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Disciplinary differences in doctoral student engagement in generic skills learning

Disciplinary differences in doctoral student engagement in generic skills learning This study aims to explore the disciplinary characteristics of doctoral students’ generic skills learning experience at a Finnish university.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey measuring doctoral students’ generic skills learning experience was administered to all doctoral students of the university and 1,184 responses were obtained. The study conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, principal component analysis and heatmap analyses.FindingsThe results suggested three major trends. First, students’ scores for research integrity skills were consistently lower in the hard sciences, such as biological and environmental sciences, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, science and medicine. Second, students of the law showed a unique trend; their scores for research integrity, leadership and entrepreneurship skills learning were remarkably higher than those in other faculties, but they had the lowest scores for communication skills.Research limitations/implicationsThe data represented students at one Finnish university, so institutional and geographical differences fell beyond the scope of this paper. Furthermore, the results could reflect either the authentic levels of students’ acquired skillsets or self-interpretation of experiences governed by their disciplinary values. Accordingly, the immediate generalisability of the findings to individuals and different contexts should carefully be considered.Originality/valueThe findings can contribute to improve doctoral training practices. In addition, the survey results are useful for the further development of inventories, as doctoral students’ engagement in generic skills development has been attracting attention in higher education. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education Emerald Publishing

Disciplinary differences in doctoral student engagement in generic skills learning

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
2398-4686
DOI
10.1108/sgpe-03-2020-0018
Publisher site
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Abstract

This study aims to explore the disciplinary characteristics of doctoral students’ generic skills learning experience at a Finnish university.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey measuring doctoral students’ generic skills learning experience was administered to all doctoral students of the university and 1,184 responses were obtained. The study conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, principal component analysis and heatmap analyses.FindingsThe results suggested three major trends. First, students’ scores for research integrity skills were consistently lower in the hard sciences, such as biological and environmental sciences, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, science and medicine. Second, students of the law showed a unique trend; their scores for research integrity, leadership and entrepreneurship skills learning were remarkably higher than those in other faculties, but they had the lowest scores for communication skills.Research limitations/implicationsThe data represented students at one Finnish university, so institutional and geographical differences fell beyond the scope of this paper. Furthermore, the results could reflect either the authentic levels of students’ acquired skillsets or self-interpretation of experiences governed by their disciplinary values. Accordingly, the immediate generalisability of the findings to individuals and different contexts should carefully be considered.Originality/valueThe findings can contribute to improve doctoral training practices. In addition, the survey results are useful for the further development of inventories, as doctoral students’ engagement in generic skills development has been attracting attention in higher education.

Journal

Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education – Emerald Publishing

Published: Aug 2, 2021

Keywords: Finland; Doctoral students; Disciplinary differences; Generic skills

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