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The Formation of Scholars: Rethinking Doctoral Education for the Twenty-First Century
This groundbreaking book explores the current state of doctoral education in the United States and offers a plan for increasing the effectiveness of doctoral education. Programs must grapple with questions of purpose. The authors examine practices and elements of doctoral programs and show how they can be made more powerful by relying on principles of progressive development, integration, and collaboration. They challenge the traditional apprenticeship model and offer an alternative in which students learn while apprenticing with several faculty members. The authors persuasively argue that creating intellectual community is essential for high-quality graduate education in every department. Knowledge-centered, multigenerational communities foster the development of new ideas and encourage intellectual risk taking.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 3, 2009
The title for my review is the subtitle of this work, sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The focus of this book is to explore what it takes to form scholars from the raw material of graduate students in doctoral programs.
Tasks to be carried out to create effective scholars include the development of professional identities among students, to encourage scholarly integration (developing linkages among teaching, service, and research), development of intellectual community, a sense of stewardship (preserving the best of the past of one's discipline and looking to the future to move ahead in productive directions).
Among specific issues addressed are: What are the real purposes of the dreaded comprehensive exams (and subsidiary questions, such as can we get the result we want in a different way?); What is the purpose of the dissertation (And are there ways to make this process work better?).
One argument raised by the authors is the need to move from experience to expertise, recognizing the importance of "practice." Among means of achieving this might be: Working with multiple faculty, rather than the standard approach of one central advisor working with his/her doctoral students; Expect students to try out new ideas at professional meetings; Have students get involved in "professional service," such as serving on departmental committees, getting involved in service with the discipline; Collaborative learning (Would dissertation writing groups make sense?).
From time to time, it makes a lot of sense to revisit how we develop our next generation of doctoral students. This book identifies one approach (or set of approaches) to accomplishing that. This is not the final word, of course, but this book does provide the possibility of opening up discussion and looking at doctoral education with a fresh perspective. For that, this book is to be commended.
Tasks to be carried out to create effective scholars include the development of professional identities among students, to encourage scholarly integration (developing linkages among teaching, service, and research), development of intellectual community, a sense of stewardship (preserving the best of the past of one's discipline and looking to the future to move ahead in productive directions).
Among specific issues addressed are: What are the real purposes of the dreaded comprehensive exams (and subsidiary questions, such as can we get the result we want in a different way?); What is the purpose of the dissertation (And are there ways to make this process work better?).
One argument raised by the authors is the need to move from experience to expertise, recognizing the importance of "practice." Among means of achieving this might be: Working with multiple faculty, rather than the standard approach of one central advisor working with his/her doctoral students; Expect students to try out new ideas at professional meetings; Have students get involved in "professional service," such as serving on departmental committees, getting involved in service with the discipline; Collaborative learning (Would dissertation writing groups make sense?).
From time to time, it makes a lot of sense to revisit how we develop our next generation of doctoral students. This book identifies one approach (or set of approaches) to accomplishing that. This is not the final word, of course, but this book does provide the possibility of opening up discussion and looking at doctoral education with a fresh perspective. For that, this book is to be commended.
June 4, 2014
As I begin my own journey into doctoral education, this was a very interesting read about the current state of doctoral education. Organized around Carnegie Mellon University's Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID), the author puts forth the CID's thoughts on the evolution of how doctoral coursework and the dissertation are presented. How much time do doctoral programs spend talking about their purpose? What is the purpose of doctoral education?
Written as a pseudo-textbook, it presents data and findings from a series of workshops facilitated by the CID. Program experimentation with such things as portfolios, cross-departmental research, etc. are all presented and ultimately advocated for pushing the doctorate into the future.
I appreciate the notion that the doctorate is not just for those wanting to perform research in academe. While that is a worthy pursuit, the benefits of PhD holders in private industry are numerous. Together with PhDs in higher education, these individuals can truly push the boundaries of what it means to be a scholar.
Written as a pseudo-textbook, it presents data and findings from a series of workshops facilitated by the CID. Program experimentation with such things as portfolios, cross-departmental research, etc. are all presented and ultimately advocated for pushing the doctorate into the future.
I appreciate the notion that the doctorate is not just for those wanting to perform research in academe. While that is a worthy pursuit, the benefits of PhD holders in private industry are numerous. Together with PhDs in higher education, these individuals can truly push the boundaries of what it means to be a scholar.
Want to read
October 6, 2008As reviewed by Arthur B. Ellis in "Getting a Doctoral Degree: An overview of action and research programs concerning U.S. doctoral education" in the 25 August 2008 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.
I suppose this is an update to Max Weber's "Science as a Vocation".
I suppose this is an update to Max Weber's "Science as a Vocation".
April 30, 2010
The Carnegie Foundation sponsored a multi-year study of the doctoral training process for a number of different disciplines. Several science departments (both Chemistry and Neuroscience) went through this self-assessment process. The suggestions the cohorts came up with should not surprise you, and the cost of utilizing the approaches espoused by these authors is minimal and well worth the time and effort. A good start to institutional transformation.
July 24, 2011
Recommended to me by Henning...I read this quickly before joining the Provisional Graduate Education Council as my University was restructuring it's graduate school.
My Tweet: Examine purpose with mirrors, lenses and windows. Consider community, apprenticeship and progression to go from experience to expertise.
My Tweet: Examine purpose with mirrors, lenses and windows. Consider community, apprenticeship and progression to go from experience to expertise.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews