Traditional PhD assessment methods have persisted largely unchanged for decades, despite advancements in educational practices seen at other levels.
Supervisors, while experts in their fields, often lack formal teaching qualifications or awareness of modern educational innovations, hindering their ability to effectively convey knowledge.
Learning objectives and formative assessments, common in lower levels of education, are inconsistently integrated into PhD programs, resulting in a lack of consistency, fairness, and transparency in assessment practices.
The absence of structured assessment methods in PhD programs can lead to perceptions of a lack of transparency among candidates and concerns among examiners regarding falling standards.
PhD candidates are encouraged to develop transferable skills, yet these are not formally assessed alongside the dissertation, potentially undervaluing their importance in research careers.
Despite the existence of innovative PhD pathways such as professional doctorates and PhD by publication, these alternatives are not widely adopted, limiting the diversification of assessment approaches.
Closer collaboration between education researchers, supervisors, and program organizers is imperative to modernizing PhD assessment and aligning it with contemporary educational practices.
Take-home advice:
PhD supervisors should actively engage with educational research to improve their teaching methods and stay abreast of innovations in assessment.
Institutions should consider implementing structured assessment practices, including clear learning objectives and formative assessments, to enhance consistency and transparency.
Formal assessment of transferable skills alongside the dissertation can better prepare PhD candidates for diverse career paths.
Regular discussions among supervisors and subject representatives are necessary to tailor assessment approaches to the unique needs of different disciplines.
Embracing innovative PhD pathways can offer candidates alternative routes to achieving their academic and professional goals while fostering a more diverse assessment landscape.
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