1 / 15

Power and the Part-time Research Student Experience

This article explores the role of power in the part-time research student experience. Drawing on theories of power, the article examines the forms of authority, dimensions of power, and outworkings of power in the context of part-time research students. It also identifies the issue areas where power dynamics are evident, including supervisor-student relationships, access to resources, and cultural support. The article calls for greater understanding of power dynamics in the doctoral experience and suggests development in supervisory practices.

iwhitfield
Download Presentation

Power and the Part-time Research Student Experience

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Alistair McCulloch (Edge Hill University) & Peter Stokes (UCLAN) Power and the part-time research student experience [Drawing on The Silent Majority: Meeting the Needs of Part-time Research Students (SRHE Guide 2008)] SRHE PIN 22 June 2008

  2. Stories & Symbols Organisational Structures Control Systems Rituals & Routines Power Time, (including competition for the student’s time) Funding Research Student Experience Relationships Access to Resources The Cultural Web of Doctoral Study

  3. Power 1 (Weber) Forms of Authority • Traditional • Charismatic • Legitimate

  4. Power 2 (Lukes) Lukes (1974), three dimensions of power: • The direct power of one individual to influence another to behave in a way which the former would prefer and the latter might not.

  5. Power 2 (Lukes) Lukes (1974), three dimensions of power: • The direct power of one individual to influence another to behave in a way which the former would prefer and the latter might not. • The power of an individual to define the agenda and thus, prevent another individual from voicing their concerns, desires and interests.

  6. Power 2 (Lukes) Lukes (1974), three dimensions of power: • The direct power of one individual to influence another to behave in a way which the former would prefer and the latter might not. • The power of an individual to define the agenda and thus, prevent another individual from voicing their concerns, desires and interests. • The third dimension is systemic and relates to the power of an individual to define what counts as important or appropriate. It operates through the process of socialisation and control over the supply of information.

  7. Power 3 – Denis Wrong Influence Unintended Intended Force Manipulation Persuasion Authority Physical Psychic Induced Coercive Legitimate Competent Personal Violent Non-Violent

  8. Outworkings of Power • Just as there are different forms of power, there are different types of student – hence complexity • Pursuing different types of Doctorate • Mode of study (part-time/distance) • Age • Life experience • Stage of career • Life plans • Motivations

  9. Outworkings of Power Power finds its outworking through: • Organisational structures • Control systems • Stories • Symbols • Rituals and routines

  10. Motivations • Directly work-related (e.g. employer-funded) • Up-skilling (e.g. develop higher level skills) • Career change (e.g. desire to move to academia) • Particular interest (topic-focused) • Self-development (the lifelong-learner)

  11. Outworkings of Power ISSUE AREAS • Supervisor - Student relationship • Student – Institution relationship • Access to sources of power (information, contacts and networking) • Student’s position vis-à-vis the Dept • Student’s cultural resources & support

  12. Outworkings of Power Institutions and supervisors need to consider all students’ access to: • Signatures/administrators/other support & advice • Informal aspects of the organisation • Stories which are culturally-defining (‘Do you remember the student who….?’) • Invitations to coffee with the Prof • Places where informal meetings/supervision takes place (e.g. bar) • Other ‘informal’ socialisation into ‘becoming a doctorate’

  13. Outworkings of Power Institutions and supervisors need to consider all students’ access to: • Funding • Costs associated with research (fieldwork/archives etc) • Conferences (and thus networking opportunities) • Have implications for choice of topic, methodology. • Supervisors need to facilitate other ‘networking’ opportunities

  14. Outworkings of Power Supervisors need to consider the nature of students’ relationships with: • Other students • Other staff • Spouse, partner or significant other • Other family members • Employer & other people at student’s place of work • Friends outside university setting Also what these relationships mean for the student in terms of: • Time • Knowledge • Differential socialisation • Equity

  15. Implies • Greater understanding of student needs, motivations and understandings of the nature of the doctoral experience • Greater understanding of the way power in all its complexity impacts on the student’s experience and outcomes • Development involving both supervisors and students

More Related