Engineering Research Teams: The Role of Social Networks in the Formation of Research Skills for Postgraduate Students

dc.citation.issue1
dc.citation.volume5
dc.contributor.authorSampson K
dc.contributor.authorComer KV
dc.date.available2011
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractThis study explores learner experiences regarding skills acquisition of a cohort of engineering doctoral students enrolled in a New Zealand university. Employing a qualitative methodology, we interviewed 28 PhD students about the range of experiences and exchanges that comprised their pathways to skill acquisition. Students reported that research projects with application enabled the development of ‘real world problem solving’ by drawing on bonding and bridging network ties. Indeed, informal structures and disciplinary norms operating in the culture of postgraduate engineering research are principle contributors to successful progression, degree completion and outputs. Research practices emphasising repetition and doability establish productive environments for postgraduates, enhancing support for collective endeavours and increased outputs. In the absence of formalised skills development programmes, the approaches discussed in this paper contribute to postgraduates’ timely acquisition of skills. This research can assist supervisors, academic developers and administrators from a range of disciplines in improving postgraduate research environments.
dc.description.confidentialFALSE
dc.description.publication-statusPublished
dc.format.extent? - ? (14)
dc.identifierhttps://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiA1cT77uPSAhVGJJQKHaDZBNMQFgghMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1269%26context%3Dij-sotl&usg=AFQjCNEsGp1dmrTiqgTO2blOTrNfQcBOwg&sig2=QbsNw_mf-hN6YylwbzJLhg
dc.identifier.citationInternational Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2011, 5 (1), pp. ? - ? (14)
dc.identifier.doi10.20429/ijsotl.2011.050119
dc.identifier.elements-id291017
dc.identifier.harvestedMassey_Dark
dc.identifier.issn1931-4744
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10179/10624
dc.publisherGeorgia Southern University
dc.relation.isPartOfInternational Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
dc.relation.urihttp://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/vol5/iss1/19/
dc.subjectpostgraduate supervision, skills development, social ties, network structures, engineering, performance-based research funding
dc.subject.anzsrc1301 Education Systems
dc.subject.anzsrc1303 Specialist Studies in Education
dc.titleEngineering Research Teams: The Role of Social Networks in the Formation of Research Skills for Postgraduate Students
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.notesNot known
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences/School of Humanities, Media & Creative Communication
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