Postdoctoral research positions as preparation for an academic career

Discussions of the nature and purpose of postdoctoral contract research positions is an area where assumptions and stereotypes tend to predominate. This is due to (a) recent changes in the higher education sector that have impacted on postdoctoral positions in a way that conflicts with traditional expectations, and (b) a relative lack of data and publications on postdoctoral positions, which creates a climate in which stereotypes can continue relatively unchallenged. This is unfortunate, because it limits the ability of supervisors to provide sound career advice to their postdocs as well as the ability of postdocs to make informed career decisions. Based on an extensive study of PDRs in Australia, this paper challenges four commonly held assumptions: 1. that postdoctoral researchers want an academic career; 2. that postdoctoral research positions provide a stepping stone to academic careers; 3. that postdoctoral research positions provide an opportunity for novice researchers to become increasingly independent; and 4. that postdoctoral research positions provide an opportunity for the incumbents to concentrate solely on research

Editorial - Academic Practice - how is it changing?

This special issue grew out of a Government-funded initiative in the UK, the formation of a number of five-year Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. One of these, focused on Preparation for Academic Practice, is directed at better understanding and supporting the development of doctoral students and contract research staff for academic careers . This Centre, located at the University of Oxford, held its first conference in April 2007, and this special issue consists of papers contributed by conference participants

Post-Doctoral Researcher's Conceptions of Research: A Metaphor Analysis

This paper uses the analysis of metaphors to study the conceptions of research held by a sample of post-doctoral researchers at five Australian universities. It is based on an analysis of the metaphors the researchers use in describing their research. The study produced three concepts that we have labelled ‘research is exploring’, ‘research is building’ and ‘research is living’. This study is unusual in its focus on post-doctoral researchers and the use of metaphors to identify their conceptions of research

Editorial : development and socialization of academics

30.09.2016 | Mònica Feixas (Barcelona/Zürich), Gerlese Åkerlind (Canberra), Georgeta Ion (Barcelona) & Ann Stes (Antwerp

What Future for Phenomenographic Research? On Continuity and Development in the Phenomenography and Variation Theory Research Tradition

Volume 60(3) of the Scandanavian Journal of Educational Research is a special issue on current trends in the phenomenography and variation theory research tradition. In the introduction to the special issue, Rovio-Johansson and Ingerman look towards the potential theoretical and methodological future of phenomenography and pose two questions: “Is phenomenography complete and finalised with no further development necessary?” and “Is phenomenography relatively insignificant in the future development of the tradition as it has been transcended by variation theory?” The aim of this paper is to address these two questions, and in the process elaborate the relationship between phenomenography and variation theory in educational researc