Investigate the Emotional Journey of doctoral Students through the lenses of Information-seeking behaviour and Gamification

Ahmed, Amira (2025) Investigate the Emotional Journey of doctoral Students through the lenses of Information-seeking behaviour and Gamification. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

The research reported here investigates the emotional regulation of doctoral students’ experiences during information-seeking behaviour, focusing on revealing differences in how they learn to programme. This research delves into the crucial role of emotion regulation in doctoral students’ information-seeking behaviour, an underexplored aspect that has profound implications for academic success and personal well-being. The inquiry is guided by a primary research question exploring how emotion and emotion regulation influence doctoral students’ information-seeking behaviour. It further investigates strategies emerging from the research to support emotional regulation in the doctoral journey. The question explores the direct impact of emotions on the information-seeking behaviour of doctoral students and examines how their emotion regulation strategies facilitate or impede this process. This exploration is grounded in the hypothesis that Emotions directly impact the information-seeking behaviour of doctoral students, with their emotion regulation strategies acting as facilitators or barriers in this process. The study identifies the significant emotional impacts and external factors related to emotion regulation during information-seeking behaviour to address this. Furthermore, it investigates how emotion regulation processes bolster self-regulated learning throughout the various stages of doctoral research. A mixed-methods approach, incorporating a self-reported diary and interviews across three phases of the doctoral journey, serves as the methodological backbone of this study. The data, rich with personal narratives and subjective experiences, is analysed quantitatively for exploratory significance and through a phonomyography lens to distil the essence of participants’ emotional journeys. This dual analysis unveils a spectrum of emotions that doctoral students navigate. It highlights the influence of supervisory relationships, resource availability, peer collaboration, work-life balance, financial support, language and cultural barriers, and technology on their information-seeking It further explores the strategies emerging from the research to support emotional regulation in the doctoral journey. The potential of gamification techniques, like the Octalysis Framework, to enhance emotional management and intrinsic motivation in doctoral students. It posits that integrating gamification can transform the research process into a more engaging and emotionally supportive endeavour. This question not only evaluates the effectiveness of gamification strategies but also proposes a new framework for managing emotions and heightening motivation, thereby aligning emotional drivers with research milestones. The study's findings culminate in developing the Gamification-Enhanced Model (GEM) framework. The GEM framework is a novel contribution that synthesises the results into actionable strategies, integrating the emotional facets of the doctoral journey with game elements to foster a more supportive and motivating research environment. This framework aims to mitigate negative emotional states and amplify positive ones, ensuring that doctoral students remain engaged, motivated, and emotionally regulated throughout their academic pursuits. In conclusion, this research contributes significantly to understanding emotional regulation in postgraduate studies, providing evidence-based insights and innovative solutions. By highlighting the importance of emotions in the research process and offering the GEM framework as a tool for enhancement, it paves the way for a new era of doctoral training where emotional intelligence is not just an asset but a central component of academic achievement and personal growth. Keywords: Emotions, Information Seeking, Doctoral students, ISP, Self-Regulation, Emotion Regulation, Gamification, Motivation, Octalysis framework