Examining Support for Doctoral Students at CCTE Member Institutions

1. Examining Support for Doctoral Students at CCTE Member Institutions Karen Elizabeth Lafferty, Doctoral Student San Diego State University/Claremont Graduate University Charlane Starks, Doctoral Candidate University of the Pacific Contact Charlane Starks: charlanestarks@gmail.com Contact Karen Elizabeth Lafferty: Karenlafferty@gmail.com • Findings • In the study, two significant pathways and several others areas of support were identified by a qualitative analysis of the open-ended items. The two pathways ― Teacher Educator and Publication & Conference ― point to the types of support that would be helpful to doctoral students: • Teacher Educator Pathway • a. Job search and interview support • b. Networking opportunities with other grads • c. Teaching experience; more preparation to become a teacher educator • d. Dissertation and writing support • e. More guidance and mentoring • Publication & Conference Pathway • a. Research and publication collaborations with faculty • b. Research process support • c. Conference presentation support and available opportunities • Other Areas • Financial aid support, meeting with dissertation committee more often, preparation as a researcher, and preparation as a teacher educator not solely as a researcher. • Implications • This study explores how doctoral students are being prepared for teacher educator faculty positions. Students are entering programs with varied expectations and levels of understanding of what doctoral study entails. The findings suggest that students may benefit from an orientation to  topics such as program commitment, the dissertation process, financial aid and graduate/teacher assistance opportunities, and conference membership and attendance opportunities. A recommendation would be for CCTE leadership to encourage member institutions to consider how they might foster doctoral–level scholarship and practice, particularly in preparing teacher educators, a gap noted by multiple respondents. Lastly,  it is hoped that CCTE, in conjunction with its Graduate Student Caucus, might consider a space to discuss these issues at the bi-annual conferences. Methodology The sampling frame for this study was doctoral students enrolled at CCTE member institutions in fall 2013. Data were gathered from 51 participants through a Qualtrics email survey with 23 Likert-type items and two open-ended items. The survey was released for responses within a two week time-frame in early September 2013. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Responses to the open-ended questions were coded for themes and then analyzed. Overview of the Study The theme for the 2013 CCTE fall conference, Regenerating the Field: Our Future Scholars, Practitioners and Partners, meshes well with the aim of the CCTE Graduate Student Caucus (GSC) in developing a support community for future faculty. In particular, one of the conference questions posed ― What are we doing to support and develop teacher education faculty in both scholarship and practice ― opens up a line of inquiry. Significance of Study As many teacher education faculty are nearing retirement age, CCTE has recognized the need to consider how the next generation of teacher educators will be prepared. Based on a scan of CCTE member institutions in spring 2013, few have doctoral programs with a teacher education emphasis. A study of how doctoral students are being supported provides a useful snapshot of current levels of support and can assist in making recommendations. The purpose of this study is to gauge current levels of support for doctoral students at CCTE member institutions, uncover promising practices, and recommend additional ways to prepare future teacher educator faculty. Results The quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences in advising or opportunity scores based on age, gender, race, or other characteristics. Students employed by the university reported having greater opportunities. The opportunity score dropped significantly for third-year students. Literature Cited Brown, J.S., Collins, A., & Newman, S. (1989). Cognitive apprenticeship: Teaching the crafts of reading, writing and mathematics. In L.B. Resnick (Ed.) Knowing, learning, and instruction: Essays in honor of Robert Glaser (pp.47-60). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Labaree , D.F. ( 2003). The peculiar problem of preparing educational researchers. Educational Researcher, 32(4), 13-22. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press. • Research Questions • To gain greater insight in to the needs of current doctoral students, we ask the following: • With regard to preparation as future teacher educators, what type and level of support are doctoral students receiving at CCTE member institutions? • What is currently being done to support future teacher educators? • What types of support do future teacher educators want from their programs? • Theoretical Framework and Relevant • Literature • This research conceptually follows Brown, Collins, and Newman’s (1989) • concept of cognitive apprenticeship where experts make explicit their • thought processes through modeling, feedback, and coaching to novice • practitioners. Lave and Wenger’s (1991) work on communities of practice and • legitimate peripheral participation supports this theoretical approach. Despite • often bringing expert knowledge from P-12 education, doctoral students begin • as novices at the periphery of teacher education and need to be socialized into • the community of teacher educators. Finally, Labaree (2003) points out four • areas where doctoral students struggle: shifting from the normative to the • analytical, personal to the intellectual, particular to the universal, and from the • experiential to the theoretical. He argues professors should make these • tensions explicit and assist doctoral students in navigating these areas of • transitional development. Want to add your voice to the project? Scan this QR code to link directly to the survey. Acknowledgements We extend our gratitude and appreciation to CCTE Executive Secretary, Dr. Alan Jones, PhD for providing invaluable guidance and encouragement throughout this research project.