Challenges and Opportunities in Becoming a Ph.D. in Teacher Education: Integration in the Scholarly Community

• In Event: Roundtable Session 96
  In Roundtable Session: Preparing Scholars Across the Disciplines

Abstract

PhD students in teacher education are highly motivated and talented. Further professional development or aiming at the scholarly career are the main reasons for the students to launch the doctoral project. This study focuses on exploring critical incidents perceived by the PhD students in teacher education. The participants reported critical incidents related to supervision and scholarly community, internal factors regulating the PhD process, and working facilities and resources. The detailed analysis of incidents and their reflective effects showed scientific writing as an especially central activity throughout doctoral process. Through writing, doctoral students construct their scholarly identity, interact with scholarly community, and prove their scientific expertise. The challenge is to regulate their closest context to support the proceeding of research process.

Authors

• Auli Toom, University of Helsinki

• Kirsi Maria Pyhalto, University of Helsinki