Purpose

This paper aims to examine graduate student learning experiences and perceptions of quality and the extent to which these learners were living the intended experiences that academic programs are seeking to foster.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multiple case-study design, a three-stage interview protocol used with six PhD candidates across three faculties as well as 25 institutional, provincial and national documents served as principal sources of data. A within-case analysis was performed for each case and compared via a cross-case analysis.

Findings

The four principal factors that characterized the PhD candidate learning experience emerged as the significance of intentional individualized guidance; the importance of social interactions and community; becoming an independent scholar; and the transformative nature of learning. Gaps were identified between institutional intent and the learner experience. Recommendations are made regarding the adoption of indicators of quality that focus on student learning and notions of transformation.

Originality/value

This investigation attempts to tell distinct and shared stories of the highly contextualized and complex phenomenon of quality in PhD student learning. With limited information regarding how programmatic development is lived by students, this study’s comparison of institutional characterizations and student perceptions of quality sheds light on existing strengths to leverage, and gaps to invest in, at the institutional and program levels.

中文翻译：

---

一致与矛盾：高等教育中学生和机构对学习和质量的看法

目的

本文旨在检查研究生的学习经历和对质量的看法，以及这些学习者在多大程度上过着学术课程寻求培养的预期体验。

设计/方法/方法

使用多案例研究设计，对三个学院的六名博士候选人以及 25 份机构、省和国家文件使用的三阶段面试协议作为主要数据来源。对每个案例进行案例内分析，并通过跨案例分析进行比较。

发现

表征博士生学习经历的四个主要因素表现为有意个性化指导的重要性；社会互动和社区的重要性；成为独立学者；以及学习的变革性。确定了机构意图和学习者体验之间的差距。就采用侧重于学生学习和转变观念的质量指标提出了建议。

原创性/价值

这项调查试图讲述博士生学习中高度情境化和复杂的质量现象的独特和共享故事。由于关于学生如何进行项目开发的信息有限，本研究对机构特征和学生对质量的看法的比较揭示了机构和项目层面上现有的可利用优势和投资差距。