October 24, 2022

After nearly two decades of teaching and leading in different levels of the education system, I enjoyed the confidence that my hard-earned proficiency permitted. I knew I still had a lot to learn about my craft, but with years of teaching and school leadership under my belt, I felt adept at my daily work. In 2019, I made the fateful step to embark on my PhD studies in Education. To say I felt overwhelmed is an understatement. The sheer volume of existing knowledge and scholarship was intimidating and I felt cowed. I had no track record as a “proper” researcher and felt I had little of value to contribute amongst the giants in the field. I tried to draw upon my research skills from my Master’s degree, but at times, I felt disoriented- like I had gone from enjoying some measure of expertise as a professional to floundering like a complete novice as a researcher. My mentor and supervisor at the time sagely advised me that the research process, especially at the start, can get “messy” but this messiness made me uneasy and this discomfort grew throughout my first year as a PhD candidate.            

Other fledgling members of the PhD research community shared similar experiences. As I tried to make sense of these experiences, The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition proved to be a useful framework. This model describes a continuum of skill acquisition from novice to expert status. I realised that I was at different points along the continuum for different researcher skills. In some areas my competence grew at a relatively fast rate and in others, the progress was frustratingly slow. I had to do a significant amount of internal work to overcome imposter syndrome, acknowledge my conscious incompetence and make sense of the vastness of the research world. 

An important realisation for me was that I could apply my transferable skill set to my advantage. Generic skills related to personal organisation, reflection and resourcing proved to be valuable as I charted my way through those challenging first two years of study. I tried to be very disciplined with my habits. This, together with acquiring key resources, seeking mentorship and reading the right guide books helped me to make steady progress. I also needed to stop getting in my own way and to get out of my own head. To do this, connecting with others was the key and I relied on my networking skills. I found few communities of support in the Caribbean setting and this fueled my desire to be a part of establishing this Hub. I hope that being a part of TECR Hub will make your own research journey that bit easier, less lonely and more fulfilling. 

Mrs. Zaida Khan-Ventour is a PhD candidate, school principal and education consultant. Her research interests focus on professional learning.