Doctoral Education in a Successful Ecological Niche: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study of the Relationship between the Microclimate and Doctoral Students’ Learning to Become a Researcher

Abstract

See, stats, and : https : / / www. researchgate. net/ publication/ 264238333 Doctoral Niche : A the . . . Article DOI : 10 . 5430 / ijhe . v3n3p103 CITATIONS 2 READS 47 2 : Some : Handling – interpretations motivation Apprenticeship Mette Aarhus 38 SEE Ole VIA , Aarhus , Denmark 14 SEE All . The . All - text and , letting . Abstract Scholarly communities are dependent on and often measured by their ability to attract and develop doctoral students . Recent literature suggests that most scholarly communities entail ecological niches in which the doctoral students learn the codes and practices of research . In this article , we explore the microclimate in an ecological niche of doctoral education . Based on a theoretical definition of microclimate as the emotional atmosphere that ties group members together and affects their actions , we conducted a case study that aimed to describe the key features of the microclimate in a successful ecological niche of doctoral education , and the ways in which the microclimate support the doctoral students ' learning . The methods we applied in the case study were based on short - term ethnographic fieldwork . The results reveal four key features of the emotional atmosphere in the microclimate : mutual appreciation , balancing seriousness and humor , desire , and ambition . These features constitute the shared emotionality that sets the scene for the microclimate , and affects and guides the doctoral students ' daily practices . Furthermore , the results indicate that the microclimate supports successful doctoral education because it : 1) fleshes out the professional attitude that is necessary for becoming a successful researcher in the department , 2) shapes and adapts the doctoral students ' desires to grasp and identify with the department ' s practices , and 3) provides the doctoral students with access to flow zones that drive their education . These results may suggest practical implications for fostering and cultivating successful ecological niches in medical education at doctoral level .