Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars

The aim of this study is to learn how a series of 3-day international seminars, emphasizing networking, and an academic writing, reviewing, and leading discussions, supports PhD students’ professional learning and development by providing both a formal and non-formal context. The sample of this stud...

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Main Authors: Regina Soobard, Jari Lavonen, Rachel Mamlok-Naaman, Jack Holbrook, Miia Rannikmae
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: ICASE 2025-03-01
Series:Science Education International
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.icaseonline.net/journal/index.php/sei/article/view/1166
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author Regina Soobard
Jari Lavonen
Rachel Mamlok-Naaman
Jack Holbrook
Miia Rannikmae
author_facet Regina Soobard
Jari Lavonen
Rachel Mamlok-Naaman
Jack Holbrook
Miia Rannikmae
author_sort Regina Soobard
collection DOAJ
description The aim of this study is to learn how a series of 3-day international seminars, emphasizing networking, and an academic writing, reviewing, and leading discussions, supports PhD students’ professional learning and development by providing both a formal and non-formal context. The sample of this study consisted of PhD students from three countries – Estonia, Finland and Israel, and study was carried out in 2022 (in-person seminar; n = 20) and 2023 (hybrid seminar; n = 17). After the carefully designed 3-day seminars (including plenary lectures, workshops, and non-formal reflection sessions for PhD students), the feedback was asked from all participants in a format of questionnaire. In addition, interviews with two PhD students from each country were carried out to validate the outcomes from the questionnaire. Based on the results, non-formal activities were seen as supportive for getting to know their fellow PhD students and experienced academics in the field of science education. For many students, presenting their work or undertaking a review for another PhD student was a first-time experience and therefore gave them the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities supportive of being a researcher. In future studies, supporting PhD students long-lasting motivation to work on a doctoral thesis and to commit to PhD studies, can be used as one of the design principles in these types of seminars.
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issn 2077-2327
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series Science Education International
spelling doaj-art-80349eee712b456f83017dd219aeee8a2025-08-20T03:42:26ZengICASEScience Education International2077-23272025-03-0136131410.33828/sei.v36.i1.1Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International SeminarsRegina Soobard0Jari Lavonen1Rachel Mamlok-Naaman2Jack Holbrook3Miia Rannikmae4University of TartuUniversity of HelsinkiThe Weizmann Institute of ScienceUniversity of TartuUniversity of TartuThe aim of this study is to learn how a series of 3-day international seminars, emphasizing networking, and an academic writing, reviewing, and leading discussions, supports PhD students’ professional learning and development by providing both a formal and non-formal context. The sample of this study consisted of PhD students from three countries – Estonia, Finland and Israel, and study was carried out in 2022 (in-person seminar; n = 20) and 2023 (hybrid seminar; n = 17). After the carefully designed 3-day seminars (including plenary lectures, workshops, and non-formal reflection sessions for PhD students), the feedback was asked from all participants in a format of questionnaire. In addition, interviews with two PhD students from each country were carried out to validate the outcomes from the questionnaire. Based on the results, non-formal activities were seen as supportive for getting to know their fellow PhD students and experienced academics in the field of science education. For many students, presenting their work or undertaking a review for another PhD student was a first-time experience and therefore gave them the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities supportive of being a researcher. In future studies, supporting PhD students long-lasting motivation to work on a doctoral thesis and to commit to PhD studies, can be used as one of the design principles in these types of seminars.https://www.icaseonline.net/journal/index.php/sei/article/view/1166international seminar seriesphd educationscience education
spellingShingle Regina Soobard
Jari Lavonen
Rachel Mamlok-Naaman
Jack Holbrook
Miia Rannikmae
Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars
Science Education International
international seminar series
phd education
science education
title Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars
title_full Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars
title_fullStr Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars
title_full_unstemmed Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars
title_short Promoting Young Science Education Researchers through a Series of International Seminars
title_sort promoting young science education researchers through a series of international seminars
topic international seminar series
phd education
science education
url https://www.icaseonline.net/journal/index.php/sei/article/view/1166
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AT rachelmamloknaaman promotingyoungscienceeducationresearchersthroughaseriesofinternationalseminars
AT jackholbrook promotingyoungscienceeducationresearchersthroughaseriesofinternationalseminars
AT miiarannikmae promotingyoungscienceeducationresearchersthroughaseriesofinternationalseminars