Beyond Technical Mastery: Inequality in Doctoral Research Skill Development in the Biological Sciences

Autor/inn/en	McCain, Jesse; Roksa, Josipa
Titel	Beyond Technical Mastery: Inequality in Doctoral Research Skill Development in the Biological Sciences
Quelle	In: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 14 (2023) 3, S.332-346 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
DOI	10.1108/SGPE-05-2022-0037
Schlagwörter	Doctoral Students; Research Skills; Biological Sciences; Equal Education; Science Process Skills; Scientific Literacy; Student Experience; Research Training; Gender Differences; Student Attitudes; Doctoral Programs; Race; Ethnicity; Student Characteristics; Disproportionate Representation; STEM Careers; Minority Group Students; Socialization; Educational Experience + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Doctoral studies; Doctorate studies; Student; Students; Doctoral candidate; Doktorandenprogramm; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Doktorand; Doktorandin; Forschungsleistung; Abwasserbiologie; Studienerfahrung; Geschlechterkonflikt; Schülerverhalten; Rasse; Abstammung; Ethnizität; Socialisation; Sozialisation; Bildungserfahrung
Abstract	Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how doctoral students in the biological sciences understand their research skill development and explore potential racial/ethnic and gender inequalities in the scientific learning process. Design/methodology/approach: Based on interviews with 87 doctoral students in the biological sciences, this study explores how doctoral students describe development of their research skills. More specifically, a constructivist grounded theory approach is employed to understand how doctoral students make meaning of their research skill development process and how that may vary by gender and race/ethnicity. Findings: The findings reveal two emergent groups, "technicians" who focus on discrete tasks and data collection, and "interpreters" who combine technical expertise with attention to the larger scientific field. Although both groups are developing important skills, "interpreters" have a broader range of skills that support successful scholarly careers in science. Notably, white men are overrepresented among the "interpreters," whereas white women and students from minoritized racial/ethnic groups are concentrated among the "technicians." Originality/value: While prior literature provides valuable insights into the inequalities across various aspects of doctoral socialization, scholars have rarely attended to examining inequalities in research skill development. This study provides new insights into the process of scientific learning in graduate school. Findings reveal that research skill development is not a uniform experience, and that doctoral education fosters different kinds of learning that vary by gender and race/ethnicity. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01