A moral compass framework for resolution of wicked problems in doctoral education and supervision

Date26 August 2014
Pages355-369
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-05-2014-0020
Published date26 August 2014
AuthorJohn A. Bowden,Pam Green
Subject MatterEducation,Curriculum, instruction & assessment,Educational evaluation/assessment
A moral compass framework for
resolution of wicked problems
in doctoral education
and supervision
John A. Bowden
Swinburne Research, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne,
Australia and RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, and
Pam Green
Swinburne Research, Swinburne University of Technology,
Melbourne, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to design and explain a moral compass framework that informs
decision-making by those engaged in shaping the doctoral education and supervision environment.
Design/methodology/approach – The research involved analysis of transcripts of 50 interviews
with a range of doctoral students and supervisors. The framework was derived from the integration of
the transcript analysis with a range of theoretical constructs: Rittel and Webber’s (1973) “wicked”
problems; Bowden’s (2004) capability for the unknown future; Baillie et al.’s (2013) threshold capability
development; liminality (Meyer and Land 2006); mindfulness (Langer and Moldoveanu, 2000; Green and
Bowden, 2012); as well as our interpretation of moral compass and collective morality.
Findings – Although applicable to a wide range of contexts, with broader, potentially universal
implications for professional life, the framework is explained using the doctoral education system as
example, and supervisor and candidate experiences as illustration. It relates individual decision-making
to notions of collective morality and moral development within a multi-level system, through moral
advocacy and moral mediation, activities identied as necessary at all levels of the doctoral system.
Originality/value Our framework demonstrates the need for developing awareness of the
multi-factorial nature of the wicked problems that arise in doctoral education and the requirement to
address such problems across all levels – individual, organisational and national. We identied the
central importance of a new construct – collective morality and the way that moral advocacy and moral
mediation can contribute to resolution of such wicked problems in doctoral education and supervision.
Keywords Doctoral education, Collective morality, Moral arbiter, Moral compass, Unknown future
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The theme for this paper was inspired by analysis of interviews with doctoral
candidates and supervisors and addresses what we have called a moral compass
framework. The framework informs decision-making by those engaged in shaping the
higher education environment. While the framework presented is applicable to a wide
range of contexts, it has been inspired by the authors’ supervisory, training and research
experience within Australian postgraduate education. The doctoral education system is
used as an example to describe and explain the framework, with supervisor and
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
Problems in
doctoral
education and
supervision
355
Received 13 May 2014
Revised 2 June 2014
Accepted 15 June 2014
Quality Assurance in Education
Vol. 22 No. 4, 2014
pp. 355-369
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/QAE-05-2014-0020

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