The simple answer – because I love to learn 🙂

But what is a PhD….?

According to PhD Comics (…which is an amusing site!) – PhD stands for Piled High and Deeper….  🙂

But most of the time it stands for Doctor of Philosophy. Wikipedia clarifies:

The term “philosophy” does not refer solely to the modern field of philosophy, but is used in a broader sense in accordance with its original Greek meaning, which is “love of wisdom.” In most of Europe, all fields other than theology, law and medicine were traditionally known as philosophy.

So, that’s one reason – love of wisdom. But what really defines wisdom? Well, without getting too ‘philosophical’ …I went to dictionary.com :

wis·dom [wiz-duhm] noun

1. the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.

2. scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.

3. wise sayings or teachings; precepts.

4. a wise act or saying.

But when I finally achieve the label ‘Doctor of Philosophy,’ you won’t find me suddenly proclaiming that I possess ‘the quality of being wise.’ Instead, I will be looking back on my journey of “scholarly knowledge or learning” and then looking forward to the next steps in my learning.

With every class I take or paper I read, I find myself questioning more, seeking more, wanting to learn more – it can be overwhelming at times. I guess that’s why I like the quote: “The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know” – apparently said by Albert Einstein.

But Why Educational Psychology?

Well, the short answer is  (…I will resist the urge to turn this post into an essay 😉 – because I am fascinated by the many influences on human behaviour – particularly in educational environments.

So…my big-picture answer to Why a PhD…It is my hope, that through learning the answers to some of my questions (…which in turn will create new questions…!), I will be able to encourage teachers and students in their own stages of learning.

…but maybe the answer is, according to PhD comics…. because grad school is like kindergarten… 🙂