scholarly journals Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Doctoral Students’ Thesis/Dissertation Progress

10.28945/4818 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 533-552
Author(s):  
William J Donohue ◽  
Alice Shu-Ju Lee ◽  
Shelah Simpson ◽  
Kathleen Vacek
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The World ◽  
Culminating Project

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to document the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for doctoral students who were proposing, conducting, or writing up their doctoral thesis, dissertation, or other culminating project. Background: For doctoral students, the process of designing, implementing, and writing a culminating project is a key part of the learning experience. These projects typically require students to direct their own learning and to manage setbacks, obstacles, and challenges as they arise. During the COVID-19 pandemic, doctoral students around the globe had to undertake this key learning experience in the context of a global crisis. Methodology: During August and September 2020, 235 doctoral students from around the world completed an online questionnaire consisting of demographic questions and three open-ended questions about their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis involved several cycles of In Vivo Coding of the data, which yielded codes, categories, and eventually themes. At each stage, the researchers collaborated to generate the codes, and the categories and themes arose through several rounds of discussion. Contribution: Our study adds to the small body of knowledge on doctoral students’ experiences from around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying categories of experience through qualitative, open-ended survey questions. The study highlights doctoral students’ challenges and how these were either exacerbated or mitigated by pandemic-induced changes. Findings: Our survey respondents described impacts on their culminating projects’ progress in five major categories: research design, access to resources, workload, mental health, and finances. Recommendations for Practitioners: The five categories of impacts emerging from our participants’ responses may be useful for faculty and administrators of doctoral programs to consider in reviewing their programs’ responses to the pandemic and making future plans for providing academic continuity in crisis situations as well as re-evaluating the priorities and structures of doctoral program to better support students overall moving forward. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research is needed to better understand how the pandemic impacted individual students’ research and writing processes, including adaptive strategies. Impact on Society: Institutions need to be aware of systemic strain on doctoral students under the best of conditions and be especially aware of the impacts of a crisis and plan contingencies to assist students with a focus on the areas of finances, resource access, workload, research design, and mental health. Future Research: Future research should seek out additional perspectives of male doctoral students. Additionally, data capturing perspectives from students at other points in time are needed as the pandemic continued to unfold after this study’s data collection period.

scholarly journals Team Teaching the Active Way: A Case Study about the Student Learning Experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mendi Davis ◽  
Renee Winter
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Team Teaching ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Private University ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Teaching Learning

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to describe the students’ learning experience when utilizing a team teaching approach in an online doctoral program at a private university located within the Southwestern region of the United States. The theoretical foundation of Community of Inquiry developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) supported this study. The overarching question that drove this study was, “How do students in an online doctoral program describe the team teaching learning experience?” The sample consisted of six doctoral students from a private university enrolled in an online doctoral course. Participants were interviewed and videotaped using Zoom. Data were obtained through semistructured interviews with open-ended questions that focused on the student experience. The interviews were transcribed and coded to identify themes. The discussion of the findings included the importance of access to the instructor, instructor feedback, and student support. Participants reported that their student learning experience was enhanced due to the team teaching model. Future research should examine the team teaching model from the perspective of the instructor and from a variety of courses.

The role of mindset in preventing one’s mental health

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (22) ◽  
pp. 5-14
Author(s):  
Herdian Herdian ◽  
Fatin Wahidah ◽  
Totok Haryanto
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Growth Mindset ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Implicit Theory ◽  
Data Collection Tool ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The World

Introduction: As long as the world is still in a pandemic, an individual must maintain his mental health to deal with problems or impacts arising from a pandemic situation. The growth mindset is believed to be a predictor in influencing a person's mental health. We tested how the growth mindset influences on positive mental health in college students during a pandemic. Method: A total of 567 students from universities in Indonesia randomly completed an online questionnaire. The data collection tool uses Positive mental Health and Implicit Theory Measures scale on two dimensions of growth mindset: intelligence mindset and moral mindset. Results: The results show that the intelligence mindset affects positive mental Health, the moral mindset as well. In addition, the two variables together, intelligence mindset and moral mindset, affect positive mental health. Conclusions: The three hypotheses proposed can be accepted statistically, but the magnitude of the influence of each hypothesis is very small. The implications and research suggestions are discussed in depth in the discussion.

scholarly journals Evaluation Methods in Teaching Translation by Saudi University Instructors under Coronavirus Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 33-46
Author(s):  
Eman Mohammad Mahmoud AlOneen
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Simple Observation ◽  
Assessment Tasks ◽  
University Instructors ◽  
The World ◽  
The Individual

Coronavirus pandemic has posed challenges in evaluating students’ performance in educational institutions all over the world. Therefore, university instructors may encounter some problems in evaluating their students fairly through online teaching since it was not an easy task before this worldly crisis. The current study aims at investigating the perspectives of instructors who teach translation courses at some Saudi universities towards the followed evaluation methods in teaching translation courses during Coronavirus pandemic. Two methods were used to collect data: simple observation and online questionnaire. The participants were 21 instructors from 10 Saudi universities. The findings of this study show that using machine translation and CAT tools by students in doing assessment tasks does not guarantee fairness among students during Coronavirus pandemic regardless of the nature of translation courses. In addition, online exams and assignments are less fair to show the individual differences among students compared with written exams before Coronavirus pandemic. To evaluate students’ performance in translation courses fairly, the participants of this study suggested some solutions such as modifying questions' patterns of some translation exams and assignments to cope with online teaching, emphasizing the importance of live sessions and online participation as assessment tasks for students during Coronavirus pandemic, using other evaluation methods such as live oral assessment, editing texts, multiple choice editing questions, etc. The study concludes with some recommendations for future research.

Measuring Mobile Experience in Chinese Language Learning

2022 ◽  
pp. 217-231
Author(s):  
Chenxiang Elaine Ji
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Chinese Language Learning ◽  
Different Levels

After mapping dimensions and directions of experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning, another key task is to measure different levels of experience in terms of its dimensions and directions of learners' experience in leveraging mobile technologies, mobile learning apps in particular. Equipped with the proposed 6E-r framework of mobile experience, this chapter provides indicators and criteria in measuring mobile learning experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning around the world. This chapter also developed an online questionnaire for future research reference in order to successfully gauge the different levels of experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning. Ultimately, this chapter attempted to resolve the research question, that is, how mobile learning experience is enhanced by narrowing the gap between the normative experience and the empirical experience.

scholarly journals Does time heal all wounds?: the changing mental health of refugees over time

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Nicole Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Interventions ◽  
Health Changes ◽  
The World ◽  
Migration Factors

An increase of ongoing armed conflicts has resulted in substantial numbers of refugees around the world. The traumatic experiences refugees face can be detrimental to their mental health, further compounded by resettlement stressors upon arrival in Canada. This qualitative study incorporates an intersectional social determinants of health framework in order to understand the changes in mental health of refugees at different stages of a lifelong (re)settlement process. The findings of this study are informed by interviews with five service providers. Results indicated a number of salient post-migration factors that influence mental health in both the short and over the longer term for refugees and further elucidated the effects of a mutually-reinforcing relationship between resettlement stressors and trauma in mental health changes. Implications of the study findings reveal a critical need for a more psychosocial approach to be taken regarding refugee mental healthcare in future research as well as psychological interventions.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Academic Self-Efficacy and Academic Self-handicapping Behaviors in Doctoral Students

10.28945/4414 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 637-649
Author(s):  
Anique A Falconer ◽  
Borivoje-Boris Djokic
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Academic Self Efficacy

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine to which degree age, race, and Socioeconomic Status (SES) influence academic self-efficacy and academic self-handicapping behaviors in doctoral. Background: Across all disciplines, more than 50% of students who begin a doctoral program do not persist to graduation. Although the issue of student retention and psychological factors have been proffered, much attention has not been placed on this relationship. Past researchers have focused primarily on academic-related, student-related, institutional, and financial factors. Methodology: A quantitative study was conducted, using the exploratory factor analysis. One-hundred and sixty-five participants, of legal age, who had completed at least one semester of a doctoral program, were involved in this current study. Contribution: The findings from this study increase the empirical evidence reported on the scarce literature on student retention and psychological factors in doctoral students. Findings: The factor analysis test did not show a statistically significance between the dependent variables -academic self-efficacy and academic self-handicapping- and any of the independent variables – gender, race, age, and socioeconomic status. Recommendations for Practitioners: Higher education leaders should make a proactive effort to understand the issue of student retention from a psychological perspective and make implementations to reduce these problems for doctoral students. Recommendation for Researchers: Future researchers should explore in-depth psychological variables that contribute to the high attrition rates in doctoral students. Impact on Society: A better understanding of the factors affecting the cognitive strategies and self-constructs of doctoral students could provide those working in academia with a better understanding of the problem and increase awareness at a societal level. Future Research: It is recommended that future research be carried using a mixed methods approach to offset the limitations found in the quantitative strand and gain thick, rich data from the qualitative strand.

scholarly journals Starting Doctoral Dissertation Journey with a Solid Research Problem Statement – A Four Stage Framework

10.28945/4770 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azad Ali ◽  
Shardul Pandya
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
The Other ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Student Adjustment ◽  
Problem Statement ◽  
Graduate Studies ◽  
Doctoral Studies

Aim/Purpose: Provide methodology suggesting steps to doctoral mentors to work with students in constructing their research problem statement in their dissertation. Background: Doctoral students face difficulties writing their dissertation and they begin by writing the research problem statement. Methodology: This paper uses a framework widely used to describe student adjustment to graduate studies in general and to doctoral program in particular. Contribution: This study provides a framework to mentors/advisors that is helpful in guiding the students to writing their research problem statement. Findings: Writing a research problem statement is difficult by itself. Following a methodological approach suggested in this study could help with writing it. Recommendations for Practitioners: A methodological approach in writing the dissertation is helpful to mitigate the difficulties of writing the dissertation. Our study tackles difficulties with writing the research problem statement. Recommendations for Researchers: More research needs to be done on methodological approach to writing the other sections in the dissertation. Impact on Society: Our findings in this research will help doctoral mentors/advisors as they guide students in completing the writing of their research problem statement Future Research: Intention for future research is to follow similar methodological approach in guiding students in writing the other sections of the dissertation. *** NOTE: This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 16, 469-485 Click DOWNLOAD PDF to download the published paper. ***

scholarly journals “I Don’t Know if I Can Handle It All”: Students’ Affect During Remote Education in the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 53-71
Author(s):  
Felipe Augusto de Mesquita Comelli ◽  
Michel Da Costa ◽  
Elisabeth Dos Santos Tavares
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Remote Education ◽  
Affect Studies ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The World ◽  
Qualitative Nature

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted society in different areas. In education, several reports show the deleterious effects of the disease on the physical and mental health of students, family members, and teachers around the world. Also, in Brazil, affect studies indicate the prevalence of anxiety, stress, and depression among students. The present research, of a qualitative nature, explores what it means, under the lens of affect and from the student’s perspective, to experience remote education during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online questionnaire of 41 closed- and open-ended questions was given to 363 students from a public school in southeastern Brazil. This article analyzes the affective fields that emerged from the discursive textual analysis of the students’ responses (n = 100). Four affective fields were categorized: friends, classes, home, and teachers; intersecting emotions, attitudes, values, beliefs, and motivation. In general, students expressed more negative than positive affect but a positive disposition toward face-to-face classes. Boys focused their affect more on classes, while girls on teachers. The affective fields allow us to consider the friends–home–teachers tripod as fundamental to overcoming the phenomenon of affective fatigue that has been identified.

scholarly journals The Influence of Family on Doctoral Student Success

10.28945/4450 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 761-782
Author(s):  
Erin Breitenbach ◽  
Josh Bernstein ◽  
Candace L Ayars ◽  
Lynda Tierney Konecny
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Doctoral Student ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Family Influences

Aim/Purpose: This qualitative case-study explores how a doctoral student’s family influences the doctoral student’s success from the perspective of doctoral students who were enrolled in an online doctoral program. Background: Previous research has shown that family can significantly influence doctoral student success; however, it is not clear what is meant by family nor what the details of the influence of family look like from the perspective of the doctoral student. Methodology: A qualitative case-study method was used. More than 500 former students enrolled in an online doctoral program were emailed a web-based survey that elicited information about who they considered to be in their family, how they thought their relationship with their family changed while they were a doctoral student, and how much they thought their family understood what it means to be a doctoral student. One hundred thirty-three (24%) former students participated in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed both manually and electronically by three researchers who subsequently triangulated the data to confirm themes. Contribution: This study defines ‘family’ from the doctoral student perspective and provides an in-depth look at how family influences doctoral student success including explanation of family support and lack thereof that previously has been shown to be significant to facilitating or hindering doctoral student success. Findings: Doctoral students mostly considered their immediate and extended family (i.e., spouses, significant others, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and parents-in-law) to be family, but some considered friends and coworkers to be part of their family as well. Most doctoral students experienced positive family support, but for those who did not, two major themes emerged as problematic: a reduction in the amount of time spent with family and family not understanding the value of earning a doctoral degree. Recommendations for Practitioners: Institutions of higher education should consider these findings when creating interventions to increase retention of doctoral students. Interventions might include orientation programs to help family members understand the value of earning a doctoral degree, the time commitment necessary to complete a doctoral degree, and ways to support a family member earning a doctoral degree. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings inform future research by surfacing more specific information about what family support and lack thereof looks like for doctoral students and what interventions for improving family support might include. Impact on Society: Improving family support may improve doctoral student success by adding more doctoral-trained leaders, innovators, scholars, and influential educators to society and by supporting the financial investment of students and their families by decreasing attrition. Future Research: Future research should focus on creating quantitative instrumentation to measure the influence of family on doctoral student success. Student populations from different types of doctoral programs (e.g., PhD, MD, DO) might be studied as well. Interventions aimed at improving family support should be designed, implemented, and evaluated for effectiveness.

scholarly journals Analysis on International Student Research across the World during the Covid-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 2548-2558
Author(s):  
Youngsub Oh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
International Student ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Research Trend ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Counseling ◽  
Literary Research ◽  
The World ◽  
Mental Health Support

Contrary to the situation before the Covid-19 pandemic, the pandemic has influenced human’s well-being in unprecedented ways, especially on international student’s mental health across the world. The purpose of this study is to explore international student’s research trend in terms of mental health and counseling. To this end, with literary research method, this study reviewed those researches conducted in Korea and across the world, before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, this study suggested the future research direction and agendas of international student after the Covid-19 pandemic. This study will contribute to calling attention to international students across the world, and making mental health support for them in Korea. Keywords:  International student; Covid-19 pandemic; mental health; counseling

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