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| Photo by Arnaud Padallé on Unsplash |
One of the most important things to know about the workshops we run in the RED Team is that they're interactive. Almost all our workshops are run synchronously and online, which means we use our spaces on Zoom as though they are virtual classrooms, to bring together researchers from across all our campuses. We often say that it's useful to think of these as being more like tutorials than podcasts.
Workshops run by the RED Team are centred on facilitating and guiding your development as a researcher, in a holistic sense. This involves (amongst other things) scaffolding your learning and supporting you to make connections and build your researcher community. Communicating with others is a vital part of the work that goes on in our sessions and it’s one of the reasons we don’t record them – we want you to be able to contribute freely and openly, without wondering who else might hear your personal reflections later on.
You’ll always get important information and resources during our sessions, and in our follow-up emails, but during workshops we want to focus on prompts and activities that help you think critically about your own practice. Our workshops aren’t about being super prescriptive in telling you what to do, but rather giving you the tools to figure out what works best for you. We hold the time and space for you to develop yourself – which is far more effective!
When you receive a reminder email for a session that you’ve registered for, you’re prompted to prepare for the workshop by making sure you’re in a quiet place, able to read text on a screen, take notes, and participate by communicating with others. Sessions run more collegially this way and your commitment to clearing time and sharing the space with other researchers generally determines how much you’ll get out of any particular session.
What can you do?
Plan ahead. We release our timetables by semester, which means you can plan weeks, or even months, in advance. We repeat most sessions in semesters one and two (and try to run these at different times / days, each time) to give you the best chance of attending. When you register via Eventbrite, click the option that lets you "add to calendar", so that the time is blocked out in advance and you can avoid double-booking yourself (few things make our hearts sink as much as hearing “I’m also in a meeting right now, so I can’t speak”). Remember, you can't get anywhere near as much from a session with us if you miss chunks. Without the framing and introduction at the beginning it can be difficult to make sense of the content that follows and, similarly, leaving before the wrap-up means you won't always understand the purpose of activities or recommendations.
Be prepared for interaction and collaboration. Yes, it can feel awkward and can absolutely be more challenging for some folks than others, for a range of reasons – but it’s also invaluable. Rather than, say, avoiding a breakout room (we do notice if you leave as soon as a breakout room pops up!), think about ways you might be more comfortable contributing – perhaps typing in the chat is easier than talking. Or maybe you’d prefer to ask questions rather than talk about your own experience. If this is something you struggle with, take some time before a workshop to think about how you might feel more comfortable interacting and note any questions you’d like to raise (you can even email them to us in advance, if you like). These things can ease the feeling of being put on the spot. And it can be handy to remind yourself that these activities aren’t small talk: this kind of peer-sharing helps you access the “hidden curriculum” of doctoral education and is a key part of your development as a researcher.
Keep an open mind. Research degrees are very different from coursework and can challenge you in new ways, whether you’ve come straight from another degree, had a wealth of experience in other sectors, or great success in a different career. It’s always useful to take stock of and draw upon your existing skill set, but the strategies that got you here aren't always the strategies you’ll need to complete a research project at this level. Be prepared to learn (and sometimes unlearn) and to be (gently) challenged. It helps to be open to changing your practice. A research degree is hard work but we want to make sure it's no harder than it needs to be. Our job is to facilitate you figuring out what works best for you in order to thrive in this environment.
We look forward to welcoming you into more RED things, soon!
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The Graduate Research School's Research Education and Development (RED) Team supports and assists La Trobe academic staff and graduate researchers in:
- quality research practices
- strategies for success in research publication and funding
- insight into researcher career paths and industry sectors
- practising excellent research communication skills
The RED Team is dedicated to providing a diverse, responsive, and forward-looking development program.
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