HDR Forum: August 2012School of Education and Professional Studies

WelcomeDr Leonie Rowan

Deputy Head of School (HDR & Postgraduate Studies)

School of Education and Professional Studies

و � أهًالسهل

歡迎光臨

ようこそmenyambut

Teretulnud

歡迎光臨

환영Bienvenue

bienvenida ยิ�นดchào đónต้�อนรับ

willkommen

سهل �و أهًال

Ongi etorri

DobrodošliΚαλώς Ήλθες स्वा�गत

• Griffith University acknowledges the people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land. The University pays respect to the Elders, past and present, and extends that respect to other Indigenous Australians.

Welcome

• To a day of conversations…networking…sharing…talking…

• And…fun….

A common question about fun…

• Are we allowed to do this????

• Shouldn’t I be “working”– Specifically: “sitting-at-my-

computer-writing-or-collecting-data-or-organising-my-endnote-library-or-foraging-in-the-library-or-writing-a-journal-article-or-something-serious-like-that”???

What will my supervisor think???….

An answer

• You CAN have it all….

– Read early and read often

– Write early and write often

– Talk early and talk often

• This will enrich your research and your life

• A finished thesis always looks so…tidy…

• It is easy to get a false impression that the research journey itself is straightforward, logical, neat, predictable and completely consistent with what we thought was going to happen when we started

• It is also common to keep our concerns, or anxieties or mistakes to ourselves because of a fear about what others might think…(“what if people realise I’m not as clever as they are????”)

A hidden truth….

• Everyone who undertakes a research project traverses difficult, challenging, exciting, frustrating, exhausting, exhilarating, peculiar, easy, boring or bizarre terrains

• We may feel confused and confident in just about equal amounts

And that’s okay

• Research is a journey

– If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? Albert Einstein

On our journey

• We can learn a great deal from folk who’ve travelled similar paths before, and those who are travelling along with us– Supervisors– Graduates– Academics– Students

On your research journey

• Take up opportunities to network– Culture building and capacity building are key

school priorities

• Embrace your travelling companions

• Learn and teach each other

Which brings us back to this event

• An opportunity for networking, a space for collaboration and a time for learning: from staff and from students

• This is consistent with our broad School agenda:– Build culture– Grow capacity

Education and Professional Studies

• There are now 160 HDR students in the School of Education and Professional Studies

• The HDR team is working to increase your access to formal and informal networking and to extend the range of support systems in place

HDR Portfolio Team

• Deputy Head of School (HDR & Postgraduate Studies)– Leonie Rowan

• HDR Convenors:– Sarojni Choy– Peter Grootenboer– Clarence Ng– Catherine Beavis

• HDR Administrative support:– Ilana Bolingford (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday)– Christine Edwards (Wednesday)– School Secretaries

Key Opportunities and Support

• Website tailored for EPS students:

• http://www.griffith.edu.au/education/research-professional-development/hdr-support

If you get lost looking for the website

• Start at the portal• Go to “organisational

units”• Select “School of

Education and Professional Studies”

• Select Higher Degrees Research

• Go to information for current HDR students

Opportunities and Support

• Website is a one stop shop for information on EPS policies, forms, training, events, and opportunities

Opportunities and Support

• Email list for communicating to research students

• All HDR students are automatically added• This is sent to your Griffith address• Only a few people can post to the list so you won’t be

inundated with messages– If you’re not on this YOU SHOULD BE!

• This is a key way of sharing information

Opportunities and Support

• What’s On Newsletter

Opportunities and Support

• Confirmation of Candidature Seminars

– Videoconferenced and catered

Opportunities and Support

• HDR Handbook

– Available on the website

Opportunities and Support

• An EdD Handbook

– Available on the website

Opportunities and Support

• Research Student meetings monthly: – Student led informal meetings: • Gold Coast and at Mt Gravatt

– Dates available on the website….

Opportunities and Support

• Griffith University Speakers Group

Opportunities and Support

• Work in Progress Seminars– Staff and student presentations: South Bank• See the website

But wait there’s more!

Opportunities and Support

• Honours and HDR Internships– Funding for supervisors to employ HDR students

as research assistants (approximately 30 hours work)

And….

• A range of other initiatives led by students:– An orientation/survival guide written by students

who have been there/done that• Princess Habiba and Yoriko Kikkawa

Call for Expressions of Interest in:

Employment opportunities for work as:

• HDR ambassadors– To make contact with applicants/potential students

• HDR mentors– To support new students– To lead a HDR face book site– To offer expert advice with things such as NVIVO or

Leximancer

Call for Expressions of Interest

• Upcoming Research Student Conference (Nov)– Students present on

aspects of their own research• This is very much student

lead: would you like to be on our organising committee for 2012?

Details about all of this…

• On the website

• Via our email list

• From our Research & HDR office:– Email: edn-rhdr@griffith.edu.au

• Ilana Bolingford: i.bolingford@griffith.edu.au• Christine Edwards: c.edwards@griffith.edu.au

• Through your supervisors

The key message….

• There is a large amount of support around you and we will work hard to provide you with a rich range of opportunities

• But don’t forget…some of the best resources are sitting right next to you right now: so taking the time to connect with each other, and each other’s work helps to make our individual journey more enjoyable

So….

• Let’s start with the networking!

First…Thank Yous!• All of our participants

• All of our presenters

• Dr Sarojni Choy: HDR convenor – Catherine Hoey– Todd Milford– Yoon-Suk Hawang– Glenda Jackson

• Ms Ilana Bolingford: Research & HDR Administrative Officer• Ms Christine Edwards: Research Projects Officer