The speaker emphasized that writing a doctoral dissertation is a process of continuous revision and flexibility, with the greatest reward being the connection between theory and practice. She advised beginning by setting up data files and Word documents to develop a habit of consistent accumulation. The pressure of dissertation writing is immense—not only due to the extensive reading load but also the long reports and intensive class discussions. She noted that, unlike journal articles, dissertations often need to address multiple dimensions. Her own dissertation, for example, was suggested by committee members to be divided into at least three journal papers, covering topics such as metacognition, problem solving, visual cues, and attention focus. In developing her research topic, she went through several revisions before finalizing a comparative study on children’s self-directed learning performance under two curriculum approaches: the learning-area emergent model and the large-unit teaching model. Her research motivation stemmed from practical observations and international curriculum trends, and she continuously refined her design through pilot studies. She admitted that the process was full of challenges, including finding samples, delays in IRB approval, and high research costs, yet she managed to cope with flexibility. In addition, she reminded doctoral students to recognize the distinction between journal and dissertation writing. Journal papers prioritize focus and innovation, whereas dissertations must present the complete research process. Both require early planning and steady experience building. She concluded that the keys to successful publishing and dissertation writing are “consistent effort” and “making the most of feedback for revision.” Only through such persistence can research truly create value and impact.

Implemented by Department of Early Childhood Education
Date: 2025/09/18