Robin
Many thanks for letting me use my all time favourite quote from Blade Runner
in my "yes" reply:
"I've seen thing you people wouldn't believe........."
Mark
On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:58:01 -0000, Hodge Robin
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Mark
>
>...I'd therefore like to offer up the potentially controversial position that PhD's
>that include practice as a research method should, preferably, be supervised
>by academics that have considerable experience as practitioners: plus a PhD
>of course!...
>
>
>Are you saying that there are examples - in your experience - of non
practitioners supervising? I find this quite incredible - theory is is what theory
doesn't as me old Yorkshire mum used to say. I can understand supervision
from someone without a PhD - but only in a secondary role.
>
>
>
>Robin
>
>
>
>PR Hodge MA, BA (Hons), PG Dip (Media), FAETC, MIDI
>Fellow of the Royal Society
>Faculty Head of Collaborative Courses
>Programme Director Master of Design and Communication
>
>TEL: ext 75572
>
>Foyle Arts
>University of Ulster at Magee
>L/derry
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and related
research in Design on behalf of Dr Mark Evans
>Sent: Tue 10/11/2009 16:19
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: PhD supervision of practice as a research method?
>
>Having spent my early career as a practitioner; employed practice in my own
>PhD (industrial design); and now supervise/examine PhD's that include
practice
>as a research method; I reflected on my experiences in the preparation of a
>paper for the 2009 International Conference of the DRS Special Interest
Group
>on Experiential Knowledge (http://www.experientialknowledge.org/). When
>discussing the use of practice in research, I made the following comments in
>the abstract of my paper:
>
>"When considering the application of such methods, it is necessary to ask
two
>key questions: can the process/outcomes supply robust data and does the
>researcher have the necessary capability as a practitioner to enable
>generalisations to be made. The latter issue brings into question the need for
>appropriate supervision, as judgements must be made on the capability of
the
>researcher and quality/relevance of creative output i.e. do their supervisors
>need expertise in practice?".
>
>I have seen examples of poor practice that has contributed to PhD's in
>industrial/product design and have no problems articulating the deficiencies
>and impact this has on the research method. Unfortunately, their supervisors
>were unable to see this. I therefore have concerns that this may be a
>significant issue in the field of industrial/product design. It may also be an
>issue for other disciplines but have no evidence to substantiate this.
>
>I'd therefore like to offer up the potentially controversial position that PhD's
>that include practice as a research method should, preferably, be supervised
>by academics that have considerable experience as practitioners: plus a PhD
>of course!
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