How Italian PhD students reap the benefits of institutional resources
and digital services in the open Web
Antonella Esposito, Albert Sangrà, Marcelo Maina
UOC - Open University of Catalonia
INTED 2013, 4-6 March, Valencia
BACKGROUND
Empirical settings of the e-survey
Università degliStudi di MilanoAbout 1.400 PhDstudents
Università degliStudi Milano-BicoccaAbout 600 PhDstudents
Politecnico diMilanoAbout 900 PhDstudents
Summary of responses
Started questionnaires
Completed questionnaires
Potentialinterviewees
Total 624 483 123
University % respondents N° respondents
Milan >18% 258
Milano-Bicocca 32% 193
Politecnico 20% 173
N = 3000Defined threshold: 10%Reached threshold: 20%Responses from about 20 subject areas
Demographics of the respondents
89% Italian students89% awarded scholarshipsEqually distributed along 3 years
12% (31-35) and 6% >35 include nontraditional PhD students
Prevalent mode of study
How? Mainlyin ‘isolated mode’
Interactions with supervisors and forms of networking
Only 6% states to use theopen Web for networkingactivity
Digital services provided by the institution
E-learning platforms: 1%E-portfolios: 1%Web 2.0 applications: 3%
Web 2.0 tools in everyday life
Tools for supporting PhD activites
Use of social media for individual activities
Lit Search activity is mostly carried out using social media.Social media are not currently used to practice academic writing.
Academic presence online
Drivers in the adoption of social media
Inhibitors in the adoption of social media
Expectations towards future use of the social Web
High expectations on Updating potentialVery low expectations on improving Critical discussion
Conclusions
PhD researchers self-select a few tools from the range of options they usually adopt in they everyday life. Actual use: Early exploration and specific Lit Searches.High Expectations related to Updating area of application.Main Driver: Occasional, practical needs related to their ownresearch.Main Inhibitors: Lack of awareness and training.
Tactic, not strategic approach: cautious and tentative adoption of Web 2.0 tools for research purposes.
Social Web to efficiently support existing practices rather than as a venue where experimenting new practices.
Thank you very much for your kind attention!
Twitter: @antoesp
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