Growing and developing as a university researcher

Abstract

While there is a substantial body of literature on academics' development as teachers, investigation of their development as researchers post-PhD is rare. This study undertook an investigation of academics' ways of understanding their own growth and development as a university researcher. Four qualitatively different ways of understanding research development emerged: (1) Becoming confident as a researcher;(2) Becoming recognised as a researcher; (3) Becoming more productive as a researcher; and (4) Becoming more sophisticated as a researcher. The first category of development was seen as most relevant to the early stages of an academic career, when doing a PhD or during one's first academic appointment, but may also re-occur at later stages of a career during changes in research direction, etc. The last three categories are seen as relevant to all career stages, including more advanced stages as well as the early stages of a research career. Comparisons between academics' ways of understanding their growth and development as a university researcher and as a university teacher are also presented.

Applying phenomenography in guidance and counselling research

“…For example, to properly explore the different ways in which career professionals experience social media in career services, respondents should vary in age, gender, work setting, career service experience and experience using social media in career services. Previous phenomenographic studies suggest a sample comprising 10-15 subjects as typically sufficient to capture variation and reach the saturation point at which no new information emerges from the data (Åkerlind, 2008;Trigwell, 2000). In practice, most studies employ a sample size of 20-30 participants (Bowden, 2005) although some researchers report saturation points with as few as 7 or 11 participants (Täks, Tynjälä, Toding, Kukemelk, & Venesaar, 2014).…”

Defining Professional Self: Teacher Educator Perspectives of the Pre-ECR Journey.

“…In making the transition from primary or secondary school to Australian teacher education contexts, engagement in and production of research that informs and is informed by teacher education and/or teaching practice becomes an expectation, whether it be implicit or explicit (Akerlind, 2007). This Australian scenario of expectations to engage in research is comparable to Arremen's (2005, p. 230) study, where she explored the beginning teacher educator experience of practitioners working within Sweden and found that beginning teacher educators often feel pressured to engage in research as "a means of providing theoretical underpinnings for their professional development and practice".…”

“…Emerging as significant within these studies is where and how ECRs undertake their work, and various factors that contribute to shaping their construction of productive and healthy research identity and practice post PhD qualification (Akerlind, 2007;Baguley, 2009;Beck & Young, 2005;Berrell, 1998;Harrison & McKeon, 2010;Laudel & Glaser, 2008;Murray & Male, 2005, Tight, 2008. Within these studies, emphasis is usually placed upon what happens post PhD, rather than prior to or during.…”

El Desempeño De La Dirección en La Universidad: El Caso De Decanos Y Directores De Departamento

“…Este tipo de taxonomías facilitan la ordenación de la realidad aunque implican su reducción y simplificación. Las etapas en el desarrollo del puesto no suponen la mera superposición de fases y momentos, ya que los rasgos individuales, organizacionales y sociales inciden de forma decisiva en el desarrollo cada persona en el puesto que ocupa (Akerlind, 2008). Las distintas taxonomías sobre el desarrollo de los puestos directivos advierten: 1) La evolución de las etapas no representan un proceso lineal ya que las fases identificadas pueden alterarse o repetirse en función de las influencias de cada persona, los grupos o la cultura organizativa.…”

“…Esta coincidencia abre una nueva perspectiva en la gestión e intervención sobre los directivos a partir de experiencias vigentes y modelos demostrados eficaces en otros contextos no universitarios. Coincidimos con Akerlind (2008) al comprobar como el desarrollo de las etapas permite dibujar perfiles, más o menos generalizables, capaces de caracterizar las funciones, características y limitaciones en cada etapa de ese desarrollo.…”