A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Ph.D.: Exploring Issues Affecting Attrition and Completion in the Doctoral Program in Instructional Technology at a Major Research University

Autor/in	Williams, Carla Lanee'
Titel	A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Ph.D.: Exploring Issues Affecting Attrition and Completion in the Doctoral Program in Instructional Technology at a Major Research University
Quelle	(2012), (322 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ph.D. Dissertation, Georgia State University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-1-2679-0933-6
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Doctoral Programs; Educational Technology; Student Attrition; Graduation; Graduate Students; Schools of Education; Dropouts; Qualitative Research; Phenomenology; Postmodernism; Structured Interviews; Influences + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Doktorandenprogramm; Unterrichtsmedien; Schülerbeurlaubung; Abschluss; Graduierung; Graduate Study; Student; Students; Aufbaustudium; Graduiertenstudium; Hauptstudium; Studentin; Erziehungswissenschaftliche Fakultät; Drop-out; Drop-outs; Dropout; Early leavers; Schulversagen; Qualitative Forschung; Phenomenological psychology; Phänomenologie; Psychologie; Postmoderne; Influence; Einfluss; Einflussfaktor
Abstract	This study sought to understand why some students at Eagle University (pseudo.) complete the doctoral program in instructional technology while others do not. The study explores factors and issues affecting doctoral attrition and completion of the Ph.D. in instructional technology (IT) in the College of Education at Eagle University, a major research university with very high research activity. Participants in the study were eleven former doctoral students from Eagle University (pseudo.), six of whom met the requirements for graduation (completers) and five of whom ended the pursuit of the doctoral degree in instructional technology at EU (non-completers). A qualitative study informed by phenomenology, the purpose of the study was to explore these phenomena from the perspective of the students. Postmodernism served as the theoretical framework. Participants were interviewed using the structured interview guide developed by the researcher. Two important findings were that only one of the eleven students knew what to expect from the program; and that completers were more likely to report that their primary motivation for pursuing the Ph.D. was for personal satisfaction. Recommendations were made based on student feedback, and included implications for students as well as implications for the university/program. Examples of advice for students were: 1) contemplate their goal(s) in pursuing the Ph.D. and consider the impact if something happened to alter that goal, and 2) seek out doctoral support groups and begin to establish relationships with current members. Two selected recommendations for the university/program were 1) develop a pre-application seminar or eLearning module to provide potential doctoral students with a realistic understanding of the program, and 2) consider developing a mentoring program that matched more experienced students or non-advisory professors to new students. Results of the study indicated that multiple factors affected both completers and non-completers; and these factors were often similar. However, among the key factors separating completers from non-completers were the determination of the student and the quality of the advisor relationship. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10