A Phenomenological Exploration of the Student Experience of Online PhD Studies

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This article investigates thirteen students’ lived experiences on an online PhD programme, aiming to develop a better understanding of the nature of doing a PhD online. Background: A large number of adult students with full-time professional roles and other social responsibilities have returned to universities to pursue their doctoral degree in order to advance their personal and professional lives. Online PhD programmes are now one of the viable choices for those who wish to combine their PhD study with other professional and personal roles. However, little has been known about students’ lived experiences of doing a PhD online, which are seemingly different from those of other doctoral students who are doing their studies in more conventional doctoral education settings. Methodology: The present qualitative study employs a phenomenological approach to develop an in-depth understanding of doctoral students’ lived experiences in doing their PhD studies online. The present study was conducted in an online PhD programme at a Department of Education in a research-intensive university based in the United Kingdom (UK). Thirteen students voluntarily participated in a semi-structured interview. The interview transcripts were analysed following Van Manen’s (2016) explanations for conducting a thematic analysis. Contribution: The paper presents seven themes that illustrate the essential nature of doing a PhD online, answering the two questions: (1)What are the lived experiences of online PhD students? and (2) What are the particular aspects of the programme that structure the experiences? Findings: The characteristics of online PhD studies are multifaceted, including different elements of PhD education, part-time education, and online education. Those aspects interact and create a unique mode of educational experiences. In a more specific sense, the journey of an online PhD – from the moment of choosing to do a PhD online to the moment of earning a PhD – is guided by multiple, often conflicting, aspects of different doctoral education models such as the professional doctorate, the research doctorate, and the taught doctorate. The present study demonstrates that experiential meanings of doing a PhD online are constructed by the dynamic interplay between the following six elements: PhDness, onlineness, part-timeness, cohortness, practice-orientedness, and independence. Throughout the long journey, students become better practitioners and more independent researchers, engaging in multiple scholarly activities. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is essential to understand the unique characteristics and experiences of PhD students who choose to pursue a PhD in online programmes. Based on the understanding, online doctoral educators can provide adequate academic supports suitable for this particular group. The study findings highlight the importance of supporting students’ adjustment to a new learning environment at the beginning of the programme and their transition from Part 1 to Part 2. Recommendation for Researchers: It is crucial to develop a separate set of narratives about online PhD education. Common assumptions drawn from our existing knowledge about more conventional doctoral education are not readily applicable in this newly emerging online education setting. Impact on Society: It is important for online PhD students and potential ones in the planning stage to better understand the nature of doing a PhD online. Given the growing popularity of doctoral education, our findings based on the reflective narratives of thirteen online PhD students in this paper can support their informed decision and successful learning experiences. Future Research: A comparative study can more closely examine similarities and differences among diverse models of doctoral education to capture the uniqueness of online PhD programmes. It is worthwhile to investigate students’ experiences in online PhD programmes in disciplines other than education. A more longitudinal approach to following an entire journey of PhD students can be useful to develop a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of an online PhD. Some critical questions about students’ scholarly identity that emerged from the present study remain unanswered. A follow-up phenomenological research can focus on the existential meanings of being a scholar to this group of students.

Online Doctoral Education

“…Of course, technology anxiety (or information illiteracy) is not always associated with particular learner groups or simply caused by a lack of technical skills. For example, online PhD students may experience a high level of technology anxiety at the beginning of their doctoral program even though they have technical skills required (Lee, 2020a). Encountering new people, new knowledge, and new practices at the same time "online"such as engaging with a doctoral level of academic discussions online, whether synchronously or asynchronously, may cause a great sense of insecurity and anxiety among online doctoral students (also see Lee, 2021).…”

“…Subsequently, those factors have underpinned the design of ODPs, shaping student experiences in those programs. Therefore, the nature of online doctoral education is multifaceted and complex (Lee, 2020a). This chapter seeks a deeper understanding of the development of online doctoral education by reviewing diverse contributing factors to its development identified in the published literature.…”

Introducing 16 doctoral autoethnographers in an online PhD programme

“…However, it is crucial to develop a realistic sense of the accessibility of online doctoral education. Whether online or not, doing a PhD is a massive challenge for all doctoral students who are likely to experience some degree of disruption and destabilisation in their everyday routines, habits, and relationships (Lee, 2020a). Although the physical flexibility of the online PhD programme allows them to embark on their studies without leaving their living and working contexts, completing the academic requirements of the programme as a part-time student alongside all other responsibilities can be extremely challenging.…”

Embracing Authenticity and Vulnerability in Online PhD Studies: The Self and a Community

“…Doctoral students who choose to pursue their doctorate online, as part-time students, tend to have multiple professional and social responsibilities (Kung 2017). Thus, they value the accessible and convenient nature of online doctoral studies (Lee 2020b). Nevertheless, it is often challenging for distance students to maintain their motivation and positive emotions throughout their learning process (Ames et al 2018;Rockinson-Szapkiw et al 2016).…”

“…It is a challenging period for online doctoral students who encounter new knowledge, practices, and relationships in an unfamiliar learning environment. These part-time students often struggle to adjust to the distance learning environment and relationships and (re-)establish a work-life-study balance (Lee 2020b). In this context, the tutor's effort to develop a supportive online learning community among the distance cohort can be particularly important.…”