Ask Doctoral Advising

When I worked with 4-H youth who were into computers a few years back, the internet was much less sophisticated.  And I was even less when it came to computers.  Youth were native to the computer, adults were not. How could we ‘teach’ these youth?  We guided them as they developed their own knowledge: 

I was a Guide by the Side, not a Sage on the Stage.  That phrase sums up the educational efforts in a PhD program.  Faculty are guides by the side.  They do not stand on a stage and dispense knowledge as they did in our undergraduate days.  Learners need to seek knowledge with the faculty ( and staff’s) guidance.

Your faculty IS an expert. The faculty and the curriculum provides the foundation and theory. You have responsibilities for your learning.

–Seeking guidance from faculty ( and peers in the courseroom discussions) in the connections you make between your practice and the theories.
–Asking challenging questions of yourself.  Why does a theory/statement fit ( or not) with your experience? Would your experience be different if you embraced that theory?
–Engaging in academic discourse with faculty on a topic.
–Engage the topic deeper than the courseroom requires.  Read related journal articles.  Read related dissertations.
–What questions do you ask that delves you deeper into a topic of interest?

The faculty is a critical component in your journey through the PhD.  Your responsibility to your learning doesn’t dismiss their expertise on a topic nor their responsibility as an instructor and mentor.  Utilize professional communication/academic discourse to exchange ideas on topics, as well as procedures in the courseroom and progressing through the dissertation milestones.