Motivating factors for the professional development of a cohort of professional doctorate students in education

Abstract

The changing environment in higher education has lead to a choice of doctoral programs for lifelong learners. From the data derived from interviews with a cohort of students in a professional Doctorate in Education at a Victorian university, the current study identified the students’ perceptions of their own professional development. It found that the extrinsic and intrinsic factors which motivated these students were numerous and often complex, and were as much for personal development such as cognitive interest, enjoyment and love of learning, social stimulation at a professional level, and because of academic pathways as they were for professional development whether for gaining qualifications, skills, credibility benefitting the profession or because of the developments within information and communication technologies. It also found that the students were non-traditional, being close to the middle or end-phase of their careers. The study developed a profile of a typical student from the many similarities exhibited by them. The implications of these findings for the nature of the Doctorate in Education at this university and for the delivery to future groups of students undertaking post-graduate degree are discussed.