Seeking "Better Ways": Researcher Development in Qualitative Inquiry Among Early-Career Faculty in Higher Education

• In Event: 25.068 - Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: 25.068-6 - Doctoral Education Across the Disciplines: Roundtable Session 2

Abstract

Researcher development is an important but underexplored topic with implications for knowledge production, graduate education, faculty development, and equity in higher education. The purpose of this constructivist instrumental case study was to understand how the process of writing and publishing from qualitative dissertations sparked researcher development among two pre-tenure faculty members in higher education. Key findings included negotiating feedback from reviewers, “working backwards” from pre-determined findings to new conceptual frameworks, and struggling with multiple theoretical perspectives and worldviews. The authors’ successful navigation of these tensions revealed implications for researchers and teachers interested in enhancing doctoral education and faculty career development.

Authors

• Claire Kathleen Robbins, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Lucy Anne LePeau, Indiana University - Bloomington