Aim/Purpose: The study set out to understand the challenges doctoral students experience at different systemic levels of doctoral education through the perspective of ethical principles. Background: Doctoral students experience various challenges on their journey to the degree, and as high dropout rates indicate, these challenges become critical for many students. Several individual and structural level aspects, such as student characteristics, supervisory relationship, the academic community as well national policies and international trends, influence doctoral studies, and students’ experiences have been researched quite extensively. Although some of the challenges doctoral students experience may be ethical in nature, few studies have investigated these challenges specifically from an ethics perspective. Methodology: The study drew on qualitative descriptions of significant negative incidents from 90 doctoral students from an online survey. The data were first analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis, and then the themes were located within different systemic levels of doctoral studies: individual (e.g., doctoral student, the individual relationship with supervisor) and structural (e.g., the institution, faculty, academic community). Finally, the ethical principles at stake were identified, applying the framework of five common ethical principles: respect for autonomy, benefiting others (beneficence), doing no harm (non-maleficence), being just (justice), and being faithful (fidelity). Contribution: Understanding doctoral students’ experiences from an ethical perspective and locating these among the systemic levels of doctoral studies contributes to a better understanding of the doctoral experience’s complexities. Ethical considerations should be integrated when creating and implementing procedures, rules, and policies for doctoral education. Making the ethical aspects visible will also allow universities to develop supervisor and faculty training by concretely targeting doctoral studies aspects highlighted as ethically challenging. Findings: In doctoral students’ experiences, structural level ethical challenges out-weighed breaches of common ethical principles at the individual level of doctoral studies. In the critical experiences, the principle of beneficence was at risk in the form of a lack of support by the academic community, a lack of financial support, and bureaucracy. Here, the system and the community were unsuccessful in contributing positively to doctoral students’ welfare and fostering their growth. At the individual level, supervision abandonment experiences, inadequate supervision, and students’ struggle to keep study-related commitments breached fidelity, which was another frequently compromised principle. Although located at the individual level of studies, these themes are rooted in the structural level. Additionally, the progress review reporting and assessment process was a recurrent topic in experiences in which the principles of non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice were at stake. Recommendations for Practitioners: Going beyond the dyadic student-supervisor relationship and applying the ethics of responsibility, where university, faculty, supervisors, and students share a mutual responsibility, could alleviate ethically problematic experiences. Recommendation for Researchers: We recommend that further research focus on experiences around the ethics in the progress reporting and assessment process through in-depth interviews with doctoral students and assessment committee members. Impact on Society: Dropout rates are high and time to degree completion is long. An ethical perspective may shed light on why doctoral studies fail in efficiency. Ethical aspects should be considered when defining the quality of doctoral education. Future Research: A follow-up study with supervisors and members of the academic community could contribute to developing a conceptual framework combining systemic levels and ethics in doctoral education.

Plagiaat on ülikoolides endiselt suur probleem. Tehnoloogia areng on võimaldanud üliõpilastele lihtsa juurdepääsu veebimaterjalidele, see aga mõjutab nende pla gieerimiskäitumist, muutes selle levinumaks kui kunagi varem. Uurimuse eesmärk on välja selgitada üliõpilaste arusaamad plagiaadist ja plagiaadituvastussüsteemide kasutamisest. Selleks analüüsiti 380-lt eri valdkonna ja õppetaseme üliõpilaselt küsimustikuga kogutud andmeid, millest ilmneb, et üle poole vastajatest ei pea plagiaati levinud probleemiks ega tea täpselt, milles plagiaat seisneb. Sotsiaalteaduste ning humanitaarteaduste ja kunstide valdkonna üliõpilased on võrreldes loodus- ja täppisteaduste ning meditsiinivaldkonna üliõpilastega plagiaadi olemusest ja plagiaadituvastussüsteemidest teadlikumad. Plagiaadi leviku pidurdamiseks peetakse oluliseks ennetustööd: akadeemiliste tekstide kirjutamise oskuse ja õpioskuste arendamist, plagiaadi olemuse kohta ühtsete arusaamade kujundamist ja plagiaadijuhtumite menetlemiseks institutsioonisiseste eeskirjade kehtestamist. Plagiaadituvastussüsteemide kasutamine on üliõpilaste hinnangul õiglane, aga ka hirmu teki tav. Sellised tulemused osutavad vajadusele suurendada õppejõudude vastutust teema käsitlemisel ainekursuste raames.  Summary

At-risk students like those with special educational needs, learning difficulties, or pupils at risk of exclusion frequently struggle in transition from basic to secondary vocational education and training, often due to poor personal, learning and social skills. Therefore, several countries implement transition programs like the choice of profession training (CoPT) in Estonia to support youngsters’ readiness to continue their studies. This study aimed to identify how the characteristics of powerful learning environments in vocational education (PoLEVE) appear in CoPT in VET teachers and support specialists’ experiences. The deductive thematic analysis of 16 semistructured interviews illuminated the development of learning-, life-, cooperation- and self-determinations skills through adaptive teaching and learning support in a safe and positive learning community. Nevertheless, the results also call for empowering at-risk students to cope independently, supporting their construction of vocational knowledge through reflective dialogue and intellectually challenging problem-solving.

No abstract

VET start programme is introductory programme to facilitate transitions between school levels, support career choice and provide positive learning-and work experience. The programme is based on the principles of individuality, flexibility and practice-based studies. It was implemented in Estonia as a pilot programme since 2016. Today it is a permanent part of the vocational education system. In implementing VET start programme and adapting it to the students needs the key role is played by teachers and support network. The aim of the study was to describe the experiences of vocational teachers and support specialists in applying the VET start programme in two vocational schools. The results indicated that VET start was seen as a way of preventing social exclusion of vulnerable groups in society. Interviewees stressed the importance of learners self-aware career choices by developing their social, self-regulatory and coping skills and providing a positive learning experiences. The results of this study can be an input for development of VET start curricula as well as to support relevant competences of vocational teachers during pre-service and in-service training.