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Building a community of practice through a doctoral research group

Marion Heron (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Doris Dippold (School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Karen Gravett (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Adeeba Ahmad (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Samaher Aljabri (School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Razan Abuorabi Al-Adwan (School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Priyanki Ghosh (School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Raniah Kabooha (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Mohammad Makram (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Dina Mousawa (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Ayesha Mudhaffer (School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Beyza Ucar Longford (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Lingyu Wang (School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Junyi Zhou (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)
Fengmei Zhu (Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK)

Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education

ISSN: 2398-4686

Article publication date: 29 February 2024

52

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role an intentional and cohesive research group for doctoral researchers and supervisors can play in surfacing and de-mystifying many of the implicit doctoral literacy practices involved in doctoral study.

Design/methodology/approach

This participatory, collaborative project, involving 11 doctoral researchers and three supervisors, was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, doctoral researchers and supervisors engaged in a discussion which resulted in a shared concept map. The concept map was then used as a prompt for stimulated recall interviews in which the participants reflected on the connections and peer learning afforded by the research group.

Findings

Drawing on ideas from Communities of Practice theory, the data revealed that the research group, including both supervisors and doctoral students, developed knowledge, relational connections and an awareness of a range of doctoral literacies.

Practical implications

This paper makes suggestions for how those in doctoral education can develop and embed research groups into institutional practices.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the significant role a research group which is structured, intentional and guided plays in supervisors’ and doctoral students’ development of doctoral literacies and the fundamental intellectual and relational connections afforded by participating in such communities.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Corrigendum: It has come to the attention of the publisher that the article, Heron, M., Dippold, D., Gravett, K., Ahmad, A., Aljabri, S., Ghosh, P., Kabooha, R., Makram, M., Mousawa, D., Mudhaffer, A., Ucar Longford, B., Wang, L., Zhou, J. and Zhu, F. (2024), “Building a community of practice through a doctoral research group”, Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-10-2023-0098 omitted author Abuorabi Al-Adwan, R. from the author information.

Our guidelines state that all authors should be included at initial submission.

Author Abuorabi Al-Adwan, R. has now been included in the author information in sixth position as Razan Abuorabi Al-Adwan, School of Literature and Languages, University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus, UK.

The authors would like to thank Prof Ian Kinchin for his guidance through the concept-mapping activity and for his insightful comments on the paper.

Citation

Heron, M., Dippold, D., Gravett, K., Ahmad, A., Aljabri, S., Abuorabi Al-Adwan, R., Ghosh, P., Kabooha, R., Makram, M., Mousawa, D., Mudhaffer, A., Ucar Longford, B., Wang, L., Zhou, J. and Zhu, F. (2024), "Building a community of practice through a doctoral research group", Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-10-2023-0098

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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