D. P. Dash

गहना कर्मणो गतिः (gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ) | କର୍ମର ଗତି ବଡ଼ ଗହନ ଅଟେ | complex are the ways of action (Gītā, chap. 4, ver. 17)

Professor D. P. Dash
research educator, academic editor, slow professor ...
professor.dpdash[at]gmail.com | WhatsApp +91 99378 28816

ORCID | ResearchGate | Journal of Research Practice | Research World

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Deepavali Metaphor


ନିଜ ଅହମିକା ବଳି ଗଢ଼ିଲି ସଳିତା,
ତଇଳ କରିଲି ସ୍ମୃତି ପୁରୁଣା ସାଇତା;
ଜଳିଲା ପ୍ରଦୀପଶିଖା କରି ବିକିରଣ,
ଆପଣାକୁ ଚିହ୍ନିବାର ନବୀନ କିରଣ

I made a wick of my pride,
And lamp-oil of my memories;
The flame burnt bright, shedding
A different light, to look at me.

Image Source. "Diya Lamp." Emojipedia. Retrieved from https://emojipedia.org/diya-lamp/

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Intentional Practices for Researcher Development

A recent article co-authored with two collaborators, in which we critically review our use of a variety of intentional practices for researcher development in Malaysia:

Ait Saadi, I., Collins, H. E., & Dash, D. P. (2018). Researcher development in Malaysia: A reflection-on-action. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 9(2), 259-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-D-18-00013  ⏵  Free online access to 50 users: Eprint link

Abstract

Purpose
This paper aims to share reflections on a collaborative researcher development initiative in Malaysia – the Borneo Research Education Conference (BREC) series. Although the immediate focus is on graduate students, the intention is to trigger wider discussions of researcher development theory in the context of policy and practice in the region.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper takes a reflection-on-action approach, reflecting on experience and sharing the lessons learned.

Findings
Introducing researcher development programs requires careful consideration of the social, institutional and practical contexts in which it takes place. Although transformation of the field is a long-term process, this process can start with small intentional practices.

Research limitations/implications
The analyses and recommendations arising from the BREC experience are context-specific and therefore cannot be generalised. However, the paper offers guidance for other researcher development initiatives, especially in contexts where the field is not well established.

Practical implications
Deliberately designed practices, such as including a broad range of researchers and creating a safe space for active engagement in developmental activities, can have a positive impact on participant’s researcher identities, self-confidence and sense of belonging.

Social implications
Policymakers are encouraged to consider a more inclusive notion of researcher development, focussing both on the product and the process of doctoral education.

Originality/value
Documenting and sharing reflections of a researcher development initiative in a “developing country” context allows for the comparing and contrasting of experiences in other settings.

Keywords

Malaysia, Doctorateness, Researcher development, Transformative practice, Doctoral education, Academic praxis, Conference design, Reflection on action

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Horizontal Accountability Practices

A recent contribution to a conference, in which I presented my ideas on horizontal accountability practices that may be relevant for Indian institutions of higher learning:

Dash, D. P. (2018, August). Viewing university–community linkage through the lens of accountability: Suggestions for new accountability practices. In University–community linkage (monograph released on the occasion of Odisha Vikash Conclave, 2018, pp. 3-5). Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur, India.

Abstract

I argue that, in India, the prevailing mechanisms of accountability have not oriented universities towards contributing to the public good. Significant aspects of public interest remain unfulfilled in the sphere of higher education and research. As a remedy, I propose new accountability practices, which would bring institutions closer to those voices and interests which have been marginalised due to the current centralised regulatory regime. I propose the following horizontal accountability practices: (a) Public Transparency, (b) Public Interaction, (c) Transdisciplinary Competency, and (d) Watchdog Journalism. Universities ought to demonstrate critical friendship with indigenous and other communities they aim to serve.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Odia University

My first newspaper article in Odia language, published today:

Dash, D. P. (2018, August 20). ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବିଶ୍ଵବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ: ଅସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଆଭିମୁଖ୍ୟ [Odia University: Nebulous mission]. Dharitri, p. 6. Retrieved from http://dharitriepaper.in/edition/755/bhubaneswar/page/6


Summary in English

The article raises several questions relating to the possible focus, role, impact, and accountability of the new Odia University, proposed to be set up in the Satyabadi region of Odisha, India. The sociocultural scenario in that region presents a picture of stagnation or even gradual decline, since India's independence from colonial rule. In that setting, can a new university bring about a positive change? Can it generate the dynamism necessary for reconstituting a healthy and vibrant community there? Universities are not only mirrors of humanity’s great heritage, they are also laboratories for testing new visions of the future. Would the Odia University be engaged in studying only the ancient history of the Odia language or would it be equally engaged with the current promises and predicaments of the language, both within and outside Odisha? What active role would the university play in the construction of a future? There are many universities in the country which are not in a position to assert the exact benefits they are producing. We hear that most Indian graduates are neither employable nor self-supporting. Let us wish that the new Odia University may sustain a sense of responsibility, integrity, and quality in every sphere of its work.

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Education Quality

Delivered a seminar on "Quality Assurance in Higher Education" at the new Odisha State Open University (OSOU), on 12 Jul 2018. It was attended by a small audience of university leaders and academic managers of OSOU from two locations, Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur (via video link). We discussed the inherent difficulty of defining quality for higher education and the current trends of thinking and practice in this domain. We used the notions of "graduate attributes," "best practice / next practice," "quality culture / audit culture," and "learner-centred education" to explore the challenges of quality assurance in the open and distance learning (ODL) context. I highlighted the importance of sustaining a conversation on these topics within the institution.

Finally, I concluded that quality remains a difficult concept and we need to remain open-minded about it, acknowledging the following:
  • Education quality is a moving target
  • Many interpretations of education quality
  • It is a complex idea – contextual and multidimensional
  • Still, a systematic approach is needed
  • Success is not guaranteed
  • Besides, there may be unintended consequences
  • Therefore, quality initiatives need continuous review from a systemic angle

Integrity Development

Delivered a seminar on "Integrity Development in Higher Education" at Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), on 3 Jul 2018. It was attended by a small audience of academics and research students. We discussed some of the contemporary challenges to academic integrity (e.g., the rise of "essay mills," "text spinning," "predatory publishing," etc.). I emphasised on the practical importance of focusing on "integrity development" (in distinction to integrity per se, borrowing from the work of the International Center for Academic Integrity), specifying the multilevel interventions required to enable and sustain such a focus. More particularly, I called for the following interventions:
  • Developing the regulatory framework
  • Informing and enabling stakeholders
  • Strengthening institutional governance mechanisms
  • Implementing awareness & development strategies
  • Embedding integrity in academic practice
  • Supporting research & scholarship on the subject

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Forms of Listening


I was involved as a co-facilitator in a process that may be described as a multi-expert conversation among social entrepreneurs, organised @sdrcindia on 24 Feb 2018. As a co-facilitator, I thought three types of listening happened here:
  1. Listening to the words of these passionate individuals—so that the proceedings may be transcribed accurately,
  2. Listening to the spirit behind their words—especially the courage of these individuals to go against the grain of society, and
  3. Listening for opportunities—opportunities to compare the narratives of these individuals with the broader narratives of human and social development.

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Tips on Academic Writing

1. Often, academic writing is a sincere, self-reflective, open-minded, evidential, and somewhat tempered engagement with an existing narrative or discourse. If your work amounts to such an engagement, you should clarify which narrative or discourse you are relating to and the specific novelty you are bringing into it. Additionally, it is important to clarify the purpose of your writing and the category of readers you intend to address.

2. Present your arguments fully. Providing in-text citations does not absolve you from your responsibility as author to present facts and arguments fully in order to make your case. Do assume that your readers are both intelligent and sceptical (i.e., they would not presuppose that a statement becomes true because some famous person said it!). As much as possible, go back to original sources (it is possible that the specific source you are using may have misrepresented the original idea).

3. Describe all specialist terms where these are first introduced in the text. Do not assume that your readers will understand all your specialist terms.

4. Avoid peacock terms (e.g., misleading expressions, unsupported claims, etc.). Follow a standard style manual, such as the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

5. Be selective in what you include—do not include such details which your intended readers will consider unnecessary.

6. Do not cite a source (article, book, etc.) which you have not read carefully. (Of course, you can use secondary citations, following the rules specified in the style manual you are following.)

7. Be careful when using a more definitive/conclusive language (e.g., "the greatest English novel," "there are four factors," "leads to," etc.); adopt a more verifiable/tentative language to indicate reasonable doubt (e.g., "listed in the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels," "there are four possible factors," "can [or appears to] lead to," etc.).

8. When citing another author, pay attention to the specific context in which he/she was working/writing. You should be aware of the purpose of their specific work which you are citing (i.e., their problem context), their background circumstances/constraints/priorities, the methods used by them, and the specific audience(s) whom they were addressing. Without exercising this care, you run the risk of misrepresenting their work/ideas and citing them out of context.

9. Avoid methodological pronouncements (e.g., "We will use the hermeneutic method"). Present these as methodological decisions (or choices) you have made after considering the nature of the questions to be answered, the circumstances of the research, alternative methods available and their relative merits and demerits, and what risks and errors you are willing to tolerate.

10. Avoid personification of inanimate things (avoid: "This study intends to . . ."; better alternative: "In this study, the researcher intends to . . ." or "In this study, I intend to . . .")

11. Use a carefully designed text hierarchy (i.e., a logically ordered set of sections, subsections, and paragraphs) to present your text in a structured fashion. Make the section and subsection headings as clear and expressive as possible (e.g., instead of "3. Case #1," use "3. Case #1. The Researcher's Dilemma"). This improves readability and facilitates comprehension. Use linking paragraphs to achieve a smooth flow of ideas from paragraph to paragraph, and section to section.

12. Set off long quotations (40 words or more) from the text by indenting; sometimes shorter quotations may also be indented in this fashion to improve readability and add emphasis. Indicate page numbers for all direct quotes. Caution: Do not burden your text with too many quotations. Use italics for technical terms/concepts, non-English expressions, titles of books and creative works, and where the use of italics is allowed, as per the style manual you are following.

Notes.

Although here I focus on the technicalities of academic writing, the act of writing is clearly much more than merely following rules and writing readable prose. As Kiriakos and Tienari have suggested recently, there is a need to speak of "academic writing as love" (Kiriakos & Tienari, 2018), even if it disrupts the metrics-driven mentality of academic administrators.