--- layout: post status: publish published: true title: ! 'On #PhDchat: Call for Collaboration/History, Overview, Themes and Response' wordpress_id: 674 wordpress_url: https://www.martineve.com/?p=674 date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxMjo0OTo0MiArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxMjo0OTo0MiArMDEwMA== categories: - Technology - Academia - EdTech tags: - PhDchat - collaboration - draft comments: - id: 6159 author: Jennifer Jones author_email: email@jennifermjones.net author_url: http://www.jennifermjones.net date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxNDowMjowMCArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxNDowMjowMCArMDEwMA== content: ! "This is an excellent start, Martin - thanks for getting the ball rolling. There are a number of themes that I would love to build on now (especially around dominant themes such as edu technology and tool time) \r\n\r\nThere are also some bigger things that I would like to look at through network analysis and generating a typology. I look forward to adding to this discussion over the next few days. :)" - id: 6160 author: Ian Robson author_email: ian.developmentsupport@googlemail.com author_url: http://changingpractice.blogspot.com/ date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxOTowNDozNSArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxOTowNDozNSArMDEwMA== content: ! 'Thanks for getting us started Martin. I''m interested in the types of interaction we engage in, and how these (often brief) interactions in turn prompt action. It would be interesting to hear about the ''knock on'' value of #phdchat from others. For me, it''s helped in prompting use of new technology, reading certain authors, structuring my note taking and more. Finally, an obvious link for me is taken from Wenger (1998) and http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm' - id: 6161 author: AJ Cann author_email: alan.cann@gmail.com author_url: http://scienceoftheinvisible.blogspot.com/ date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxOTozMTo0OCArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMiAxOTozMTo0OCArMDEwMA== content: ! 'Thanks for this Martin, it''s good the have the history of #phdchat documented.' - id: 6162 author: ! 'Tweets that mention On #PhDchat: Call for Collaboration/History, Overview, Themes and Response | Martin Paul Eve -- Topsy.com' author_email: '' author_url: http://topsy.com/trackback?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.martineve.com%2F2011%2F02%2F02%2Fon-phdchat-call-for-collaborationhistory-overview-themes-and-response%2F&utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2 date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMyAwOToxMToyNSArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMyAwOToxMToyNSArMDEwMA== content: ! '[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Martin Eve, fury. fury said: Twitter: On #PhDchat: Call for Collaboration/History, Overview, Themes and Response | Martin Paul Eve: Part 1 of... http://bit.ly/huHKNR [...]' - id: 6163 author: Linda Baines author_email: LBBaines@gmail.com author_url: '' date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMyAxOToyMToyMCArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMyAxOToyMToyMCArMDEwMA== content: ! "Martin \r\nExcellent start. One of the reasons that I find #phdchat so helpful is that I'm one of the more mature lags who's planning to start their PhD in late summer. So it's really helpful to find a like minded 'community' who are sharing ideas openly and give fresh insights to the kind of issues that I will encounter. We can also test our ideas freely and receive immediate and helpful ideas. So perhaps this offering a lifeline /guideline to newbies is another emerging theme to pick up." - id: 6164 author: Martin Paul Eve author_email: martin@martineve.com author_url: '' date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMyAxOToyMzo0MyArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wMyAxOToyMzo0MyArMDEwMA== content: ! "Thanks all for the positive feedback; this is, obviously, a really early start and is not in any way analytical enough at present. I did, however, think it easier to just start writing something than endlessly hesitate and sculpt a final piece.\r\n\r\nLooking forward to seeing what responses are generated!\r\n\r\nAnother thing that hit me: the practice of writing this paper could in fact itself impact upon the channel's use... ethics etc." - id: 6168 author: ailsa author_email: ailsa.haxell@aut.ac.nz author_url: http://amusingspace.blogspot.com date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wNSAxMDowNTo0MSArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wNSAxMDowNTo0MSArMDEwMA== content: ! "well done Martin, i love seeing the documentation of a thing in action. Its not easy. The very writing of it has influence- i know coz my phd brings me in to this arena also. Am really happy though that someone has the inclination to do this type of impt work.\r\n\r\nWhat i love- im not isolated- i wasnt b4- i had a few people i could interrupt, what this gives me, a constant stream that affirms my endeavour.\r\nPlus the just in time help, on practical stuff.\r\nAnd the sharing of useful tips/resources- 750 word.com has been brilliant for me." - id: 6170 author: Jeffrey Keefer author_email: jeffrey@silenceandvoice.com author_url: http://silenceandvoice.com/ date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wNyAwMjoyNzoyOCArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0wNyAwMjoyNzoyOCArMDEwMA== content: ! "Martin, what a wonderful start to this! I can't help but wonder what may come out of this from the perspective of individual meaning-making. As my work is in the area of identity formation and how we make meaning out of our experiences, I can see some really interesting things coming out of this. \r\n\r\nI have an idea I am going to play around with. Perhaps will put out a call of some sort for the Internet Research Conference #IR12 later this year . . ." - id: 6188 author: lizit author_email: e.thackray@sussex.ac.uk author_url: '' date: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0yMSAxMDoyMjowMyArMDEwMA== date_gmt: !binary |- MjAxMS0wMi0yMSAxMDoyMjowMyArMDEwMA== content: ! "It's useful having the historic context for #phdchat, especially for those of us who are not part of #uked or the discussions that led to the initiation of the Wednesday evening Twitter-based chat. \r\nI think in some ways, what I find most interesting is the way groups evolve - and sometimes re-write the rules - and take ownership. Over the past week there has been a flurry of tweets following the announcement that there would be no #phdchat on 23/2 and questions raised as to why it couldn't continue, if necessary without a host. Although that has now died down, and I haven't done the analysis, just looking at some of the names of those wanting to meet, they are not the same necessarily as those initially involved in conceiving of the idea. For me this raises the question of whether #phdchat is moving into a second phase of some sort.\r\nThere are various ways of looking at this. One might be that the group has formed and is now beginning to storm (borrowing from Tuckman's 1965 analysis of group development). Another is that the loose knit network is moving towards becoming a community and taking ownership of its own artefacts. It is also possible, borrowing from technology, to apply either Rogers' model of adoption, or possibly even the hype cycle - and others have mentioned the long tail and strength of weak links.\r\nWhatever is happening, it does seem that for some #phdchat has acquired a meaning or importance which is more than just an opportunity to chat and share a few resources.\r\nIt will be interesting to see how it develops over the coming months." ---

Featured image credit: Rain Rabbit under a CC-BY-NC license.

This is the first part of a collaborative writing effort initiated by @jennifermjones, @AndyCoverdale, @FlyGirlTwo and myself (@martin_eve) which aims to discuss, interrogate and critically reflect, from an immanent position, on various aspects of the postgraduate community falling under the Twitter hashtag, #PhDchat. Collaboration is open to anybody who feels like responding to, advancing upon or addressing any aspect of #PhDChat; simply write something in your own space and use material from other posts as you see fit. In this sense, it is also an experiment in collaborative methodology. Initial suggestions for themes, mostly from @jennifermjones, have ranged from introductions to #PhDchat, exploration of the social media/researcher context, methodological approaches/ethics, twitter research in general through to PhD student support. Please respect licensing terms of contributions in their use, and pay particular attention to share-alike clauses for derivative works.

For this initial piece, I intend to write a brief introduction to the #PhDchat stream, its participation base and a few general remarks. In its early stage, it reads a bit like a history crossed with a data dump. This is because, in part, it is. However, as the idea is to spark collaboration, this is a piece put out in draft, indeed in "open notebook", format, not a complete, final product. I would appreciate acknowledgement of this fact if citing.

Overview and History

In a small Twitter conversation on the 31st of October 2010, a group of #uked participants ascertained the need for a discussion channel on the meta-issues faced in the completion of a doctorate. Initially posed as a question by @NSRiazat (Nasima Riazat), it was from this discussion that the twitter hashtag, #PhDchat was born.

Would anyone else find a PhD forum (say once every 4 weeks) of use? E.g. methodology, data and writing up? Thoughts? #PhD #Thesis (@NSRiazat, Tweet #29267363319, 31st October 2010)

Initial discussions over the degree of "leadership" for the channel came about semi-democratically through Twitter, although there was a key group of individuals who had expressed an initial interest:

@ianrobsons @DrAshCasey @janshs @janedavis13 @oberghans @colport @VGoodyear ~ very much a team effort by the founding group #phdchat(@NSRiazat, Tweet #29313727323, 31st October 2010)

Although @NSRiazat was clearly the individual with the greatest investment in the stream, and the initial proposer, her self-effacing manner and perceived technical reluctance meant that it was only on the suggestion of @Janshs that she decided to take "charge":

@JaneDavis13 @janshs not sure I like the title of founder member. :-/ (Gulp!) Can we all be 'founder members'? :-)...less scary. #phdchat (@NSRiazat, Tweet #29273591142, 31st October 2010)

@Janshs Thanks for putting me in charge. :-) Better not let you all down with myterrible running of the chat forum lol #phdchat (@NSRiazat, Tweet #29313918411, 31st October 2010)

Interestingly, although the medium for the planning discussions was, itself, Twitter, there was no preformed conception of the eventual outlet for the discussion with proposals ranging from a Twitter hashtag, through to Skype and Zorap. Eventually, after much to-ing and fro-ing, a time of 7.30pm GMT was decided, as this gave the greatest scope for international participation and the publicity for the hashtag was launched.

(@JaneDavis13 @janshs could set up a regular chat session using hash tags or even try some f2f via zorap or skype) AGREE! Sounds good. (@NSRiazat, Tweet #29267954321, 31st October 2010)

@JaneDavis13 @ianrobsons @janshs 7.30pm gives colleagues abroad a chance to partake if they wish. #phdchat (@NSRiazat, Tweet #1367606300770304, 7th November 2010)

In terms of what the stream actually achieves, the #PhDchat hashtag fulfills, in its current incarnation, two functions. In the first form, the tag acts purely as a filter for asynchronous talk on any topic relating to PhDs, ranging from the hugely "meta-" to the downright specific. The second is the synchronous chat function which was established, and is still to a large extent facilitated, by @NSRiazat with the first session taking place on the 24th of November, 2010.

@ianrobsons @janedavis13 @debprescott First #phdchat scheduled for 7.30pm on Wednesday 24th November. :-) Topic is #research #paradigms. (@NSRiazat, Tweet #5354992303087616, 18th November 2010)

Themes and Level of Response

Since that initial conversation, the synchronous discussion has taken off with often as many as 15 participants in the weekly chat and others taking the initiative in establishing wikis and associated archives.

#phdchat we now have a wiki http://is.gd/pKBNlt - do register and retweet (@lizith, Tweet #25274207147401216, 18th November 2010)

Blog responses to the channel have also been enthusiastic, with personal narratives from @lizith (@lizith, <http://lizit.me.uk/2010/12/16/networking/> [accessed 2011-02-02]) and @JeffreyKeefer (@JeffreyKeefer, <http://silenceandvoice.com/archives/2010/12/07/phd-chat-as-phdchat/> [accessed 2011-02-02]) emerging.

Indeed, the response to the tag has outstripped initial expectations, with Summarizr reporting, based on the TwapperKapper archive, a total of 3750 tweets, 261 tag participants and 342 URLs shared over a two month period. Despite this, however, there is still a long way to go in encouraging participation. 50% of participants only tweeted once (which seems likely to be mostly re-tweeters) while 56% of tweets came from the top 10 users, which is a meagre 3% of the aforementioned userbase. There is also, as an obvious consequence of this, a domination of the channel by certain conversants. This is not necessarily a negative facet, but it is notable that the top ten conversations by volume feature only seven users. (Summarizr, <http://summarizr.labs.eduserv.org.uk/?hashtag=phdchat> [accessed 2011-02-02]).

That said, far from being the monthly discussion at first envisaged, #PhDchat has run on a weekly basis covering, since its inception, the following topics:

Overcoming Writing Paralysis (26th January, 2011)
Beyond the PhD (19th January, 2011)
Organising and Planning Research (12th January, 2011)
Motivations for Doing a PhD (5th January, 2011, hosted by @Janshs)
Effectively Managing PhD Reading Workload (29th December, 2010)
Life as a PhD Student (22nd December, 2010)
The Writing Process (15th December, 2010)
Analysing Data (8th December, 2010)
Literature Review (1st December, 2010)
Research Paradigms (24th November, 2010)

As would be expected for an internet-based discussion of PhD issues -- and it is worth bearing in mind that, in spite of the low barriers to entry for Twitter use, it remains a tool used by the few in academia -- EdTech themes have also dominated the stream, in particular many questions from few users on the use of Mendeley and Zotero. It would be interesting, in further work, to examine the general level of interest in this topic and whether concerted discussion on this theme has had any impact upon participants.

Over to you, for now

Here ends the first section (or, at least, my time available for writing more on it today). Please feel free to build upon this work, correct it where deficient and generally participate in creating a full featured exploration of all the surrounding issues involved in the creation of a social media support environment. The more perspectives (so don't worry, discipline-wise), the better.