Am I ready to start doctoral studies? What are my motivations? Do I have to register in a full-time or part-time program? How do I choose my university or school? What opportunities will I have? What is the life of a doctoral student? Who can support and guide me during my doctoral studies?
To answer these questions, the serious game created by Grenoble Ecole de Management, Doctoral Quest, offers to help (future) doctoral students in their doctoral projects.
3 key issues of the doctoral path:
In discussions with students and the faculty, the team focused on three key issues of the doctoral journey. These issues concern choosing whether to write a thesis (or not), choosing whether to write a paper-based thesis or a monograph, and understanding the necessary ethical practices to adopt. Doctoral Quest is divided into three parts, each of which deals with one of these issues.
The goal is to motivate reflection and inspire discussion
"Each of the three parts of the game lasts between 10 and 15 minutes. Players face a variety of issues that allow reflexivity about their own progress and functioning. At the end of the first game, the (future) doctoral students receive a detailed summary of the list of resources to continue their reflection," says Caroline Gauthier, senior professor and DBA academic director. "The goal is to guide and support doctoral students as close as possible to the reality," she adds.
How the game works
At the beginning of each game, the player engages in role playing, such as a face-to-face exchange with a professor of the doctoral team or another student. As the dialogues chain up, the player is presented with several possible answers and must decide which seems most relevant to him. However, the aim of Doctoral Quest is not to earn points; rather, it is to raise the right questions and help a future doctoral student benefit from a variety of resources to make the best decision.
Doctoral students, prospective students, young doctors, and professors of the doctoral school have tested the game during its various phases of creation in order to make it as realistic as possible. More than 100 people have participated in these discussions, which have led to improvements.
Useful information about Doctoral Quest
• 1 to 3 players: potential PhD and DBA students, executive doctorate students
• 10 to 15 minutes play time per game
• 3 scenarios, 18 best practices, and 25 resources
Are you also considering doctoral studies?