The activity of student research: using Activity Theory to conceptualise student research for Master’s programmes

ABSTRACT

Student research is an important pedagogical feature across the higher education lifecycle. Postgraduate taught (PGT) student research has received limited attention in the context of the diverse nature of the PGT cohort. Using Activity Theory, PGT student research is explored from the perspectives of differently motivated Master’s students: students studying to progress to doctoral study and students studying a professional Master’s to progress in their current career path. Similarities, differences, tensions and contradictions are analysed, revealing new conceptualisations of Master’s research. The outcome of student research, the Dissertation, emerges as a recurring tension within the analysis. A call for a new dialogue on the applicability of the Dissertation for a diverse PGT cohort is made, as the traditional Dissertation may not best meet the needs of professional Master’s students. The need to find better ways to disseminate PGT research is identified, given the potential for contribution to knowledge and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Postgraduate
• student research
• learning
• dissertation
• thesis

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr Richard Hammond for helpful comments on the initial draft of this paper. I am very grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their highly constructive and encouraging comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Geolocation information: Coventry, United Kingdom.

Notes

1 Diversity of the cohort is indicated through the demographic data: female: 63%, male 37%; aged 30 years or younger 68%, aged over 32 years 31%; disabled 10%, no known disability 90%; black and minority ethnicity 44%, white 56%; nationality UK 56%, other EU 9%, non-EU 35%; fluent in English 88%, not fluent 12%; parents or guardians studied at a higher level 54%, parents or guardians did not study at a higher level 46%; face to face study mode 84%, distance learner 16%; not in paid work 57%, in paid work 43%, of which 62% work more than 30 h per week.