The end of the beginning

“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”

Winston Churchill

On Tuesday I received the email that confirmed that I had passed the final Part One module, again by the skin of my teeth.  I really didn’t expect anything more than the mark awarded given some difficulties I had in responding to the feedback received.

This means however barring a disaster of epic proportions I will receive assurance at the end of the month that I can progress to Part 2 of the programme as a PhD student.

I’ve had a couple of celebrations the last week, but now it’s nose to the grindstone (this posting seems to be a collection of clichés, which I must avoid like the plague), and working on what is called the confirmation document, and getting a supervisor.

Supervisor allocation is a little like the ITV quiz show “Take Me Out”, but without the intricate psychological subtleties that are completely lost on me, as I manage around thirty seconds of viewing before switching channels.  I tout my embryonic research plan around a long list of potential supervisors, some I know well, some I have barely had contact with, and some I have to work out if they could be suitable supervisors merely by looking at their photo.  Those that show a faint flicker of interest in my idea are then ‘courted’, until they allow me to put their name on a form that has just three slots.  Some mystic process then takes place where students are allocated to supervisors, and in a similar way that Jake connects to his Toruk in the film Avatar, we are bonded for the next two years…. or something like that.

I have been fortunate, my courting has gone well and I have three names to put on my form, all of which I’m happy I could work with.  I want to submit the form now, but we are still developing the nascent ideas, through reading, discussion, and in my case copious amounts of Coke Zero left over from Christmas (though last night this was replaced with Pedigree Bitter, no hangover but shaky legs this morning).

But I do appear to have a title for my thesis… or at least a working title.  I think that deserves a posting of it’s own though, so as ‘youf’ say today – laters!

Productive Procrastination

Procrastination is the devil of the researcher.  The inability to find the energy to read an article sensibly, put finger to keyboard, or put in the actual thinking time that’s needed to get through a PhD or other piece of research is well-known and well documented.

I know my own procrastination points, these include the perception that I can only study when sealed in my own tower at the top of my home, that I must have music of a particular type to listen to (in a playlist on iTunes), with plenty of post-it notes and highlighters around.  The biggest procrastination that I have to overcome though is the idea that my PhD can only be completed in day-long, or half-day blocks of work.  In reality the number of days or full evenings I can allocate to it in the coming year is constrained by other things, not least of which is my ‘day job’, and also trying to keep some sort of work-study-social life balance.

It was whilst reading my latest book purchase as part of my next (final) part of my PhD that I came across ‘twenty forms of procrastination’.  I was going to list them below, but to be honest they vary in quality from the valid (I just can’t get started) to the trivial (The oven needs cleaning).

Today I have been productive, reading the two chapters that I needed to before tomorrow, making notes which even make some sort of sense, and also reflecting on what I will post (we have three weeks of online discussion before we are cast adrift and left to our own devices).  But I have also managed to be productively procrastinating too, in that I’ve written yet another one-pager summary (one page summaries are easy, it’s turning the one page summary into the three hundred page thesis thats the problem), and in the process have also courted another potential supervisor (we have to put down a list of whom we would like to supervise us, a bit like speed dating, but without the sweaty palms).  I’ve placed an edited version of the summary on this blog, this will definitely be a work in progress and there are some major gaps at the moment, but it is a useful document for anyone who wonders what I’m spending the next couple of years working on.

Of course, the ultimate procrastination exercise is writing a blog entry about procrastination, and you’d never catch me doing that.

Switching off

Last Christmas we were part way through one of our PhD modules, and much of Christmas was spent working on the research paper for module three.  It was really beneficial having (nearly) whole days to concentrate on my studies, rather than trying to fit it in to the usual melee that is my usual life.

This year there was no such opportunity.  The final version of our module five papers was due in just before Christmas, and we get feedback in the new year.  So for a couple of weeks at least I have been study-less.  Whilst I’ve received some suggestions from one of the programme tutors on areas that I could concentrate my reading on in the break, in reality I’ve used this time to catch up reading some of my existing library, that I have only dipped into for the relevant quotation or piece of research over the last couple of years.

One book that I am ‘enjoying’ (if reading academic literature can be enjoyable) is The Digital Scholar by former Open University lecturer Martin Weller, who had a big hand in writing the first course that I tutored on twelve years ago.  There are some controversial statements in the book, in particular about the true research skills of the ‘Google Generation’, but nonetheless it’s a very interesting read, and I’ll look forward to completing it.

But I have also hit Amazon pretty hard since Christmas, and amongst more ‘frivolous’ items have bought  and , the first for my area of research, the other a more general book on how to carry out PhD research and a ‘core reading’ for the writing of my confirmation document, the next step of my journey.

As is customary, if a little premature, I wish you all a peaceful 2012.  The economic prospects for the country as a whole seem pretty grim, I guess the best we can do is encapsulated in these two mugs that I received last Christmas.

British Library Postgraduate Day

Last Friday saw me catching an early train down to London to spend a day at the British Library.  This wasn’t my first time there, having visiting once in the summer for an exhibition, and when I hit a major writers block in September I headed down for another day hoping that being with so many other studious people would help (it did).

The day was a mix of ‘how to’ sessions, provide encouragement and confidence on how to obtain a reader’s card (the magical pass that allows access to the reading rooms and the sacred archives of the British Library), and practical hands on experience.  The morning session was particularly useful for me, as the curator (not librarian) demonstrated through fanzines, books and online resources an example of linking sport to social trends over a seventy year period.  Persuasive, engaging and entertaining.

The day was also zero-cost, as my traveling expenses were also covered by the BL.  The only expense being the mountains of coffee that I drank waiting for an off peak (and incredibly overcrowded) train back home.  It made for a long day, and maybe not directly related to my studies, but really interesting and I’m glad I had the chance to go.  If a similar opportunity arises, I would recommend you go for it.

My mind is split into two at the moment, I’ve received peer-review feedback on my draft assignment, and there is some work to be done, I am still awaiting the tutor feedback but have already adjusted pretty well every paragraph in a marathon session tonight.  On Saturday (yes, Saturday) I have an examination for my professional practice that goes a long way to gaining Certifies IS Auditor status.  The time I’ve been able to spend on this has been limited, but I have time set aside each day this week alongside my PhD work, and my ‘day job’.  This probably also explains why after sixteen hours of being ‘on’ I find myself completely unable to consider sleep, hence this posting.

So for many reasons Christmas can’t come soon enough for me.

The light at the end of the tunnel?

It’s amazing to think that after two years (all but a few weeks), I’m nearly at the end of the first part of my PhD Journey.  I’ve just completed the first draft of my final mini-research project.  This will be peer reviewed and draft comments from a tutor, and the final version submitted on the 14th December.  A really tight schedule, but achievable.

This whole module has been a mad dash, compared to the near-leisurely five months for the previous module.  The assignment word count reflected this somewhat, ‘only’ 4,000 words, but this has been tempered by the pressure that by this point all of the writing should be at ‘good’ PhD level.

There is a brief respite over Christmas, and I will be taking the chance to reflect on the whole process without being deadline driven.  Then in January there is a flurry of activity, some of which controlled by me, some of which is completely out of my control.  Firstly is the confirmation that I will be allowed to proceed to Part II, and not have to stop the course with an MRes.  This is a possibility, though I’ve received reassurances that (so far) all should be OK.  I also have to select a supervisor, and whilst I may have my preference, there is no guarantee that this will happen.

The next stage is then the creation of a confirmation document.  This is nothing to do with Christian confirmation, but rather the final transition from part one to part two, and ‘confirms’ that I am indeed a PhD student, and not ‘only’ on an MPhil programme.

There is a fly in the ointment at the moment, it appears that the organisation that I approach to carry out my primary research is struggling with how they can provide the access that I wanted to develop.  I have some alternatives that I will pursue, but it shows it’s always better to have a Plan B as well as a Plan A.

This aside, I’ve not been idle.  I’ve submitted another paper to OERJ, after the good reception that my first one received there.  My module four paper has also been worked upon by two collaborative authors, and will be submitted soon to a print journal.  I’m hoping to collaborate and turn my current mini-research project into publishable research, and am also writing a paper that has nothing at all to do with educational research, and much more to do with the subject of my ‘day’ job.

As if this isn’t enough to keep me busy, on the 10th December I have a four hour exam which is the first (very large) step towards becoming a Certified IS Auditor.  The next couple of weeks will be focused on that exam.  I cannot attend the revision days for this as I am at another conference next Thursday and Friday, so will have to muddle through on my own.  The manual has nearly 450 pages… hmmm.

Finally (finally!) I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to a British Library event for PhD researchers down at London.  As well as workshops and networking, it provides the chance to see how the British Library ‘works’, and they are feeding and paying travel expenses too!  I am determined to blog separately about this, as I think it will be a really good day.

Feeding my technolust

I guess it’s a good thing that I’ve been so busy working on my PhD that I’ve not posted here again for a long while.  The reasons are many and varied.  Here’s a quick update on where we are.

I got the final (subject to confirmation) mark for my last module on the PhD.  I was really disappointed with the mark, though it met the criteria to stay on the PhD, it only did so by the bare minimum.  I was considering an appeal, but after discussion with my peers, I didn’t think there was any major benefit in me doing so.  I’m a little concerned now that my overall profile will be adequate for me to progress to the PhD level, but have put this to one side for the time being.

The current module, compared to the somewhat steady pace of the previous module, is a mad race to the finish line.  We submit our draft assignment on the 28th November, less than a month after coming up with the original idea.  I’m progressing well on my subject, and should have time to put it to one side and reflect on it before submitting the draft.

The title of this post reflects that I have finally succumbed, and upgraded my laptop to a new MacBook Pro.  It’s a really nice machine, and whilst horrendously expensive for a laptop, when considered as a ‘cost per day’, should work out cheaper.  It’s only my third laptop, iBook in 2003, and MacBook in 2007, so I’m hardly profligate.  If this lasts as long as my white MacBook did, I’ll be very pleased.

Before delivery of any technology though, I always have a high expectation of what the technology can do for me.  In reality of course it’s ‘only a computer’, and many of the same problems that I had with my old laptop are still there.   The keyboard is nicer, but of course I still have to actually type my thoughts into the machine.  And I’m really surprised that even with an 2.4 Ghz i5 processor, the fans still kick in surprisingly frequently.

I need to recognise that technology is a tool.  A very clever tool, and the processing capability of this machine is unsurpassed, but it can’t directly make me feel any happier, or be any richer than I was before (in fact when the payment hits my account, I’ll be significantly poorer).

Still, if it makes me a little more focused on my PhD, and more likely to put finger to keyboard, then who am I to argue?

My next update will be after I’ve submitted my draft assignment.  I’ve been invited to a research day at the British Library, which I am particularly honoured to attend, and will write my experiences up on that (hopefully on the way back home).

I’m still standing

It’s been a long time since I posted, there are several reasons for this, but for those that still subscribe here, or dip in from time to time, I wanted to let you know I’m still standing.

What’s happened PhD wise since last time I posted.

1. I received feedback on my draft small-scale research, two from my peers, and one from my tutor.  They were somewhat contradictory in places, but one thing was clear, I needed to have a rethink on some basic areas of my assignment, including the research questions.  I rewrote one of these, reworded the other, and I think I have a stronger paper because of this.  How strong I don’t know, because we won’t get the results until the 10th/11th October.  Impatient? Me?
2. I’ve also written a one-pager outlining the thesis research I would like to do (also known as the ‘Part Two’).  The purpose of this paper is two-fold.  Firstly it always helps to get something down on paper rather than the nebulous ‘I want to look at’, or ‘I’m thinking of doing…’.  I have avoided both of these phrases.  I also need to approach an individual within the company that I’m hoping to work with next year (actually the chief executive!), so I need to ave something in my hand to show him next week, when I’m hoping to make a pitch (think Dragon’s Den, without the snide comments or backbiting).
3. We have also been reviewing the last module,which was a long one from April through to now.  I know it’s a cheat post, but I may well just copy and paste my own feedback here, it may be useful for others to see how a module is reviewed, and what I had to say about the process that has taken most of the last six months.

Until Christmas we have this crazy ‘two-legged’ approach.  Whilst completing the ‘taught’ part of the PhD (though this is a misnomer) we are also looking forward to the thesis, and the creation of the conversion document.  So modules five and six run concurrently until Christmas, then module six until the confirmation document is signed off.

How do I feel about this, given that I’m not exactly sitting and twiddling my thumbs in my day job too?  I have felt very low in the latter stages of this module, and seriously considered why I am doing it.  But there have been a few salutary reminders recently why if I want to thrive in the new Higher Education regime we are now in, I need more than my two x undergraduate and 1 x masters degrees.  A higher degree is not meant to be easy, and I don’t think any of my cohort are seeing this as ‘simple’.  As long as there are more ‘highs’ than ‘lows’ then I’ll stick with it… but this is being written half way through the two week break between modules.

Submitting Early

Most students in my experience want to use every available second and will submit up to, and sometimes a little after, the assignment deadline.

I’ve rarely needed the very last minute, usually submitting my mini research projects on this PhD a week early.  However for this module, I’ve submitted my draft assignment twelve days early.  Why would anyone do this?  Isn’t it best to take all the time that you can?

There are three reasons that I’ve submitted so early.

1. I have finished the draft.  This isn’t meant to brag or boast, I started the project really early as I needed to be sure I could get hold of the participants.  The approach I used (Grounded Theory) also meant that I had to get the data in early.
2. I’ve also got a late summer holiday, and will be both packing, and away at the actual date of submission.  I will have to take my laptop away with me and do some work whilst away, but it’s not a lying on the beach style holiday anyhow, this shouldn’t be a major issue.
3. There has been a pretty major unforseen incident in my life in the last week, my mother was taken into hospital last Thursday with worrying, but unspecific medical problems.  The time that this has taken out of an already busy schedule has been significant, and whilst I wouldn’t begrudge a second of this time, it is another ball that I have to juggle – and I’ve never been very good at juggling.

In the long term too, I’ve taken steps to reduce the number of balls I have to juggle, and have applied to take a year off my Open University tutoring role in 2011.  This is a big step, both financially, and emotionally, having been involved with the Open University since 1994, firstly as a student, then since the start of 2000 as a tutor on a total of five different courses over the years.

Back to the assignment, the next stage is the peer review of two other submissions, which I will start at least whilst I’m away.

A relaxing break

I’ve been away for the last week or so, having some ‘quality time’ with my better half.  I made a conscious decision not to take anything related to my PhD away with me, and it worked to a great extent, though as I caught the Eurostar back, thoughts inevitably turned back to what I had to do, and the fact that this may be my last guilt-free break for a while.

I’ve got a deadline coming up for the submission of the draft assessment for this, part four of the module.  The draft of the draft is written, I need to go through, check that it tells a consistent ‘story’, and most importantly for me, ensure that the research questions that I set at the start of the research is actually clearly answered at the end.  This is relatively easy for short pieces of assessment such as mine, less so when I move up too the ‘big thesis’.

At the moment I’m a little anxious about the PhD I guess, a bit like a Tamagotchi it seems to need constant attention.  Having effectively ignored it for a fortnight, will I find it sitting in the corner of the screen sulking… admittedly it could be that the shortcut to the file is physically sitting on my computer screen which probably doesn’t help.

Whilst I don’t want to turn this into a blog about technology, I am thinking of making a fairly major purchase of a new laptop.  Annoyingly, my four-year old MacBook refuses to die, with 95% of it’s original battery capacity, and loads of disc space still available… things would be so much easier if there were major problems, and I could mentally justify the switch.  I’m torn between two choices.  I always thought it would be a MacBook Pro, but the new 13″ Macbook Airs are incredibly thin, light, and have the processing ‘grunt’ that all of their predecessors have struggled with.  I do use my laptop out and about an awful lot, and whilst weight isn’t a major consideration, the SSD, quick book times, and general niceness of the Macbook air is also tempting… or do I just use my white MacBook until it really is as old as the hills.  Decisions, decisions.

I’m back at work tomorrow, let’s see what the rest of the rest of the summer has to hold.

Online Educational Research Journal

Last week I attended, and presented, my module two paper (and a poster based on my module one work) at the University’s Educational Research Conference.  Whilst this was mostly ‘in house’ speakers, there was nonetheless a wide range of topics, and apart from some really appalling timekeeping for most of the sessions, was very useful practice.

I did attend a talk from academics who were supporting the Online Educational Research Journal.  This is a new type of open-access journal.  The way it works is (fairly) simple.  In agreeing to submit your paper to them, you agree to peer review three other papers on the site.  Once this is complete, and your paper has in turn received three peer reviews, the anonymity of your own paper is removed, and others can then rate and comment on it, as well as download the paper.

This all seems very noble, and as I had the paper that I presented at the educational conference to hand, I have submitted it to the journal here.

You’ll see that there aren’t hundreds of papers there yet, and the quality does seem a little variable, let’s hope that mine ups the average ratings a little.

I have two more papers that, if I was so inclined, I would be able to publish there, but I am waiting to see how quickly, and effectively this second paper is reviewed.

If you’re looking for somewhere to publish a work that you can’t submit to a more formal journal, or present at a conference, this could be a good way to go.