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Creating a University Ecosystem That Fosters Innovation in Doctoral Education: Trends and Challenges Christine Ortiz
Dean for Graduate Education Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
League of European Research Universities Open Seminar
Brussels, Belgium
October 7th, 2014
U.S. National Trends and Challenges in Graduate Education
□ Value of Residential Education: commuter, distance and blended on‐
line graduate education; competency‐based programs
□ Affordability, access, student debt
□ Retention, completion and attrition;
□ Growth of Masters programs;
□ Outcomes‐based assessment of student learning; data (accreditation)
□ Fostering an inclusive and diverse campus environment; civility and freedom of speech.
Co‐Curriculum
□ Globalization: International educational experiences;
□ Entrepreneurship: Conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment;
□ Preparation and professional development for non‐academic careers.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
Doctoral Completion and Attrition: Sampling of U.S. Institutions Survey of 30 selected US Universities: Cumulative Ph.D. completion rates by broad field covering 1992‐93 through 2003‐2004 (Source: Ph.D. Completion and Attrition: Analysis of Baseline Demographic Data from the Ph.D. Completion Project: Council of Graduate Schools, 2008).
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
U.S. Graduate Student Debt
Median Cumulative Borrowing for Graduate Education by Graduate Degree
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
Source: Council of Graduate Schools Grad Edge Newsletter, June 2014
Graduate Student Financial Literacy Initiatives
http://www.gradsense.org/gradsense
http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/271/ortiz_konar.html
http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/field_file/CashCourseFall2014.pdf
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
U.S. Graduate Student Diversity in STEM Fields
URMs as Percent of Domestic Graduate Enrollments
Percent Female of Graduate Enrollments
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
Data Source: Integrated PostSecondary Educational Data System (IPEDs)
The Changing Nature of Doctoral Education
○ This generation of graduate students (The Millenials) are increasingly diverse, community and global minded; interest in “grand challenge” research areas is flourishing (e.g., energy, environment, health, poverty, water, etc.) http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/252/ortiz_spero.html
○ The isolated apprentice model of a graduate student working with a lone supervisor is becoming obsolete. Today, graduate education involves increasingly deeper and diverse collaborations between individuals, laboratories, disciplines, institutions and countries; Research is becoming more data‐intensive, visualized, rapid, collaborative, emphasis on large complex systems.
○ MIT has created a distributed ecosystem of “non‐
traditional learning opportunities” at levels; public service, entrepreneurship, leadership, educational outreach, international projects→ greatly enhances personal and professional development.
Typical US Doctoral Curriculum
Formalized Field‐Specific Curriculum Core Classes Elective Classes
Quals/
Thesis Proposal
Oral and Written Components
Thesis Research
Thesis Writing
Thesis Defense
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
Residential Education:
Geographic Distribution of On‐Campus Graduate Students at MIT
MIT Campus
● 7 graduate student residences, 38% (2511) of MIT graduate students live on‐campus. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost AY2013
Geographic Distribution of Off‐Campus Graduate Residences at MIT
● 66% of off‐
campus* graduate students live within 15 minutes walking distance (1 mile) of campus (primarily in Cambridge) and 93% within 5 miles of campus.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost AY2013
MIT is Embedded in a Local Innovation Corridor (“02139”)
95 Kendall Square Life Sciences companies, by the year 2001, 21 were either were founded by MIT alumni or faculty, or had MIT‐licensed technology; their revenues were $2.5 billion. 1million people employed in Massachusettts. Source: Entrepreneurial Impact: The Role of MIT (2009).
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT Professional Development Environment (*distributed at multiple levels, both formal and grass roots)
ODGE
Career Path &
Grad Student
Council/GWAMIT
Transferable Skills
Teaching & Learning
Lab
Global Ed/
Career Dev. Office Academic
Depts.
Sloan
School of Management
Academic
Depts.
e.g. SCM, Media Lab Public Speaking
Course, DUSP dedicated staff
Curricular
GWAMIT Leadership Conference
Path of Professorship
MISTI
Global Ed/
Career Office
International
& Public Service
Public
Service Center
Workshops
Internships
RCR/ Ethics
Conferences
Seminars/
Workshop
s
Research
Exchanges
PRO‐DEPOT IDEAS
Global Challenge
Sloan Action
Learning Labs
J‐Pal
Minor
Lemelson Prize
iteams
MIT China Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum
D‐Lab
SkTech
SMART
Legatum
Center
Martin
Trust Center
Deshpande
Center
Venture
Mentoring
Service
Entrepreneurship
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT 2013 (5‐10‐15‐20‐15) Year Graduate Alumni Survey:
Participation in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost
Selected Models of International Education at MIT
○ October 2011, C. Ortiz Council for Graduate Schools Communicator, Volume 44, Number 8 (http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/comm_2011_10.pdf)
○ March / April, 2011, MIT Faculty Newsletter Article Vol. XXIII No. 4 “Practical Considerations for the Involvement of Graduate Students in MITs International Engagements,“ C. Ortiz, Ulric J. Ferner (2010‐2011 President of the MIT Graduate Student Council) (http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/234/ferner_ortiz.html)
○ research team‐based ○ internships ○ curricular ○ individual faculty‐driven collaborations.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
Graduate Student International Experience
While you were a graduate student at MIT, did you go to another country other than the U.S. or your home country for activities related to your studies at MIT?
Years since degree
Level of Most Doctoral
Recent MIT Graduate Degree
Yes
No
Do not recall
5
10
15
48.1% 45.4% 36.7%
51.3% 52.4% 61.5%
.6% 2.2% 1.8%
Other Master's Degree
N
Yes
No
Do not recall
347 229
218
38.7% 31.3% 23.3%
61.3% 67.8% 76.3%
0.0% 1.0%
.4%
234
22.9%
76.2%
1.0%
218
16.2%
83.8%
0.0%
1246
28.1%
71.5%
.4%
N
Yes
No
Do not recall
385 304
270
77.5% 66.7% 61.5%
22.5% 32.6% 38.5%
0.0%
.7% 0.0%
210
48.7%
51.3%
0.0%
228
32.6%
67.4%
0.0%
1397
60.7%
39.2%
.2%
119
86
651
MBA
N
173
138
135
20
29.9%
69.7%
.4%
25
29.8%
68.3%
1.8%
Overall
39.0%
59.7%
1.3%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost
Graduate Program Learning Objectives and Assessment Plans
1. GOALS: Articulate the learning that students should know by the end of their program; proficiencies, goals, expectations, aspirations. How do you define a successful student?
2. INFORMATION: Collect systematic evidence: Data is gathered and analyzed on how they are achieving learning goals, specific progress/milestones; qualitative and quantitative; e.g. thesis, exam, project, internship, etc. How do you know if students meet your definition of success?
○ Direct Measures
○ Indirect Measures
3. ACTION: Create Feedback Loop so that findings can be used to make decisions about improvement. Action is taken to improve learning based on data; can be used to compile best practices, strategic planning. How do you use what you have learned?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT: Examples of Measures of Learning at the Graduate Level
Indirect ○ Student and Alumni Survey Data (satisfaction, job placement, professional skills, etc.)
○ Exit interviews
○ Course evaluations
○ Degrees Awarded, Time‐to‐
Candidacy, Time‐to‐Degree, Retention
○ Awards and Honors
Direct ○ Core class performance; grades, projects, problem sets, etc.
○ Qualifying examinations performance
○ Publication, citations, portfolios and other measures of knowledge generation and dissemination
○ Thesis examination
○ Research Presentations
○ Thesis dissertation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT Doctoral Cohort Analysis: Completion and Attrition
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost
MIT 2013 (5‐10‐15‐20‐15) Year Graduate Alumni Survey :
MIT Employment Sector Distributions by Graduate Degree Type http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/254/ortiz.html
(Recipients of degrees in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2008, *Other Master’s Includes: Master of Architecture (MArch), Master in City Planning (MCP), Master of Engineering (MEng), Master of Finance (MFin), Master of Science (SM), Engineer (each degree designates the field in which it is awarded).
● Our graduate alumni are pursuing a diverse set of career paths, experiencing dynamic career trajectories, they are extensively engaged in innovation and entrepreneurship, and lastly they have identified various skillsets as critical to their success, in particular, one‐on‐
one communication, prioritization, critical thinking, flexibility and resourcefulness. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost
Publication Record of MIT Doctoral Recipients
○ A new pilot project between MIT and Academic Analytics, Inc. is currently being carried out to assess the scholarly productivity of our doctoral graduates, as one measure of knowledge generation and dissemination. Academic Analytics maintains a national database of on scholarly productivity which is collected by independent sources and currently includes 170,000+ faculty members, 282 institutions, 8737 PhD programs, 1 million+ articles and 10 million+ citations, 75,000+ grants for 6 federal agencies, 26,000+ honors from 281 governing societies, and 56,000+ books.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost
MIT Student Quality of Life Survey
Below are potential sources of stress that you may experience. Please indicate how each has effected you during the current academic year.
Unique Sources of Stress for International Students
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
*Data Source: MIT Office of Institutional Research, Office of the Provost AY2013
Current Research on Cultural Acclimation
Components: 1) Logistical, 2) Social and Emotional, 3) Academic and Educational and 4) Cultural
Home
Host Country
Everything is new, interesting You accept and and exciting. embrace cultural differences. You see the host as your new home and don't wish to depart or leave new friends.
Differences become apparent and irritating. Problems occur and frustration sets in.
Home
You are excited about returning home.
You develop strategies to cope with difficulties and feelings, make new friends, and learn to adopt to the host You may feel culture.
homesick, depressed and helpless.
You gradually adjust to life at home. Things start to see more normal and routine again, although not exactly the same.
You incorporate what you learned and experienced abroad into your new life and career.
You may feel frustrated, angry, or lonely because friends and family don't understand what you experienced and how you changed. You miss the host culture ad friends and may look for ways to return.
(http://icenter.ucsd.edu/ispo/living‐in‐sd/culture/index.html; Anne P. Copeland, Marissa Lombardi, The Interchange Institute)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
Blended Residential and MOOC Graduate Courses
Benefits to Residential Students:
○ Engagement with an international community in discussion forums
○ Broader set of peer review / feedback on research skills
○ Instant and more detailed feedback and advanced complex problems
○ Instant access to all course materials
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT Office of Digital Learning, Professor Iain Stewart, Daniel Kolodrubetz, MIT Department of Physics
Blended Residential and MOOC Graduate Courses
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT Office of Digital Learning, Professor Iain Stewart, Daniel Kolodrubetz, MIT Department of Physics
Blended Residential and MOOC Graduate Courses
Hierarchical organization of course material spanning levels from introduction to latest developments Introduction: advanced undergrad level (Course team)
Foundation: beginning PhD student level (Course team)
State‐of‐the‐art: advanced PhD student/postdoc level (MIT + Guest lecturers)
Bleeding edge: Specialized micro‐lectures (Students/postdocs on their latest work)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, C. Ortiz 2014
MIT Office of Digital Learning, Professor Gunther Roland, MIT Department of Physics
The Future of Doctoral Education
○ The most effective path forward for the future of the modern research university is one which integrates residential, virtual and global experiences; one which links discipline‐specific academic rigor with enriching non‐traditional learning activities that develop transferable skills, context and character.
Formalized Typical US Doctoral Curriculum
Field‐Specific Curriculum Core Classes Elective Classes
Quals/
Thesis Proposal
Oral and Written Components
Thesis Research
□ Create and disseminate original knowledge at the frontiers
of the field □ Recognize what the new knowledge generated means in a broad context □ Develop a skillset and the character to act on this new knowledge for the benefit of humanity.
Thesis Writing
Thesis Defense