of ALS, overexpression of PGK1 rescued motor axon phenotypes and improved motor behaviour. Treatment with terazosin, an FDA-approved compound with a known non-canonical action of increasing PGK1 activity, also improved these phenotypes. Terazosin treatment extended survival, improved motor phenotypes and increased motor neuron number in Thy1-hTDP-43 mice. In ESC-derived motor neurons expressing TDP-43M337V, terazosin protected against oxidative stress-induced cell death and increased basal glycolysis rates, while rescuing stress granule assembly.InterpretationOur data demonstrate that terazosin protects motor neurons via multiple pathways, including upregulating glycolysis and rescuing stress granule formation. Repurposing terazosin therefore has the potential to increase the limited therapeutic options across all forms of ALS, irrespective of disease cause.FundingThis work was supported by project grant funding from MND Scotland, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Medical Research Council Doctoral Student Training Fellowship [Ref: BST0010Z] and Academy of Medical Sciences grant [SGL023\\1100].

Opportunities for Introduction of a Mentoring Program in the Training of Doctoral Students in the Field of Defense and Security Economics

Training through a mentoring approach is establishing itself as an increasingly key and effective model for working with young people, which, in addition to increasing the solid knowledge of learners, plays a key role in building and consolidating specific professional and soft skills. The relevance of this study is determined by the common challenges associated with the retention, perseverance and completion of the educational and scientific degree "PhD" both at home and abroad. In this regard, focusing on the work of a particular department, the goal of this study is after analyzing the foreign experience to offer an alternative to improve training in the PhD program in economics and management (defense and security) of UNWE. The method that will be used in the present study is the analysis of foreign experience and good practices, as well as comparative analysis. The result that is expected to be achieved is to identify working alternatives in the context of the training of doctoral students in the field of defense and security economics, to outline the pros and cons of both alternatives and to suggest the best option.

P139 Three-year School-based Intervention May Change Primary School Children's Preferences for Fruit and Vegetable Dishes

<h3>Objective</h3> Evaluation of the three-year school-based multicomponent intervention "Nutri-školica" in terms of changing children's preferences for fruit and vegetable dishes from the school menus. <h3>Use of Theory or Research</h3> Preference, as one of the biological characteristics according to Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, may be the trigger for children's consumption of fruit and vegetable dishes. With appropriate educational, sensory, and exposure-based intervention, it could be modified to increase children's acceptance of fruit and vegetable dishes. <h3>Target Audience</h3> Primary school children (7-10 years old). <h3>Program Description</h3> "Nutri-školica" is a three-year (school years 2018/2019-2020/2021) school-based multicomponent intervention aimed at increasing the acceptance and consumption of fruit and vegetables among primary school children. The intervention was implemented in 14 elementary school in the city of Zagreb, with children within the schools divided into an intervention and a control group. <h3>Evaluation Methods</h3> To assess the impact of the intervention on children's preferences for fruit and vegetable dishes, a two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was conducted to compare pre- and post-intervention changes in the intervention and control groups. Children's preferences were assessed during school lunch two weeks before and after the intervention. After the children finished their school lunch, they rated the meal items, which included fruit or vegetables, using a taste-and-rate method on a 5-point smiley-face scale (5 represents "most liked"). The analysis was conducted with 70 children who ate school lunch and rated the meals before and after the intervention. <h3>Results</h3> Children in the intervention group (before: 4.19 ± 1.12; after: 4.29 ± 0.83) showed a significant increase (<i>P =</i> 0.018) in preference for fruit and vegetable dishes served at school after the three-year intervention compared to the control group (before: 4.29 ± 0.92; after: 3.28 ± 1.07). <h3>Conclusions</h3> The intervention "Nutri-školica" has proven successful in changing children's preferences for fruit and vegetable dishes. <h3>Funding</h3> European Commission – Horizon 2020 (Call H2020-SFS-2015-2, Topic: SFS-20-2015, Type of action: RIA, Proposal Number: 678024-2); Croatian Science Foundation - Young researchers' career development project: training of doctoral students (DOK-01-2018 - funded by the European Social Fund)

A Qualitative Examination of Barriers and Facilitators to Providing Pedagogical Training for Doctoral Students in Behavioral and Social Sciences Programs at US Schools of Public Health

There is increasing attention regarding the preparation of doctoral students in schools of public health (SPH) to teach; however, few studies have examined pedagogical preparation for doctoral students in public health-related disciplines. This study aimed to describe the pedagogical training and experiences available for doctoral students in behavioral and social sciences (BSS) programs in SPH and examine the facilitators and barriers to offering pedagogical training and experiences. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were completed with 13 pedagogy instructors, program directors, or administrators in SPH with BSS doctoral programs. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Just over half (54%) of the doctoral programs offered or planned to offer a pedagogy course in their curricula. Doctoral students in most programs had access to other teaching training opportunities, most commonly through university centers for teaching and learning. All doctoral programs required or provided students with the option to serve as a teaching assistant and, in some cases, instructor. Key factors contributing to if pedagogical training and experiences were available in the doctoral programs were the degree of priority placed on teaching preparation for doctoral students; logistic challenges, such as time and funding constraints; the level of need to fill teaching assistant and instructor positions; and competencies requiring teaching training for Doctor of Public Health students. Doctoral programs considering changes or expansion of pedagogical training and experiences should consider how to overcome common barriers and leverage facilitators in order to provide students with the best possible pedagogical preparation for both academic and non-academic careers.

The Evolution of Personal Frames of Reference: Metaphors as Potential Space

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the value of metaphors as part of a reflexive practice in the context of the evolving frame of reference journey of PhD students in a consulting psychology programme. Background: This study reports on the journey of how the personal frames of reference of PhD students in consulting psychology had evolved at a large open-distance and e-learning university in South Africa. As their respective journeys of becoming consulting psychologists unfolded, participants’ evolutionary journeys were viewed through metaphors. Few studies have investigated how metaphors could be used as a powerful evocative tool to go beyond the rational, conscious and sanitized responses of participants, to explore their underlying frames of reference by surfacing and eliciting implicit meaning. Methodology: This study was based on a hermeneutic phenomenological methodological stance and congruently employed principles of socio-analytic inquiry. The context of this inquiry was a PhD programme in consulting psychology presented at a large open-distance e-learning tertiary institution. Participants comprised ten PhD students. These students were required to engage in various self-reflective exercises throughout their first year, such as journaling and self-reflective essays. Their final exercise was to present their evolving frame of reference as a consulting psychologist, in the form of a visual or tangible metaphor. These final presentations became the protocols for hermeneutic phenomenological analysis in this study. Metaphors were selected through purposive sampling, and they became the “data sources” of the study. Contribution: The study contributes to the teaching of reflexivity in consulting practice. It has implications for the training of doctoral students by making a process available through which students and consultants could access and develop their personal frames of reference. The study shares valuable pedagogical and growth experiences from the perspective of the student in consulting psychology. The research advances the field of consulting psychology by introducing the notion of metaphors as potential space and stimulates further engagement in art-based qualitative inquiry from a socio-analytic stance. Findings: The findings suggest that metaphors have value because they create a connection to emotions, emotional processes and emotional work, facilitate the professional identity construction and reconstruction process and enable a shift from self-reflection to self-reflexivity. It is proposed that metaphors have the inherent capacity to act as potential space. Recommendations for Practitioners: Identity tensions could be alleviated through conscious identity work, when psychologists from different categories transition into consulting psychologists. We pose questions for practitioners to consider. Recommendation for Researchers: Doctoral programmes and research on doctoral studies should explicitly engage with both conscious and unconscious dynamics. This could relate to identity work, relationships and the power of reflexive practices. Impact on Society: Dropout rates of doctoral students are high. The time to complete the degree is also long. This comes at a price for the student, the institution and society. Aspects related to frame of reference, philosophical assumptions, and identity work to be done by the doctoral student should be considered as critical to doctoral programmes and doctoral education. Future Research: Future studies could investigate how consulting frames of reference relate to anxiety, identity and the well-being of doctoral students. Studies could also be conducted to see how the participants’ frames of reference in this study have further evolved over their consulting careers.

Impact of Doctoral Student Training Process Fit on Doctoral Students’ Mental Health

Background: Doctoral students have much higher risk of anxiety or depression than general population. Doctoral students worldwide are facing varying degrees of mental health risks. Method: Based on the survey data of 6,812 doctoral students worldwide in Nature in 2019, Probit and Logit models are used to explore the correlation between the fit of doctoral education and training process and the mental health of doctoral students. Results: (1) The training environment fit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health. (2) The academic profession fit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health. (3) The organizational culture fit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health. (4) The financial support fit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health. Conclusion: The higher the degree of doctoral students’ training environment fit, academic profession fit, organizational culture fit, and financial support fit, the lower the possibility of anxiety or depression among doctoral students. The current research results can help reveal extensive factors that affect the mental health of doctoral students, facilitate the planning and development of effective intervention measures by universities, improve the fit of the doctoral education and training process, improve the mental health of doctoral students, and boost academic excellence.