The doctoral learning experience presents unique challenges and opportunities due to how disengaged it is from the classical education approach of classroom learning. The autonomous education allows students to manage their own time and workload around other commitments in their lives. However, it also puts more responsibility for self-control and self-motivation on their shoulders. The key to academic success is being honest about one’s goals and priorities, quickly adapting to circumstances, and communicating openly with every other stakeholder in the education process.
The regular classroom learning experience is one that most people face from the very beginning of education. While bringing certain benefits to the student, such as face-to-face engagement, socialization opportunities, and outside motivation, these modes of education also bring some obstacles that autonomous doctorate learning does not have. According to Douglas, Douglas, McClelland, and Davies (2015), these include the lecturer’s personality influencing the quality of the course, too much dependence on the physical resources of the university, such as printers, canteen, or parking, and negative interaction with other staff.
However, depending on the university, the benefits may outweigh the drawbacks, as students have reported increased satisfaction from positive communication with their tutors, engaging in active and involving coursework, and receiving such skills as public speaking. Some tutors also praise classroom learning, because “[…] it offers [students] a safe, up-close, real-time glimpse of the workings of a trained mind, the mind of an expert […]” (Shpancer, 2004). It appears that the experience typical for pre-doctorate learning is worthwhile in building rapport, engaging with experts, and learning useful skills.
Doctorate learning provides its own set of advantages and drawbacks. According to Jazvac-Martek, Chen, and McAlpine (2011), the drawbacks include lack of time, lack of motivation, feelings of isolation, discouragement, writer’s block, lack of required resources, emotional and logistical issues, and inattentiveness of the supervisors. These issues arise from the fact that doctorate students are adults with other commitments that they need to balance with their academic work, as well as the need to self-motivate and self-manage with little outside help in order to produce a dissertation and defend it. The positive effects of the autonomous learning include increased flexibility, utilization of useful software, and reduced costs (Lee, 2016). The self-sufficiency itself may also be a learning experience.
McCombs and Whisler (1989) assert that the effectiveness of autonomous learning is greatly affected by such factors as curiosity, interest, anxiety, or fear. The tutors could manage these factors, but students must take stock of their emotional states as well. Byrd (2016) suggests that doctoral studies are positively affected by the sense of belonging to a community and interpersonal relationship. These findings are further supported by Lange, Pillay, and Chikoko (2011), who suggest that engaging with a cohort group as well as the supervisors can increase satisfaction and give tangible learning benefits.
Callary, Werthner, and Trudel (2012) give a much broader perspective on doctorate learning, asserting that it should be viewed in the context of lifelong learning, and also the entirety of the student’s life along with the academia. Finally, Jazvac-Martek, Chen, and McAlpine (2011) outline multiple possible difficulties that may arise due to a multitude of factors by providing students’ testimonies regarding their doctorate experience.
The advice one can derive from this body of literature is, first and foremost, to figure out one’s wants and needs and decide whether academia is the right place to be to achieve them. Throughout the education process, honest communication should be a norm between students and supervisors, as well as some communal activities between students, as the sense of isolation might prove to be a significant detriment. Finally, one must keep an open mind and quickly adapt to change, as the doctorate education is regarded by many as a critical transitional period. One’s mental state, social and career commitments, and even core personal values might quickly change, and continually adjusting to it is vital.
With that in mind, the orientation webinar can serve as a useful tool for the former, as it outlines the expectations and requirements that students will have to deal with on the course. Also, it helps orient in the online management systems and communication lines that the course uses, using which is a vital part of independent learning. Furthermore, the webinar is always available for re-watching in case any information is forgotten.
The autonomous doctoral learning is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it allows students to manage their time independently and facilitate personal growth. On the other hand, it creates unique stress and can distance them from their peers and supervisors. One must adapt to changing circumstances, track mental state, and communicate very closely with other stakeholders to remain successful.
The tips provided by Collins (2015) are an excellent source of motivation for any writer or researcher. However, more importantly, they provide advice on how to organize one’s writing and manage other factors such as family life, criticism, or mental state. The article gives recommendations regarding the act of writing itself, the choice of subject matter, and managing one’s workflow. On the other hand, McDougall, Ornelles, and Rao (2015) give a generalized critique of many students’ writing and guide the structure, grammar, and wording. It is a vital resource for any student, as it can help develop a stronger, more concise voice and avoid common pitfalls. The article itself is not written in the strictest academic style, but that provides humanity to what is otherwise a very dry, stringent, and critical work. It is difficult to find errors, aside from one citation in paragraph 5 of Collins’ work: “professional lives (Silva, 2007)” (Collins, 2015, p. 52). The correct spelling of that surname is “Silvia”.
Following the APA format is a sign of professionalism and respect for both the reader and the cited academics. They have dedicated their resources to create valuable scientific works, and they deserve credit for it. Citation style guides such as the APA format help researchers make their reference lists homogenous, easily readable, and full of relevant information that can help verify the validity of their research.
“In self-harming teenage and young adult emergency room visitors, does teaching mindfulness techniques and referring them to therapy specialists or information sources by their immediate healthcare provider reduce their chances of practicing-self harm in the future, in comparison with the usual care over a year-long period?”
In this question, the population is the “self-harming teenage and young adult emergency room visitors.” The intervention is “teaching mindfulness techniques and referring them to therapy specialists or information sources by their immediate healthcare provider.” The intervention is to be realized by providing emergency room personnel instructions about dealing with self-harming behavior, simple techniques of mindfulness, and providing the emergency room with a list of mental health practitioners in the area. According to Roemer, Williston, and Rollins (2015), practicing mindfulness can lead to improved outcomes in mental health patients. The comparison for this intervention would be the rate of subsequent Emergency Room visits by the patients, and follow-ups with them via phone or e-mail (provided they consent to it).
The outcome may be determined by self-reporting through surveys or interviews, as well as measuring their subsequent Emergency Room visit rates. The one-year period was selected according to the results of a study performed by Kawahara et al. (2017), which suggested 1, 6, and 12-month timeframes for repeat episodes of self-injury.
References
Byrd, J. (2016). Understanding the online doctoral learning experience: Factors that contribute to students’ sense of community. Journal of Educators Online, 13, 102–135.
Callary, B., Werthner, P., & Trudel, P. (2012). The lived experience of a doctoral student: The process of learning and becoming. The Qualitative Report, 17(43), 1-20.
Collins, J. C. (2015). Writing for publication while in graduate school: An accessible reality. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. 27, 51-55.
Douglas, J. A., Douglas, A., McClelland, R. J., & Davies, J. (2015). Understanding student satisfaction and dissatisfaction: An interpretive study in the UK higher education context. Studies in Higher Education, 40(2), 329–349.
Jazvac-Martek M., Chen S., McAlpine L. (2011) Tracking the doctoral student experience over time: Cultivating agency in diverse spaces. In: McAlpine L., Amundsen C. (eds) Doctoral education: Research-based strategies for doctoral students, supervisors and administrators. (pp. 17-36). Berlin, Germany: Springer.
Kawahara, Y. Y., Hashimoto, S., Harada, M., Sugiyama, D., Yamada, S., Kitada, M., … Fujisawa, D. (2017). Predictors of short-term repetition of self-harm among patients admitted to an emergency room following self-harm: A retrospective one-year cohort study. Psychiatry Research, 258, 421–426.
Lange, N., Pillay, G., & Chikoko, V. (2011). Doctoral learning: A case for a cohort model of supervision and support. South African Journal of Education, 31(1), 15-30.
Lee, L. (2016). Autonomous learning through task-based instruction in fully online language courses. Language Learning & Technology, 20(2), 81-97.
McCombs, B. L., & Whisler, J. S. (1989). The role of affective variables in autonomous learning. Educational Psychologist, 24(3), 277–306.
McDougall, D., Ornelles, C., & Rao, K. (2015). A primer on the pathway to scholarly writing: Helping nascent writers to unlearn conditioned habits. College Student Journal, 49(2), 262-270.
Shpancer, N. (2004). What makes classroom learning a worthwhile experience? Thought & Action, 23-35.
Roemer, L., Williston, S. K., & Rollins, L. G. (2015). Mindfulness and emotion regulation. Current Opinion in Psychology, 3, 52–57.