Going further The challenge of research study for dyslexic graduates DDIG Conference 27 March 2007 Val Farrar

Aims of session Identify the issues faced by dyslexic PGR students. Explore the implications for research staff, disability advisers and learning support tutors. Look at reasonable adjustments to practice. Demonstrate some available resources.

Premia: postgraduate research education – making it accessible To identify the barriers faced by disabled PGR students. To investigate best national and international practice. To develop resources for relevant staff. To design resources for disabled PGR students. To write guidelines for institutions. To work with external organisations (Research Councils, HEFCE, UKGRAD, DfES) and make recommendations to them.

Methods Analysed quantitative data on participation and destinations. Gathered qualitative data on students’ experience of PGR study (31 disabled students across a range of institutions). Wrote up the findings in Access to Research. Developed resources to address the issues.

General challenges Research community puts high value on academic independence. Dyslexic students’ requirements can challenge some basic precepts of research programmes.

Examples of challenges Dyslexic researcher – writing the thesis. Dyslexic doctoral student - learning and using new research terminology. Dyslexic candidate with short term memory difficulties - the viva. Dyslexic and dyspraxic student - planning 3 years’ research. Dyslexic PhD student - presenting research findings to academic audience.

Issues – general themes All agreed that being a disabled PGR student raised different issues. Some barriers experienced by many students – whatever the disability. Some experienced by all research students - but magnified by dyslexia. The staff involved are different – roles and involvement.

‘The department did not provide me with either a course outline or criteria for my course. I understand that the flexibility of the MLitt qualification may make this appear less necessary than for other more proscribed courses. However, as a dyslexic student these supporting guidelines would have aided my understanding of my targets and what was expected of me.’

What are the issues? Transition – pre-entry information, advice and admissions ; Class of degree ; Writing a research proposal; Funding levels and mechanisms ; Research and generic skills training ; Supervision meetings – taking notes ; Impenetrable research language ;

What are the issues? Planning and organisation of 3+ years’ work; Necessity of differentiating learning needs; Valuing difference in a highly literate community – style of learning; Challenge of intensive reading ; Extended writing ; Appropriate office space;

What are the issues? Barriers to fieldwork/data collection; Academic networking; Conference presentations; Being published; PhD student as teacher; The viva.

Challenges to change The research culture; Fear of erosion of standards; Academic apprenticeship model; Clash of learning approaches;

Challenges to change Perceptions of learning support; Time limits on period of research; Yet another change to research landscape; Student finance issues.

When it works: ‘We planned out how long it would take to do this amount of reading, how long it would take to do this writing, then when could I hand it in and then when we would have the meeting to discuss. They always really work; they have always read everything I’ve done and given me feedback on what I have done. That really does boost confidence as well.’

Contact details Val Farrar Premia website