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.
% disabled UK 1st year students by level of study
8
7
6
5
1st degree
4
Research degree
3
2
1
0
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
% dyslexic students by level of study
60
50
40
2004/05
30
2003/04
2002/03
20
10
0
1st degree
Taught PG
Other PG
Level of study
Research PG
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
valfarrar@btinternet.com
Premia website
www.premia.ac.uk