Identity Development and Mentoring in Doctoral Education

Abstract

In this essay, Leigh Hall and Leslie Burns use theories of identity to understand mentoring relationships between faculty members and doctoral students who are being prepared as educational researchers. They suggest that becoming a professional researcher requires students to negotiate new identities and reconceptualize themselves both as people and professionals in addition to learning specific skills; however, the success or marginalization that students experience may depend on the extent to which they attempt to enact identities that are valued by their mentors. For this reason, Hall and Burns argue that faculty mentors must learn about and consider identity formation in order to successfully socialize more diverse groups of researchers, and they believe that formal curriculum designs can be used more intentionally to help students and faculty understand the roles identity plays in professional development and to make doctoral education more equitable.

Challenges and Learning Outcomes of Educational Design Research for PHD Students

“…Lee & Roth, 2003). Such studies are in line with widespread calls for more in-depth, longitudinal research to explore what it means to become a researcher (Hall & Burns, 2009;Stubb et al, 2011).…”

Mentoría pedagógica para profesorado universitario novel: estado de la cuestión y análisis de buenas prácticas

“…El compromiso, junto con la implicación personal, permiten establecer un vínculo personal, ya que todos vivimos con los otros y nos vemos afectados por las consecuencias de sus actos u omisiones (Ruiz Corbella, Escámez, Bernal y Gil, 2011, p. 25). Con ello entendemos, como proponen Atjonen (2012), Hall y Burns (2009) y Golde (2007, que la práctica correcta de la mentoría supone no solo la promoción de la excelencia profesional, sino también un compromiso ético con la actividad profesional desarrollada.…”

Shaping our literate lives: Examining the role of literacy experiences in shaping positive literacy identities of doctoral students

“…Few studies have focused specifically on identity development of doctoral students (e.g., Adams-Budde, Howard, Jolliff, & Myers, 2014;Hall & Burns, 2009;Johnson, 2012;Kriner, Coffman, Adkisson, Putman, & Monaghan, 2015;Noonan, 2015). Both Noonan (2015) and Johnson (2012) report on the findings of self-studies where the researchers examine their own identity development as researcher and scholars while participating in an educational doctoral program.…”

“…Both Noonan (2015) and Johnson (2012) report on the findings of self-studies where the researchers examine their own identity development as researcher and scholars while participating in an educational doctoral program. Hall and Burns (2009) use theories of identity to explore the role faculty mentoring plays as educational doctoral students navigate new identities as scholars. The authors argue that mentors must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to assist diverse doctoral students in developing productive identities as researchers.…”