QS PRN

I say this to myself a lot. 

I especially say this to myself when things get hectic. For example, when I think about the progress I have made on my dissertation and research, I think it could get worse. Here I am in mid-November and I am still polishing the first chapter (Introduction) while diving into the second chapter (literature review). 

And, I wonder how I am going to finish by May. So, ya...

It probably could get worse  

Is it a pessimistic perspective? Perhaps. 

Is it a coping mechanism? Maybe. 

Is it a declarative statement that always holds true? Not necessarily. 

Maybe it is simply a reminder that things could go the other way, too. It probably could get better. 

This is where I will spend countless hours over the next few months...working through a mix of digital and analog resources, to cobble a dissertation worthy of acceptance. 

As I get closer to completion, I realize that the reward is no simply the doctoral degree, but the knowledge gained along the way. While that sentiment about knowledge gained may sound like a cheesy inspirational poster, it does resonate with me.  

It has taken a lot of work to get to this point. And, it will require much more work to see it through. 

"Get to work."

formatting template by The Meanest TA, PhD

• How are instructional technologies socially conceptualized?

• Which theories are predominant in specific learning domains?

• What new theory has been developed, and/or is "old theory" adequate to the task of explaining the social impacts and use of the digital?

• To what extent is digital research theoretically or empirically driven?

• Which concepts and key themes cluster and link regardless of theoretical or empirical approach?

• Can a new "theoretical framework" for understanding instructional technology (digital learning) be generated, and is this needed?

• To what extent have interdisciplinary approaches modified or developed theory?

• Which methods and approaches predominate in education?

• Does the availability of large volumes of digital data change how the digital is studied and/or the approaches taken to instructional technologies in education?

• Are certain methods intrinsically linked to certain domains or theories? How are methods tied to the social contexts around instructional technology research?

• Have interdisciplinary approaches modified or prioritized certain methods in the study of instructional technology?

*list of questions adapted from various existing research journals and texts 

“Students tend to think that once they are done with the coursework, they are pretty much done with the program. This is not the case with the doctoral education. In fact, the coursework is only a preparation (appetizer) for the dissertation research (the main dish). Once done with the [Research Design] class, typically students take their competency exam and, upon passing, the students become doctoral candidates (aka ABDs – “all but dissertation”). This is where the real challenge begins because unlike very structured coursework, the writing of the dissertation is an independent process where the researcher must be self-organized and self-driven to stay on task and to work on this long project for a long time.

How much time do you need? Well, the answer varies. From experience, we know that once you are matched with the dissertation committee, the very best case scenario is that the dissertation takes about a year – This is only possible if you 1) already know EXACTLY what you will be doing for your dissertation; 2) you are super organized and self-driven; 3) you have already done extensive reading and some writing about your topic; 3) you contribute at least 20 hours each week into working on dissertation until you finish. 

More typically, it takes students about 2 years from the passing of the comps to the finish line – Even this timeline requires you to work on your dissertation on a weekly (if not daily) basis. If you procrastinate, or take a few months off, or change your topic a few times, you will likely spend more than 2 years and you are at-risk of never finishing the program.”