From researching professional to professional researcher: Navigating the transition into academic via a professional doctorate

Clark, Tim

Abstract

The recent proliferation of professional doctorate routes (PD) internationally (Jones, 2018) coupled with the potential these offer to create pathways from various professional contexts into research roles within academic (Lundgren-Resenterra & Kahn, 2019) necessitates further exploration of the experiences of PD students in preparing for the reality of academic research communities. Often characterised as distinct from traditional PhD routes due to their intended focus on developing ‘researching professionals’ as opposed to ‘professional researchers’ (Butcher & Sieminski, 2006), PD degrees frequently attract mid-career professionals (Boud & Lee, 2009), who embed their research within roles which often have existing high levels of responsibility. As a result, there is the potential for studies and supervision to be undertaken at distance, accompanied by pressure to prioritise intellectual rigour (Wildy et al, 2015) over opportunities for academic socialisation and engagement with a wider research community. Utilising ideas of doctoral socialisation (Gardner, 2020) and hidden curriculum (Elliot et al, 2020), and drawing on a personal visual narrative, I provide a critical reflection on my experience as a first-generation graduate transitioning from a professional doctorate in education (EdD), and a leader in early years education, to an early career researcher role in a UK university. This reflection, which explores experiences of discomfort and disorientation and shifts in identity from expert to novice, leader to follower, is utilised to provoke consideration of the significance of collegiality, collaboration and research environment/culture to thriving as an early career researcher, and in learning the, often hidden, ‘rules of the game’.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) International Conference
• Start Date: Oct 11, 2023
• End Date: Oct 11, 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11129209
• Publisher URL: https://conferences.leeds.ac.uk/reds/