Academic conversations with... Keely Blanch

by Keely Blanch 

This is the start of a new mini-series, this time we turn to the page instead of beyond it. Inspired by our conversations that we have with other postgrads, with academic staff, and even family members, these academic conversations explore the varied, complex and interesting research that is being produced by the Postgrad Community. Keely begins the conversation with...

Looking at Digital Citizenship

I'm a full-time PhD Candidate based at UOCE and part-time tutor/lecturer. This year I am teaching in two papers at the 100 and 200 level. I'm also a member of the NZ Ethics Committee which offers ethical review and advice to community organisations and others not covered by institutional ethics review. When you combine my study and research interests with my social media habit, I spend entirely too much time on computers!

 
My PhD research is looking at how young people understand the concept of digital citizenship. As part of that, I'm looking at how young people (aged 16-25) discursively construct citizenship, how they construct digital citizenship, and how they construct their online practices as digitally-mediated citizens.

I came across the term 'digital citizenship' when I was undertaking my MA research (which looked at the use of Facebook to extend classroom learning). To be honest, I wasn't sure what the term meant when I first heard it. I was also a bit surprised when the few teachers and students I asked seemed equally unsure about the meaning, especially when I found the concept of digital citizenship was included in CORE Education's Top Ten Trends for several years, and was included in the Ministry of Education's e-Learning Framework. Google came to the rescue, but there's so much out there on the internet about digital citizenship, and a lot seemed to be focussed on cybersafety or cybersecurity practices. That led me to question whether the term was at all meaningful for young people.

When I started my thesis, I approached it with the view that online spaces, which are often described using terms like 'cyberworld', or 'virtual' world, are not separate from offline spaces. Instead I argued that the way we act online is a digitally-mediated representation of how we act offline. So it made sense to start with looking at how citizenship was understood if I wanted to understand digitally-mediated citizenship. That was an eye-opener. I came across many authors who started their work with words to the effect of 'citizenship is complex' and they were right! 

It was a chance comment by a fellow postgraduate that shaped the way I eventually looked at my data. As a result, one of the interesting things I've found is that young people were describing citizenship and digital citizenship in similar ways, but with different emphases. So for instance, in the interviews, the most common way to describe citizenship was in social or collective terms as membership of a group, but the most common way to describe digital citizenship was in terms of participation. So my participants are emphasising their individual digital practices over social or community-based feelings of belonging in online spaces. That small difference in emphasis can lead to different ideas of acceptable online behaviours towards identifiable individuals compared to 'faceless others' or corporate interests. I found that an interesting aspect, and it's one that has sparked a lot of discussion when I've presented it in more detail.

My take away message from all that? Talk about your research with anyone who will listen - when you're grabbing coffee, in the staff room having lunch, at seminars, conferences, etc. Then jot down those random comments that others make, because that may just spark a new line of thought that leads you into interesting places.  

Images from: 
1. CDC/ Amanda Mills acquired from Public Health Image Library (Website)
2. https://pixabay.com/en/binary-null-digital-silhouette-1023866/

Long Distance Study

by Donna Price

Image: unsplash.com

Distance studying was the only way I was going to be able to achieve my degree.  Initially, I commuted to Massey University to achieve my Diploma of Teaching – at the time the qualification for primary school teachers.  After completing my diploma, it took six months to find a permanent position but during the six months I realised that I needed to have a degree.

 

Distance study meant that I could work, be a mother to three, a wife, and hopefully achieve a higher level of qualification.  Make no mistake it is not easy studying on your own.  With the best of intentions, I was going to join support groups but dance lessons, swimming classes, lesson planning, marking, housework, and just daily life got in the way, so I was on my own.  I thoroughly enjoyed studying via distance but at the end of my Bachelor of Education studies I vowed and declared I would never complete another distance paper again. 

Checking out the Education Gazette one day in the staff room and there was an advertisement for the Master of Teaching programme run through University of Otago – a programme of distance study.  It took just 5 minutes to enrol.  By this time our children were older and it was easier.  The support was great and the community of practice portion of the degree made the whole experience considerably more enjoyable. Once again, upon completion the declaration of “never studying via distance again” was made.

I was strong for two years and then another advertisement in the Education Gazette enticing me to study for a Doctor of Education degree. When I finish my Doctorate, hopefully at the end of 2016, I am never, ever going to enrol in another distance learning programme again!

 

Community Post: Writing with a view

with Megan Anakin, Tracy Rogers, Kate McAnelly, Sylvia Robertson and Lara Sanderson 

This community post is all about the writing: Where we write, when we write; the frustrating, wonderful, dizzying act of academic writing that connects all of us as postgrads. Not long after we began this community post an interest in academic work spaces popped up on twitter with the hashtags: #phddesk and #sociologicaldesk. So where do you write? Post us a picture and tell us about your favourite spot to write or use the #phddesk hashtag and tweet it to us @PgLives


 

Photo: Megan Anakin

I’m an early riser so I can write to the rhythm of the dawn sunrise ~ Megan Anakin 

Photo: Tracy Rogers

I would describe myself as a restless, but regular daily writer. I either write standing up at my DIY stand-up office desk, or when I need to edit my work I head to the Staff Club café armed with pen, paper, and caffeine. And occasionally, I will stay home like I did today and spread out at the kitchen table, compiling my thoughts and finalising paragraphs ~ Tracy Rogers 









 

Photo: Kate McAnelly

This is the underwhelming spot where I do most of my writing - sitting on top of my bed. I don't have office space either here at home or at college (being that I'm doing a MEd), so to escape the noise of busy family life I often have to retreat here. It's not ideal but I usually get the peace and quiet I need to focus on the task at hand, which at the moment is The Dissertation (due 20/2/2017, thanks for the daily reminder Blackboard!). 
 ~ Kate McAnelly 

Photo: Sylvia Robertson

 I have written my PhD in
cars, hotel rooms, planes, at home, in libraries,
while visiting other unis, at conferences, and while looking after family
but mostly in my office
where like a seed
ideas germinate
given warmth, light and liquid.  ~Sylvia Robertson

Photo: Lara Sanderson

As the waters of the Leith snake towards and behind me, flowing always back to the sea I sit and contemplate what my thesis could, would and will be! ~ Lara Sanderson

Conference Season

by Kim Brown and Tracy Rogers

Kim

  Photo: Tom Moore inflatable art taken by K.B

I must confess to some uncertainty about the benefits of going to a conference. Not the going overseas for a few days, staying in a hotel and experiencing a new city aspect, I had no doubts about that part. My uncertainty revolved around the amount of effort that goes into preparing a 15-minute presentation, and what I might subsequently gain from that amount of work. 

And it is fair to say that a considerable amount of work goes into a conference presentation, however, being able to communicate key ideas to a group of strangers in a short time is a useful exercise for whatever field we might find ourselves in after completing a PhD. And so it was that the night before my slot, and early the following morning, and during the keynote speech, and skiving off during the session before mine, I was still messing about with my presentation! I had too many slides, too much text, I was missing an image reference, and generally being very paranoid. Presenting is quite a skill; as an audience member it is easy to recognise the presentation don’ts, but people who present well have an ease and assuredness that must only come with practice. We may not all have the luxury (or nightmare, depends on your position) of presenting at international conferences, but my take-home learning is be clear in my own thinking about my key message, and concentrate on communicating that message clearly. The lonely scholar discourse has been around a while now! 

Slide from my presentation 2016

What of the conference? I attended the Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference, in Adelaide. I met some great, like-minded people who I enjoyed spending time with, and who were interested in my research. I learnt a lot about current doctoral discourses, and heard some very thought-provoking presentations. Adelaide is a great city, easy to navigate, and has free bike hire, as well as larger than life art. Amazing fresh food too! 

 

 How did the presentation go? Well enough; I was asked lots of questions that will be useful to think about when writing up my findings, and offered the chance to collaborate with someone I met. Since I was the only person who knew what I'd missed out, I must have said enough!

Tracy

Photo: Tracy Rogers

Before I embarked on my trip to the UK for the International Girls' Studies Association inaugural conference, I thought that it was an awfully long way to go for 15 minutes of 'fame' (my allotted presentation time). But even after enduring two long haul flights and three trains to reach the little city of Norwich, I realised that the trip was absolutely worth it.

Firstly, it was such a rewarding experience to be at a conference solely devoted to the study of girls, in all its many forms and disciplines. There were studies investigating girls' leadership; girls and anorexia; girls' migration; girl culture on YouTube; wartime girlhood; Victorian girls; queering girlhood; girls' activism; and the list goes on. Over the three days of the conference, I never missed a session as I soaked up the information. I attended sessions that related to my own study on girls' schooling and identity in the Global South, as well as other presentations that were totally unrelated, but still really enjoyable and informative.

The second rewarding aspect of the conference was being able to present my study to an audience interested in girls' education. There was a total of three presenters in my session called 'The politics of global girlhood'. The other two women had independently done work with school girls in Zanzibar and Kenya. Our studies complimented each other and it was reaffirming to know that the work I have done so far is of interest to others. (This is not always the case when we, doctoral students, often work away in our little thesis bubble).

Lastly, by far the best aspect of the conference was the networking. I met so many amazing women from a variety of disciplines who really lent to an atmosphere of 'sisterhood'. And as most of us were staying on campus, we had the opportunity to share our work over breakfast and dinner. We even managed a last night fling in Norwich's famous lanes district - an area of small cobblestone lanes lined with quaint restaurants and bars. As a PhD student, and the only Kiwi at the conference, getting to know other more experienced researchers from around the world was hugely rewarding. I have since been in contact with many of the women I met at the conference. And there is talk of hosting another conference next year in Canada!

So if there is one bit of advice I can offer other Postgrads planning to attend a conference, that is to choose your conference very carefully. Think about who else is presenting, what the make-up of your audience will be, and whether the conference really targets your area of interest. Because if the focus of the conference is too broad, it will be more difficult to find academics and other individuals who are interested in your topic.

And you don't want to miss any networking opportunities following your 15 minutes of fame! 


[Unless otherwise stated photostock images in this post are from unsplash.com ]

'I dont deserve to be here': One postgrad student's musings on imposter syndrome

by Kate McAnelly 

I made my way through my undergrad teacher training at the UOCE Southland campus, in Invercargill (New Zealand), feeling like someone was bound to tap me on the shoulder at any given moment and turf me out of college for being a fraud. I made it out the other side with degree in hand, yet the feelings of extreme inadequacy persisted despite good marks and praise for my practice. Who did I think I was, calling myself a teacher? 

 
I completed my PGDipTchg last year and these feelings ratcheted up a notch. Not only was I continuing to be plagued with a complete lack of self-belief in terms of my intelligence, I also felt like I had to prove myself as a new graduate teacher. I was in papers full of experienced teachers, and if they didn't 'find me out' for my fraudulent masquerading as a teacher, my learned lecturers surely would. I got the PGDipTchg with credit, but told myself my chances of getting into the MEd were now toast because I was such a dismal failure. When the message popped up in December last year telling me I had, in fact, been accepted into the MEd programme starting this year, I was confused. Surely there was some mistake? 

Those old familiar feelings of inadequacy ramped up even more this year and begun to mess with my ability to get a good night's sleep. I would see Master of Education under the heading qualification in progress, there in black and white, and not be able to understand or believe it. Why hadn't I been found out yet? I was being assigned brilliant supervisors to oversee my research, and I was upset that these people I admired hugely were going to be the ones to discover I was just an imposter. 

About a month ago, I was up in Dunedin at the main UOCE campus meeting with my supervisors and catching up with other lecturers I had during my PGDipTchg year. I had remained close with a number of the lecturers. I was discussing with one of these lecturers how my supervisor and I had just submitted an abstract to co-present at the Inclusion Summit at the University of Canterbury in July, and how terrified I was that we were probably going to be presenting to people whose work I'd referenced so assiduously, names anyone who's anyone working in the field of inclusive ECE will know well. While I was extremely grateful for my supervisor for agreeing to co-present with me, I thought they would have to carry the discussion because in that sort of forum, surely to goodness, I'd get rumbled for being a fake and be sent on my way. 

The lecturer listened carefully to the torrent of angst flowing from my mouth, and when a pause in the conversation came, said 'Kate, have you ever heard of something called imposter syndrome? I think you have it'. We discussed it and its prevalence in higher education amongst high achieving, highly successful people who can't accept they are knowledgeable and worthy of the success they've achieved by virtue of hard work. Our conversation gave me much to ponder in the days following. 

So what exactly is 'imposter syndrome'? It's a term coined by clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in the 1970's to describe how successful, highly achieving people are unable to internalise their accomplishments, even when there's tons of evidence that they're doing well. Basically, for someone like me (and perhaps a few of you too), it's feeling like I'm not a competent, intelligent student or teacher, and that I'm just a big old fraud all round who is bound to be found out at any minute. There are three broad sub-categories in the manifestation of imposter syndrome - 

Feeling like a fraud – the thought that one doesn't deserve his or her professional or academic success, and that the people around them have somehow been duped into believing in their brilliance. There's often an underlying fear of being unmasked, found out or discovered to be an imposter, which causes a lot of anxiety. 

Attributing success to luck – the tendency to attribute one's success to luck or other external reasons, and not to their own abilities. People with imposter syndrome in academia might refer to a high mark for an assignment, or perhaps a well-received conference paper, as a 'fluke' or something they just got lucky in, a success they won't be able to repeat again. 

Discounting success – the tendency to discount and downplay success by saying things like 'it's not a big deal' or 'the assignment wasn't worth much', thinking you only got a good mark because the lecturer is an 'easy' marker, or having a hard time accepting compliments. 

Imposter syndrome isn't an all or nothing concept, in that you might be able to recognise some aspects of it in your own behaviour and demeanour, but not others. I see a lot of it in my own behaviour and demeanour. In the way I think I've somehow faked my academic competence and deceived the college into thinking I'm worthy of a place in the MEd programme. In the way I'm convinced I'll be revealed to be a nobody one day soon. In the way I often think of my good marks as being down to luck and not the hours of work I put into achieving them. In the way I've downplayed those good marks, especially because the lecturer concerned must surely need their eyes checked if they thought my work was of any merit! And especially in the way I have a complete inability to accept compliments on my achievements, brushing them off as I feel I don't really deserve them. 

However, I've discovered a number of ways to deal with these feelings of being an imposter as and when they crop up. Being aware of, and able to identify, those automatic thoughts and feelings like 'I'm an intellectual fraud' is a really useful first step. Questioning those automatic thoughts and feelings and trying to bring about some balance to the inferiority battle raging inside your head comes next, along with trying to understand, and I mean really understand, that you got your brilliant marks because you damn well earned them – not by chance, not because the lecturer was going easy on you – because you deserved them. But most importantly, seeking support from those around you who are on/have been on a similar journey to you, because a problem shared is a problem halved and who better to understand the sometimes dark complexities of the mind as you travel the postgrad road than those in the same boat, or those who have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. 

And this is where we can all band together as a Postgrad whānau. Let us not feel so alone through suffering in silence.

Let's work hard and know our achievements are down to that hard work, not luck. 



Let's celebrate our successes and make sure we actually believe in them. 


Let's talk. 



[Images from Morguefile.co.nz]

Sorry for the absence...

by Lara Sanderson

Hello old and new friends,

I have to apologise for the silence and the lack of posts to read, though I do hope you have taken time to re-read your favourites!! I have been away and neglected my duties to you all. I am terribly sorry.
 

My postgrad journey took a bit of an off road course suddenly at the end of November that proved to be the long way round, but happily I am back at the desk aka the driving seat!! I am excited for all the brand spanking new possibilities there are as we welcome new members to our small community and celebrate the new horzions for past contributors. I wanted this post to be about well being. We all know that it is important when we are on our Postgrad journey that there are times when we need to have a break or something to get us out of the 'yips'. So for this, the first post back, I wanted to provide a little spark of creativity to get those writing and researching juices flowing or even to get you over a rough patch, with adult colouring!! 

Adult colouring is said to have meditative properties and what a perfect way to stimulate your creativity or produce a calm amongst the riot that is research!!! There are lots of colouring books for adults out there from Millie Marotta's Kingdom series to Johanna Bashford's Enchanted Gardens and many kiwiana themed or even a colour your own Benedict Cumberbatch. A Google search will also pull up lots of free pages. They can be simple or elaborate. BUT I don't think you should take my word for it - if you haven't tried your hand with colouring in since Primary school - then why not take the chance with the adult colouring page (below)!! Take your time do it bit by bit or go for gold and colour in one session!! It can be something that you can have a go at when you feel like a moment's reflection or need that burst of creation. Scale it up and print it out and set to with pens and/or pencils!!! If you do have a go, and I hope you do - leave a comment with an image of your finished page we would love to see it!!!

This free adult colouring page was found at:  http://www.pokolorujswiat.com/ or you can google them!! There are tonnes of free ones out there!!!

Book notes

with Lara Sanderson, Tracy Rodgers, Sylvia Robertson, Megan Anakin, Keely Blanch & Barrie Irving.

There are those books on your shelf, in your tablet, alphabetised and end-noted that you just could never have done without. This week, PGLives ask you as a member of the PGLives community to leave a comment on what research book you could never have done without! Also please feel free to leave a comment with your favourite summer read (I need to go sit on a beach somewhere!!).

This post is dedicated to the book nerd in all of us that I know is just itching to be released on the world!! Here is what some of the inner book nerds of Postgraduate Lives Community had to say about their favourite research book or in many cases books!!


Tracy:
The one research book that I have found most useful so far is 'The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers' by Johnny Saldana. It has great tips on coding, keeping analytic memos, and sets everything up using nice simple language. Highly recommend it for novice researchers and those wanting a better understanding of the different ways you can tackle coding your data.

Lara:
Oooh a bit of a cheat here because mine is an edited book!! So lots of variety!! The one book that I could not have ever done without and was a revelation when I found it is Poetic Inquiry: Vibrant voices in the social sciences edited by Monica Prendergast, Carl Leggo and Pauline Sameshima. It even has a sequel!!! I cannot wait!!

Syliva: 
I have lots of faves but I guess a basic one that I referred to frequently in the beginning when writing my methodology chapter - Michael Quinn Patton (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. SAGE Publications, California. Why do I like him? Simple, clear and to the point. Easy to navigate. Creswell I also like and I enjoyed reading various Lincoln & Guba texts (dated perhaps but some really good first principles stuff for qualitative research). Hmm... as I get thinking back there are lots of others - researching the research part was fun!




 

Megan: 
There is no one book for me at the moment. But you can’t beat:

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.  To get you going and for reassuring you when you are feeling lost and alone.  

For doing qualitative analysis I can’t live without Thomas, D. R. (2006). A general inductive approach for analyzing qualitative evaluation data. American Journal of Evaluation, 27(2), 237-246.

For doing basic inferential stats, I can’t use SPSS well without those 3-5 minute YouTube video clips by various professors around the world. There isn’t a question I can’t find an answer to out there.

So it’s a mixed bag from me. Book, article, internet resources.

Keely:

It's so difficult to pick just one book! However, since coming across Miller, Birch, Mauthner and Jessop's (2012) book, 'Ethics in Qualitative Research', I have found myself pulling it out when planning research and considering methodology. A couple of chapters have been especially useful - Ch4 addressing issues of gate-keeping and 'informed' consent, and Ch7 which addresses interviews and 'doing rapport', both useful chapter if researching and interviewing with young people. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will mention there are other go-to books such as Cresswell, Crotty, Denscombe, or Babbie, which are all useful for methodology

Theoretically, my copy of Doreen Massey's, 'for space' is getting a workout with my Phd, providing insights into ways of thinking about spaces of interrelations, and how this concept meshes with concepts of online/offline. Plus, given my topic, I can't ignore Engin Isin's various works theorising citizenship, especially his latest book theorising 'Being digital citizen', which was an insightful read as I approached analysis

Barrie:

I found the following book invaluable: Rogers, R. (Ed.) (2004). An introduction to critical discourse analysis in education. Manwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Rogers outlines the complex and competing approaches to critical discourse analysis, and the various edited chapters engage with both the critiques and possibilities in practice.

Also, as my research drew on a (critical) social constructionist perspective, chapters by Mary-Sue Richardson (pp. 87-104), and Stead & Backer (pp. 29-44) in McIlveen, P., & Schultheiss, D. E. (Eds.). (2012). Social constructionism in vocational psychology and career development. Rotterdam, NL:  helped to clarify the differences between constructivist and constructionist perspectives, and how these provide different explanations of social life, bringing into question the dominance of psychology in relation to human behaviour.  



Now its your turn to add to the list - is there a must have, gotta read, O.M.G. you forgot that one!!? 








[Photo credits: unsplash.com]