Post on 29-Jan-2016
description
The Professional Doctorate – A Case study at GCU
Professor Bonnie StevesDirector, The GCU Graduate School
Dr Sheena Blair, ProfD Programme Leader, GCUDr Brian Ellis, ProfD Developer, GCU
International Benchmarking – research degreesQAA Scotland & SHEEC, 30 April 2010
Differences between PhD and ProfD
PhD ProfDProfessional researchers Researching professionals
Gold standard route to academia Entry from selected professionals
Individual study Cohort based
Focused study that tends not to change practice. Emphasis more on academic knowledge.
Study directly related to professional practice with emphasis on constructive change.
Starting to include a taught element Taught element. Credit rated
Employment related skills may be part of study but are not a prerequisite.
Employment related skills are a key element.
Focuses upon more discrete methodology
Offers broader scholarship
1. What makes a ProfD?
History of Prof D’s
Limitation of the PhD to change practice Established in Education, Business,
psychology, Engineering & more recently Allied Health Professions and Nursing.
Survey of Prof D awards in the UK (Powell and Long, 2005) – EdD, DClin, DEng, DBA...
Purpose of the Prof D
To enhance professional practice To carry out a research project based on
professional practice To improve clinical/public services To contribute to the professional knowledge
base
Is this research? Yes, if it is evidence-based and work is carried out at Doctoral level.
Doctoral Work – Makes a significant original contribution to the development of the subject/discipline
Glasgow Caledonian University
Origins date back to 1875
One of UK’s largest modern universities
1500 academic/research staff
17000 students - 400 PGR’s -from over 100 countries
Over 4000 mature students
Largest # of PT students in Scotland
Top in Scotland 4 years in a row
2. A Case Study – The GCU Experience
International student satisfaction
GCU’s Professional Doctorate
• Recruiting ave. - 18 students/yr
• Total - 61 students, 16% of PGR’s
• 90% retention rate
• Strong cohort and community
• Over 60 staff teach/supervise on it from all Schools
What is it like to be a “professional” at the moment?
It’s like:“rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic”“at the end of the day, the pawn and the king go
back into the same box”“feeling like the Ranger’s supporter at the Celtic
end and vice versa!”“its like a juggle presently – survival of the fittest”“its like a computer game and you can see the
action but you do not know the purpose of the game!”
“I am an ever-changing person, in an ever-changing world!”
GCU design – Who is it for?
“A unique opportunity to undertake an advanced research and practice development programme that is professionally relevant” Marketing material for GCU Prof Doc
Key characteristics of the GCU Prof Doc:
Focus mainly on public sector employees Developing and enhancing services Educating future leaders/current leaders Developing the professional knowledge base Enhancing personal effectiveness and resilience
Motivation for doing a Prof D
To make a difference in professional practice that will help people
To contribute new knowledge based on rigorous research
To learn with a cohort of like-minded professionals
To engage in life-long learning/CPD To gain additional skills and qualifications To further professional career
Key features of the GCU ProfD
GCU Design - Admissions
3 years work experience Upper 2nd class Honours Clear rationale for application to Prof D Evidence of support from employer No credit given for existing academic
qualifications
Degree Structure
4 years part-time
Stage 1 (2 yrs) modules: Research Methods RM (70 M-level) Professional Development PD (50 M-level) Project Development, Design and Management
(60 D-level)
Stage 2 (2 yrs) Research project and thesis (360 D-level)
Metaphors used to describe experience
Selections from the three diaries concerning the first four days of the taught element:
“Start of a journey” “First steps of the marathon” “A rollercoaster - when the rollercoaster ride has begun there
is nothing to do but cling on!” “Pennies dropping and things beginning to make sense” “Its like discovering a whole new view – yet in a strangely
familiar continent” “Really thorough preparation for the challenge ahead – tools
are in the rucksack for the expedition”
My sense of journey
I had a route map – the design was there and I had to interpret it - but my feelings concerning the start of the programme resonated with the notions of journey, expedition, progression along a pathway……………..
I shared the values underpinning the programme design and was entirely committed to this form of doctoral study
Understood the structure and rationale, and acknowledged the complexity………
“if you are going to change the world its better not to do it with a group of flying monkeys!”
The Graduate School
Working together to develop researchers and research community
GCU Design - Some local complexities
The ProfD programme framework is hosted by the Graduate School.
The Programme is designed and led in partnership with the Schools of Health and Life Sciences
Soon to also include new ProfD programmes from Schools of Law and Social Science and the Business School.
ProfD for Health, Social Care and Nursing Professionals + DBA, DMan, D App Psych, ProfD for Justice, Welfare and Policy Professionals.
The teaching/supervisory teams are drawn from throughout the university – Health, Business School, Law and Social Science, Life Science, Engineering and Computing, Graduate School.
Our frequent thought is:
“It’s like herding cats!”
Students experience of a cross School approach
“Lots of different perspectives – really enjoyable”
“Yesterday’s lectures felt like I had walked through the wrong door!”
“Great series of master classes”“strategic thinking in business terms may be
different from health and social care”“I know some of this stuff – but by other
names!”“The variety of perspectives have been
exciting – new languages to learn”
Student Experience
Students’ reflections
“Really appreciate the support given from the cohort”
“Minimal competition and lots of sharing”“Feel part of the programme and not just a
student on it”“Appreciated the availability of staff to help with
ideas and paradigms that I did not understand”“People took time with me to explore the
crushing work responsibilities, personal lives and study and how this can produce conflict”
Some final reflections from the diaries (First cohort/Stage 2)
“My ontological stance is more of a slouch!” “9.05 and I’m overwhelmed already!”“So good to be back together again – need to
get back on track”“The need for rigour is so overwhelming that I
am beginning to think that this is a course designed for undertakers!”
“Learning to defend the project proposal at a basic level is so helpful and being open to that criticism – a journey within itself”
Final thought!
In the diary of the third cohort, there is an Entry in the reflective diary:-
“By the end of the day my anxiety had given way to excitement………….bring it on!”
So the challenge for us at GCU and elsewhere is:
• How to sustain the conditions for learning and the learning climate that nurtures this excitement to become a scholarly professional.