GIER RHD Forum Program Friday 21 August 9.30am – 10.00am
Registration – arrival tea and coffee
9.45am – 9.55am
Welcome by Professor Greer Johnson, Director, GIER
9.55am – 10.55am
Plenary session – Keynote speaker: Ms Susan Welch, Happiness Coach “What happy people and workplaces know…”
10.55am – 11.15am
Morning tea
11.15am – 11.30am
Opening address – Professor Ned Pankhurst, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research)
11.30am – 12.15pm
Framing up your research A/Professor Rod Gardner
12.15pm – 1.00pm
Methodology of video and conversational analysis A/Professor Laurent Filliettaz Lunch
1.00pm – 1.45pm 1.45pm – 2.30pm 2.30pm – 3.15pm
3.15pm – 3.30pm 3.30pm – 4.15pm
4.15pm – 5.00pm
Working with quantitative data Dr Helen Klieve Running naked down the street: Coping with the pitfalls of data collection A/Professor Howard Middleton Afternoon tea ICT and Research: Some Possibilities and Practical Ideas A/Professor Glenn Finger
Preparation for grant applications Professor John Stevenson Academic Writing Dr Ray Brown
Publishing Professor Stephen Billett Career planning and shaping a publication program Professor Claire Wyatt-Smith / Dr Indika Liyanage Workshop: Polishing the thesis: Am I finished? Dr Richard Niesche Workshop: Thesis autopsy A/Professor Donna Pendergast
5.00pm
Qualitative analysis (with case study) Professor Greer Johnson Finish
6.30pm
Forum Dinner – Ahmit’s Turkish Restaurant, South Bank (Entertainment: belly dancers)
Saturday 22 August 9.00am – 9.45am 9.45am – 10.30am
Action research Professor Brendan Bartlett Mixed methods Dr Clarence Ng
10.30am – 11.00am
Morning tea
11.00am – 11.45am
Workshop: Practising a confirmation presentation Dr Michael Haugh RHD Journey: A case study Dr Andrew Bode / Ledua Waqailiti Lunch
11.45am – 12.30pm 12.30pm – 1.30pm 1.30pm – 2.15pm
Research Portfolio Development Professor Neil Dempster Workshop: Journal ranking – targeting the right journals Dr Amanda Keddie Workshop: Practising a conference presentation Dr Calvin Smith
2.15pm – 2.45pm
Shared experiences – the highs and lows of the RHD journey – facilitated group discussion A/Professor Rod Gardner Open session and feedback A/Professor Rod Gardner / Professor Greer Johnson
2.45pm – 2.50pm
Closing address – Professor Greer Johnson, Director, GIER
2.50pm
Finish
Session descriptions – Friday 21 August Session 1: 11.30am – 12.15pm Workshop 1:
Framing up your research (introductory)
Associate Professor Rod Gardner RHD Coordinator, Griffith Institute for Educational Research This presentation is about the planning phase of your research project. It begins with enrolment, when you presumably have an idea of what you wish to investigate; proceeds during the early stages when you are reading a lot, refining your questions, and discovering what has or has not been investigated before. You also need to think about the data you will be collecting, and the methodology you will be using to work through your data. Workshop 2:
Preparation for grant applications (advanced)
Professor John Stevenson Professor Emeritus, GIER and Faculty of Education This seminar will discuss the reasons for securing research funding, the kinds of funding available and the trajectory usually involved in securing particular kinds of funding. In particular, it is outlined how it is important for aspiring researchers to develop a range of different capacities to secure different kinds of research funding. This includes the development of a 'track record', development of contacts and networks, and developing the ability to conduct research that is beyond the capacities or specific expertise of the researchers. In turn this involves publishing, dissemination of findings of previous research projects and engaging with others doing similar work. There are a range of funding sources in the form of research granting schemes, government projects, foundations and consultancies and enterprise-based projects. Each of these sources can have particular requirements for securing funds, conducting research and reporting formats. The focus here will be on how new researchers can plan a trajectory in securing research funding.
Session 2: 12.15am – 1.00pm Workshop 3:
Methodology of video and conversational analysis (general)
A/Professor Laurent Filliettaz GIER Visiting Scholar – University of Geneva, Switzerland Following the mainstream of discourse analysis, the Geneva Model focuses on the study of naturally occurring talk or texts. As a result, our term ‘discourse’ refers to complex communicative realities embedded in the real world and related to existing speech events. More specifically, the study of discourse consists of analysing the traces left by such communicative practices (audio or video tapes, texts) by means of various semiotic artefacts such as transcriptions or notes. Workshop 4:
Academic writing (general)
Dr Ray Brown School of Education and Professional Studies This interactive workshop will explore nuances in academic writing as they relate to writing a dissertation, journal article, book chapter and conference article. The nature of each genre will be explored from the perspectives of content, style, rigour and timing. The following questions will be addressed: What is academic literacy? How should a thesis be structured and organised? What is the purpose of each chapter component of a thesis? What is internal coherency and why is it important? How is a literature review different from a theoretical framework? What is an analytic network and how does it evolve out of a dialectic relation between the theoretical framework and the empirical data? Time will also be devoted to the question: “How to develop a productive writing relationship with your supervisor?”
Session 3: 1.45pm – 2.30pm Workshop 5: Working with quantitative data (general) Dr Helen Klieve Statistics Adviser, School of Education and Professional Studies This session will encourage you to explore some of the major issues in and around the use of quantitative data. Do you really need to collect and analyse quantitative data? What questions do you want to ask of the quantitative data? How do you intend to collect your quantitative data? What types of analytic techniques are available to you? How do you intend to get your data analysed? How will you present your findings? Workshop 6: Publishing (advanced) Professor Stephen Billett School of Education and Professional Studies This session focuses on approaches to developing a scholarly practice of preparing publications for review in peer-reviewed journals and invited book chapters. It will offer considerations for what research students can do and how best they might proceed in beginning to establish a scholarly profile. This includes finding ways of working productively with peers, supervisors and more experienced colleagues in developing the capacities to build a scholarly profile. In addition, the workshop and discussion will include practical approaches to realise this goal.
Session 4: 2.30pm – 3.15pm Workshop 7:
Coping with the pitfalls of data collection (introductory)
Associate Professor Howard Middleton Head of School, School of Education and Professional Studies This presentation will cover a range of issues that need to be addressed when planning for and collecting data. A statistically significant amount of humour will be included in the presentation. Workshop 8:
Career planning and shaping a publication program
Professor Claire Wyatt-Smith Dean, Faculty of Education Dr Indika Liyanage School of Education and Professional Studies This session will look at career progression through studies in research higher degree programs to publication opportunities and taking up a research-related career. The presentation will attend to strategies for career planning and developing an academic profile, including local and global networking. In the second half of the presentation, Dr Liyanage will share his experiences of career progression to date.
Session 5: 3.30pm – 4.15pm Workshop 9:
ICT and research: Some possibilities and practical ideas
Associate Professor Glenn Finger School of Education and Professional Studies (Gold Coast) More than 20 years ago, research involved often lengthy journeys to libraries to borrow books and journals. The drafting of a thesis was done on a typewriter and further versions required a total retyping. As computers emerged in the mid-1980's, we witnessed word processing and dot matrix printers, and postgraduate students took advantage of this revolution. The next revolution occurred in the mid- to late-1990's with the Internet enabling access to information and enabling communication, providing us with ICT. Since that time, ICT being used for research has become critically important, as evidenced through collaborative writing online, research search engines, and sophisticated data collection and analysis software. This session explores social networking environments, and, through providing some examples of applications which the presenter is currently engaging with, encourages researchers to become members of online networked communities of researchers. Workshop 10: Polishing the thesis: Am I finished? (advanced) Dr Richard Niesche Griffith Institute for Educational Research So, you have finished writing your thesis and are ready to submit… or are you? This session will provide a practical insight to adding the finishing touches to your thesis, including hints and resources relating to editing, referencing, appendices and submission guidelines.
Session 6: 4.15pm – 5.00pm Workshop 11: Qualitative analysis (with case study) Professor Greer Johnson Director, Griffith Institute for Educational Research This session will provide information on contexts for qualitative research, theoretical approaches to qualitative research, types of qualitative data, analytic steps and manual versus semi-automated versus automated data analysis. Workshop 12: Thesis autopsy – what it should look like A/Professor Donna Pendergast Head, School of Education and Professional Studies (Gold Coast) This autopsy consists of a thorough examination of a high quality thesis to determine the components that were necessary to 'finish it off'. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to look at a number of theses to consider examples of alternative ways of constructing thesis documents. Key elements will be investigated through this exemplar approach.
Session descriptions – Saturday 22 August Session 1: 9.00am – 9.45pm Workshop 1:
Action Research
Professor Brendan Bartlett School of Education and Professional Studies Two years ago, I wrote with Eileen Piggott-Irvine – If evaluation is the value people place on something (Scriven, 1991; Wadsworth, 1997), in the case of action research that value varies widely. On the one hand, it has been “dismissed as muddled science” (Winter, 1987, p. 2), and described as “sloppy research” (Dick, 2004, p. 16), and a “messy and weak form of research because it has been practised without appropriate rigour” (Cardno, 2003, p. vii). On the other hand, it has been seen as “the transformation of individual practitioners” (McTaggart, 1991, p. 30) and as “a means of liberating the oppressed “to reveal the disempowerment and injustice created in industrialized societies and by social class, gender and ethnicity” (Cardno, 2003, pp. 56). Let’s start either with this quote and where that took Eileen and me in writing a chapter that explained Action Research and concluded with a positive message for those who wanted to try it – OR – with your questions and issues around the topic allocated to me. Either way, I’m happy to listen and talk about what Action Research is and might be for you. Workshop 2:
Research Portfolio Development
Professor Neil Dempster School of Education and Professional Studies In my session I plan to do four things: 1. I will employ a Research Portfolio from Science to present the concept of portfolio design; 2. I will examine how portfolio design can help us think about research across a significant career period; 3. I will then apply the concept to one of the research tracks in which I am involved to illustrate its use; 4. Finally, I will invite participants to discuss how the concept might be applied to the planning of research beyond their own RHD studies.
Session 2: 9.45am – 10.30am Workshop 3:
Mixed Methods
Dr Clarence Ng School of Education and Professional Studies This session focuses on the design of mixed-methods research in education. It will explain the rationales for using mixed-methods in educational research, describe different types of mixed-methods designs, and discuss some important considerations for planning a mixedmethods research. Workshop 3:
Journal ranking: Targeting the right journals (advanced)
Dr Amanda Keddie Griffith Institute for Educational Research This session will draw on recent developments within the ERA framework to articulate some of the key imperatives and expectations associated with publishing research. The session will focus in particular on article submission in light of current journal ranking systems.
Session 3: 11.00am – 11.45am Workshop 4:
Practising confirmation presentations (introductory)
Dr Michael Haugh School of Languages and Linguistics This session will include five minute presentations by six RHD students who are relatively new to their candidature about their research for the purpose of confirmation session. Presenters will receive written feedback on their presentation at the end of the session. Presenters will have the opportunity to practice their confirmation presentation and hone their skills. Likewise, the audience will have the opportunity to hear about fellow students’ research and see for themselves what works well. Workshop 5:
Practising conference presentations (advanced)
Dr Calvin Smith Griffith Institute for Higher Education This session will include five minute presentations by six RHD students who are more advanced in their candidature about the findings of their research. Presenters will receive written feedback on their presentation at the end of the session. Presenters will have the opportunity to practice conference presentation and hone their skills. Likewise, the audience will have the opportunity to hear about fellow students’ research findings and see for themselves what works well.
Session 4: 11.45am – 12.30pm Workshop 6:
RHD Journey: Two case studies (general)
Dr Andrew Bode (recently graduated RHD student) School of Education and Professional Studies (Gold Coast) Ms Ledua Waqailiti School of Education and Professional Studies (Gold Coast) This motivational session will present two very different case studies of the presenting students’ personal RHD journeys. It will include highs, lows (and very lows) with stories of survival and determination. Whether you are having a smooth journey or working through a wave of obstacles, Andrew and Ledua will inspire you to stay on track.
Session 5: 1.30pm – 2.15pm Workshop 7: Shared experiences – the highs and lows of the RHD journey – A facilitated group discussion (general)
A/Professor Rod Gardner RHD Coordinator, Griffith Institute for Educational Research This session will give students the opportunity to share their personal experiences (good and bad) with fellow students. If you feel that you are the only one with a particular problem… share it. You may find others in the same or similar situation, or just pick up some great tips and advice.
Session 6: 2.15pm – 2.45pm Open session and feedback Professor Greer Johnson Director, Griffith Institute for Educational Research A/Professor Rod Gardner RHD Coordinator, Griffith Institute for Educational Research As this is the final session of the conference, we will be seeking input and feedback from participants. This session will provide all participants with the opportunity to ask questions on issues that have not been addressed during the forum, and to give feedback on what they perceive to have been useful (or not). The style will be interactive where participants and presenters engage with the key issues raised by the conference.
