Developing a framework for work integrated research higher degree studies in an Australian engineering context

Abstract

The umbrella of Australian research higher degree (RHD) offerings has broadened from the traditional MPhil/PhD programmes to include a range of professional masters and doctoral degrees. This article reports on the experiences of three PhD students, engaged in an informally managed industry partnered research programme, described in this article as the work integrated research higher degree (WIRHD). Their learning process shares the attributes from both the traditional PhD programme and professional doctorates. However, because of the blended nature of the learning contexts, candidates engaged in the WIRHD programme must address a wider range of issues than those following the traditional RHD pathway. An exploratory case study approach was adopted with the view to develop an integrative framework to explain the various contexts that influence the learning experience of WIRHD candidates, as well as a structured approach to guide this contemporary form of industry partnered WIRHD process.

An analysis of Ph.D. examiners’ reports in engineering

“…The landscapes in which modern engineering doctorates are constructed and shaped are diverse. Engineering doctorates can comprise a portfolio of related publications or the single monograph (Moodie and Hapgood 2012); they can stand-alone or be integrated in larger team projects (Borrell-Damian et al 2010); and can take the form of a traditional Ph.D. or be increasingly conceived as work-integrated higher degree studies in the form of the Professional doctorate (Evans, Evans, and Marsh 2005;Stewart and Chen 2009). There can be little question that in the past two decades, the changes in doctoral provision have been profound, while by contrast, examination at the doctoral level in engineering has varied little.…”

The Existential Doctorate: Liminality in Industry-Academic Doctoral Partnerships

“…Termed the practitioner-doctorate, this approach has grown in popularity in both the UK and Australia since the early 2000s (Lester 2004) and is set up with the aim to develop the candidate as a "scholarly professional" rather than an academic researcher (e.g. Stewart and Chen 2009). Here, the doctoral research appears secondary in focus as priority is given to the practitioner's primary work role.…”

A Qualitative Investigation of Students’ Design Experiences in a Work-Integrated Learning Setting

“…Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an umbrella term referring to pedagogies in which work experiences are intentionally embedded in the curriculum. WIL takes many forms, and as its prevalence grows in engineering undergraduate and graduate programs (e.g., Diaz and Han (2022), Marar et al (2022), Mazhar and Arain (2015), Reedy et al (2020), Smith and Trent (2021), Stewart and Chen (2009)), so has researchers' interest in understanding the extent and nature of student learning in this setting and best practices for integration with classroom learning. It is assumed that WIL experiences provide rich environments for students to gain authentic experience in designing; yet, research on design learning in WIL settings is limited (Litster et al, 2021).…”