Fulfilling an ethical obligation: An educative research assistantship

Authors

  • Michelle K McGinn Faculty of Education Brock University
  • Ewelina K Niemczyk Faculty of Education Brock University
  • Mary Gene Saudelli Faculty of Education Brock University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v59i1.55678

Keywords:

Research Assistantship, Graduate Education, Researcher Development, Ethical Obligation, Case Study

Abstract

Scant research evidence is available about the day-to-day workings of research assistantships or the educational possibilities they provide for research assistants and their academic supervisors. This case study documents the equitable, educative, and ethical nature of one research assistantship at a Canadian university. Data sources include audio recordings and transcripts from 24 research meetings, along with field notes and textual documents gathered over 8 months as the research assistant and academic supervisor designed, conducted, and presented an interview-based study. Evidence shows the academic supervisor supported the research assistant as she learned research skills and developed confidence as a researcher. The case study provides a potential model of an equitable, educative, and ethical research assistantship for the consideration of other research assistants and academic supervisors.

Il existe peu de données de recherche portant sur les activités quotidiennes qu’impliquent les assistanats à la recherche ou sur les possibilités éducatives qu’ils offrent aux assistants à la recherche et à leurs superviseurs académiques. Cette étude de cas évoque la nature équitable, éducative et éthique d’un assistanat à la recherche dans une université canadienne. Les sources de données comprennent des enregistrements et des transcriptions audio de 24 réunions de recherche, des notes d’observation sur le terrain et des textes recueillis au cours de 8 mois pendant lesquels l’assistante à la recherche et le superviseur académique ont conçu, entrepris et présenté une étude reposant sur les entrevues. Des données probantes indiquent que le superviseur a appuyé l’assistante à la recherche pendant qu’elle acquérait des compétences de recherche et prenait confiance en elle comme chercheuse. Cette étude de cas constitue un modèle potentiel d’assistanat à la recherche équitable, éducatif et éthique que pourraient examiner d’autres assistants à la recherche et superviseurs académiques.

Author Biographies

Michelle K McGinn, Faculty of Education Brock University

Dr. Michelle K. McGinn is Professor and Associate Dean of Research and International Initiatives in the Faculty of Education at Brock University. Her research and teaching interests focus on higher education, researcher development, research methodologies, and research ethics. She regularly teaches graduate research methods courses and she actively collaborates with graduate students whenever possible. She has written about the experiences of beginning and experienced researchers, collaboration and mentorship, ethical issues and challenges in research, and other topics.

Ewelina K Niemczyk, Faculty of Education Brock University

Ewelina K. Niemczyk is a doctoral candidate at Brock University in the Joint PhD in Educational Studies program. Her doctoral research, supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, explores graduate research assistantships as pedagogical spaces preparing future generations of researchers. Ewelina’s other research interests include mentoring in higher education, developing transferable skills in doctoral programs, and research ethics.

Mary Gene Saudelli, Faculty of Education Brock University

Dr. Mary Gene Saudelli received her PhD in 2011 from Brock University’s Joint PhD in Educational Studies program. Currently, she is the Director of the Reading Clinic in the Faculty of Education at Brock University and teaches in the Adult Education, Teacher Education, and Master of Education programs. Her research and teaching interests focus on curriculum theory and implementation, international education, new literacies, and multimodalities in teaching and learning.

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Published

2013-12-15

How to Cite

McGinn, M. K., Niemczyk, E. K., & Saudelli, M. G. (2013). Fulfilling an ethical obligation: An educative research assistantship. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 59(1), 72–91. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v59i1.55678

Issue

Vol. 59 No. 1 (2013): Spring

Section

ARTICLES

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