Enabling incidental learning

In research, perhaps more than in any other level of study in higher education, informal and incidental learning opportunities are abound. Learning from peers in social and work-based settings, networking within the institution and across interdisciplinary academic teams all contribute to a vibrant learning community.

We recognise that incidental learning is vital to the success of research students. In his book Demystifying Postgraduate Research (2001) Jonathan Grix describes the stages of research and says that early in the process:

‘None of the reflection and analysis ... takes place in a vacuum with you hunched over a pile of books: rather there is a need for exposure and exchange of ideas not only with your supervisor but also with your peers and friends.’

Grix,J. (2001) Demystifying Postgraduate Research

Informal settings

The exchange of ideas, methods and knowledge can take place in shared offices and in everyday social settings. If those places and opportunities are inaccessible, then the whole research experience is narrower and is defined by its boundaries. Disabled researchers have identified barriers to incidental learning and most of them have been erected inadvertently.

• A blind researcher became distanced from other researchers because of a lack of funding for adaptive equipment when he started
• A deaf researcher could not join in the discussions over coffee because lip reading was impossible sitting around a long rectangular table
• A researcher with mental health difficulties whose office was on a different floor from the rest of the team found social interaction increasingly difficult
• A researcher with a mobility impairment was unable to participate in the informal network because of their department's inaccessibility.

‘One of the main problems is the way in which a lot of information exchange happens on an informal basis. Because I am not in my department very often as it has had continual and major construction work since I've been here, I sometimes don't get to know things and sometimes feel excluded even though no-one intends me to.’

Postgraduate researcher with physical mobility impairment

Access to the whole research environment is essential for all postgraduate researchers if they are to benefit from the motivation, stimulation and excitement of the research community. That whole curriculum involves social, as well as formal learning opportunities. When it works for researchers, it has a very positive impact on their whole research experience.

‘As for inter-departmental social events, again I've been lucky because for two years I knew the department's postgraduate representative quite well so, whenever there were gatherings organised, he would make sure that the place hired was accessible. I have also been fortunate to find, amongst my fellow postgraduates, a small group of extremely sincere and generous friends. Whenever my planning has gone awry or when something pops up out of nowhere, I can rely on one of them to get me through.’

Postgraduate researcher with mobility impairment

As the researcher above makes clear, there are additional benefits from getting it right; our responsibility for providing support and opportunities for exchanging ideas can be shared with the researcher's peers.

‘Especially in our first year this (difficulty with research terminology) is something we talked about quite a lot. And again that was nice because 5 or 6 of us in the same room were first year students and this is one we all felt completely lost with.’

Postgraduate researcher with dyslexia

In addition, access to the whole team or to peers can be vital to the well-being of researchers.

‘My emotional disability made my PhD experience most unsatisfying and upsetting. My inability to feel comfortable and to interact with people led to me making no friends while at university. This made the rigours of research more hard to bear, when you have no distraction from it, no release.’

Postgraduate researcher

The links in the right-hand menu suggest some practical steps for improving access to informal learning environments.