“I felt like I was not just a student:” examining graduate student learning at academic and professional conferences

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore what new knowledge is gained at academic and professional conferences by describing how this knowledge complements or contradicts campus-based learning and previous experiences of graduate students. Through gaining insights into conference-based learning, researchers and policymakers can create more complex and dynamic graduate student learning experiences and design conferences that welcome and encourage graduate student perspectives and voices. Design/methodology/approach Rooted in transformative learning theory, this qualitative study explores what and how master’s level graduate students learn at professional and academic conferences. Findings Findings point to four categories of learning through conferences: students acquired empirical knowledge, gained insights into professional and scholarly trends and values, explored diversity of the conference body and their own belonging and benchmarked their knowledge in relationship to scholars and professionals. Interviewees gained this knowledge by linking conference-based learning to their graduate school curriculum and previous knowledge and experiences. Practical implications Findings suggest considerations for educators, policymakers and administrators to enhance learning in graduate programs through in-person and virtual conference attendance. Originality/value This study adds to minimal existing research on graduate student learning beyond the campus that contributes to holistic learning at the master’s level. The findings on conference-based learning for graduate students go beyond the common notion of conferences as places of socialization for graduate students. These findings are increasingly relevant as academic and professional conferences are being reconsidered in the shift to the virtual space.

PhD students as boundary spanning agents: an exploration of student values, goals, and agency in the era of cross-sector permeation

“…We also recommend that public platforms such as poster sessions and brown bag seminars be developed to support individualized student boundary spanning. Like the outcomes of graduate student participation in conventional academic conferences (Campbell et al , 2021), such platforms would enable the dissemination of experiences and knowledge and help students develop stronger senses of “fit” between their individual values, interests and goals, boundary spanning activities and doctoral programs. Here again, we suggest that these platform-types be student-led, albeit with faculty endorsement and collaboration, to further foster student agency.…”

Empowering Teachers: “Merdeka Belajar” Implementation Insights from Education Conference – A Qualitative Study

“…The majority of participants were experienced teachers with an average of 10 years of teaching experience (AlQorin, 2022;Yusuf, 2021). Of the 50 teachers who attended the conference, 80% reported that they found the conference to be effective in improving their readiness to implement the Merdeka Belajar curriculum (Campbell et al, 2021;Widayat et al, 2023).…”