Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore what new knowledge is gained at academic and professional conferences by describing how this knowledge complements or contradicts campus-based learning and previous experiences of graduate students. Through gaining insights into conference-based learning, researchers and policymakers can create more complex and dynamic graduate student learning experiences and design conferences that welcome and encourage graduate student perspectives and voices.

Design/methodology/approach

Rooted in transformative learning theory, this qualitative study explores what and how master’s level graduate students learn at professional and academic conferences.

Findings

Findings point to four categories of learning through conferences: students acquired empirical knowledge, gained insights into professional and scholarly trends and values, explored diversity of the conference body and their own belonging and benchmarked their knowledge in relationship to scholars and professionals. Interviewees gained this knowledge by linking conference-based learning to their graduate school curriculum and previous knowledge and experiences.

Practical implications

Findings suggest considerations for educators, policymakers and administrators to enhance learning in graduate programs through in-person and virtual conference attendance.

Originality/value

This study adds to minimal existing research on graduate student learning beyond the campus that contributes to holistic learning at the master’s level. The findings on conference-based learning for graduate students go beyond the common notion of conferences as places of socialization for graduate students. These findings are increasingly relevant as academic and professional conferences are being reconsidered in the shift to the virtual space.

中文翻译：

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“我觉得我不仅仅是一个学生：”在学术和专业会议上检查研究生的学习

目的

本研究的目的是通过描述这些知识如何补充或矛盾以校园为基础的学习和研究生以前的经验，来探索在学术和专业会议上获得了哪些新知识。通过深入了解基于会议的学习，研究人员和政策制定者可以创造更复杂和动态的研究生学习体验，并设计欢迎和鼓励研究生观点和声音的会议。

设计/方法/方法

这项定性研究植根于变革性学习理论，探讨了硕士水平的研究生在专业和学术会议上学习的内容和方式。

发现

调查结果指出通过会议学习的四类：学生获得经验知识，深入了解专业和学术趋势和价值观，探索会议机构的多样性和他们自己的归属感，并将他们的知识与学者和专业人士的关系进行基准测试。受访者通过将基于会议的学习与他们的研究生课程以及以前的知识和经验联系起来，获得了这些知识。

实际影响

调查结果建议教育工作者、政策制定者和管理人员考虑通过面对面和虚拟会议出席来加强研究生课程的学习。

原创性/价值

这项研究增加了现有的关于研究生在校园外学习的最低限度的研究，这些研究有助于硕士水平的整体学习。关于研究生基于会议的学习的发现超出了将会议作为研究生社交场所的常见概念。随着学术和专业会议在向虚拟空间的转变中被重新考虑，这些发现越来越重要。