Developmental networks and learning: toward an interdisciplinary perspective on identity development during doctoral study

The authors draw on two families of theories - developmental networks and sociocultural perspectives on learning - to develop an interdisciplinary approach to the study of doctoral education as a path to the professoriate. This approach seeks to elucidate the connection between doctoral students' developmental networks, what they learn during their graduate experience (including their learning about the faculty role) and how they develop a professional identity. The authors first discuss the key tenets of the developmental networks and sociocultural perspectives, before exploring their alignments and explaining how the combination might remedy the limitations inherent in each approach. Finally, they offer some research propositions and directions for further study of the preparation of doctoral students for academic careers.