Introduction to Research Supervision at the University of Canterbury

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• Introduction to Research Supervisionat the
  University of Canterbury
• Margaret KileyCEDAM
• Margaret.kiley_at_anu.edu.au

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Take home messages

• Each candidate/supervisor relationship is unique,
  therefore, there is no one right way to
  supervise, however, there are characteristics of
  the ideal supervisor - mainly the affective
• Clarifying expectations and developing
  communication are probably the most important
  aspects of the candidate/supervisory relationship
• Supervision is a form of teaching (complex,
  sophisticated, and often challenging) but none
  the less, teaching
• Supervisors are critical components of a
  universitys provision of research supervision,
  but not the only component

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CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS e.g. gender, age,
enrolment, previous academic /research
experience, motivation, intellectual capacity,
research topics, conceptions of research
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CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS e.g. gender, age,
enrolment, previous academic /research
experience, motivation, intellectual capacity,
research topics, conceptions of research
SUPERVISOR CHARCTERISTICS e.g. previous doctoral
experiences, gender, age, previous experience
supervising/ examining, conceptions of research
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ENVIRONMENT/CONTEXT Candidates and supervisors
interact and learning within a research learning
environment
discipline
CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS e.g. gender, age,
enrolment, previous academic /research
experience, motivation, intellectual capacity,
research topics, conceptions of research
institutional protocols
peers
research culture
significant others
government policies
SUPERVISOR/s CHARCTERISTICS e.g. previous
doctoral experiences, gender, age, previous
experience supervising/ examining, conceptions of
research
global developments
library support services
university policies
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ENVIRONMENT/CONTEXT Candidates and supervisors
interact and learning within a research learning
environment
discipline
CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS e.g. gender, age,
enrolment, previous academic /research
experience, motivation, intellectual capacity,
research topics, conceptions of research
institutional protocols
peers
research culture
EXAMINATION
significant others
government policies
SUPERVISOR CHARCTERISTICS e.g. previous doctoral
experiences, gender, age, previous experience
supervising/ examining, conceptions of research
global developments
library support services
university policies
7
ENVIRONMENT/CONTEXT Candidates and supervisors
interact and learning within a research learning
environment
discipline
CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS e.g. gender, age,
enrolment, previous academic /research
experience, motivation, intellectual capacity,
research topics, conceptions of research
OUTCOMES Timely progression and completion
Career prospects Publications Quality
thesis Research and generic skills
Research understandings Changed world view
Changed perception of self as researcher
and learner Becoming a researcher
Contribution to field of research Social
Value
institutional protocols
peers
research culture
significant others
EXAMINATION
government policies
SUPERVISOR CHARCTERISTICS e.g. previous doctoral
experiences, gender, age, previous experience
supervising/ examining, conceptions of research
global developments
library support services
university policies
8
ENVIRONMENT/CONTEXT Candidates and supervisors
interact and learning within a research learning
environment
discipline
CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS e.g. gender, age,
enrolment, previous academic /research
experience, motivation, intellectual capacity,
research topics, conceptions of research
OUTCOMES Timely progression and completion
Career prospects Publications Quality
thesis Research and generic skills
Research understandings Changed world view
Changed perception of self as researcher
and learner Becoming a researcher
Contribution to field of research Social
Value
institutional protocols
peers
research culture
LEARNING AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCES e.g.
modification/development of expectations,
conceptions, approaches to research supervision
significant others
EXAMINATION
government policies
SUPERVISOR CHARCTERISTICS e.g. previous doctoral
experiences, gender, age, previous experience
supervising/ examining, conceptions of research
global developments
library support services
university policies
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Vignettes

• In your folder there are four vignettes related
  to research supervision
• In your groups work through each one and discuss
  (about 10 minutes each)

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Tools

• Expectation Scale
• One means of highlighting expectations of both
  candidate and supervisor
• Memorandum of Understanding
• Helpful for even just discussing the aspects of
  supervision without necessarily turning into an
  MoU
• Learning needs analysis
• To assist students identify strengths that they
  bring to their candidature and where they need to
  develop new skills and knowledge

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Expectations

• Expectation scale
• In pairs, one act as the supervisor and the
  other act as the candidate.
• Read and decide where you fit on the scale for
  each of the points
• Discuss with your supervisor/candidate and then
  discuss with the group.
• PS there are no right or wrong answers

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Memorandum of Understanding

• Is this used in your department? If so, how?
• What would you need to add to make it useful for
  you and your situation?

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Learning Plan

• Some people prefer to put the focus on the
  candidates learning (rather than some of the
  more administrative matters)
• Using the outline your folder, how might you use
  something like this with your candidates?
• Its probably a good idea to start with what they
  candidate brings to their learning and then look
  at where they might need to develop
• Most will need help in the early stages working
  out actually what they might need to learn first
  up.

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Communication Techniques

• In groups, discuss techniques that you have used,
  your supervisor used, or you know from others
  that have helped communication (can/sup,
  can/panel, can/can, can/other) e.g.
• Agendas for, and Notes from, individual and panel
  meetings
• Memorandum of Understanding
• Email/web-based discussion
• Group meetings (with different candidates getting
  practice at chairing, noting etc)
• Regular meeting times/Open-door policy/Meetings
  as needed
• Meetings with others in the Centre/disciplines

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Brain Refresher (Quick stretch)

• 5 minutes

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Stages of Candidature

• Recruitment and selection
• Framing the candidature e.g. needs analysis,
  expectations, topic selection/refinement,
  establishing the panel, literature review and
  methodology
• Guiding and monitoring progress e.g. ensure
  formal requirements met, writing, development of
  networks, feedback on progress
• Completing e.g. when to stop, feedback,
  nomination of examiners, support during and after
  examination
• The post graduation phase e.g. preparing a
  research and publication plan

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The ideal supervisor

• In our groups have a look at the sheet What do
  candidates consider to be the qualities of an
  ideal supervisor? and discuss the following
• Which qualities appear to be common across the
  four studies?
• How does that relate to your own experience?
• Which of those qualities do you think you
  currently demonstrate? How?

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Supervision rather than Supervisor

• Research suggests that there are a range of roles
  that need to be filled in terms of research
  supervision, in addition to knowledge of the
  topic and methodology, these are
• Mentor
• Coach
• Facilitator of candidature
• Sponsor
• From Pearson, M Kayrooz, C. (2004). Enabling
  critical reflection on research supervisory
  practice. International Journal for Academic
  Development, 9(1), 99-116

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Mentor

• The mentoring role requires specific subject
  expertise and includes mentoring students so
  they can complete the research project itself,
  but also mentoring the intellectual development
  of the student, i.e.
• Encourages publishing
• Encourages networking
• Helps with seminar and conference presentations
• Assists with career goals

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Coach

• The coach role involves helping candidates
  develop their research expertise while they are
  actually doing their research project. The
  coaching role often is performed by a range of
  people. This role includes
• Helping students with identifying the research
  question and theoretical framework
• Helping plan and refine the project
• Advising on critical aspects of research
• Being directive when needed

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Progressing/facilitating Candidature

• The progressing the candidature role can be
  thought as facilitation-related functions, this
  includes
• Monitoring progress
• Periodically reviewing supervision arrangements
• Negotiating availability and initiating contact
• Devoting sufficient time to the student

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Sponsor

• The sponsor is one who, for example, will
• Ensure candidates have access to basic resources
• Ensure, or advise on how, students can access
  funding for conferences, field work etc
• Keep students current with policies procedures
• Identify administrative procedures that students
  need to meet
• Provide access to expertise and full
  participation in the research practice
  including alternative sources of expertise.

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Can any one person do this? The case for
Supervisory Panels

• In your group, discuss
• Which of the roles reflect your strengths?
• Which roles would you need someone else to
  fulfill?
• What can/should you do about it?
• How can you encourage your candidates to seek out
  people who can fulfill the four roles?
• Discuss how you might work with a candidate on
  the task of constructing a panel/committee taking
  into account the various roles and the different
  stages of candidature and the related
  responsibilities (keep in mind the Expectation
  tool, MoU etc)

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Refining a Research Topic

• One person in your group to be the candidate,
  other to act as supervisors
• Candidate to select one of the following topics
  and tell supervisors that she/he wants to
  undertake a research degree on that topic
• I want to research the problems of overseas
  students undertaking a research degree in New
  Zealand
• I want to research Continuing Professional
  Development for research supervisors at
  Canterbury
• I want to research the selection of students for
  research degrees at Canterbury
• I want to research thesis examination in New
  Zealand
• The Candidate tells the group the topic and
  then the group of supervisors uses questioning
  to help the candidate refine the topic.
• The following points might help with the
  questioning

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Possible questions

• Does this area of research really excite you?
• What are you curious to find out? Why?
• Is this something that you can live and work with
  for several years?
• What is it that you want to be known for when you
  finish e.g. Education? Policy development?
• Is the topic doable in terms of
• Aims?
• Access to resources, including equipment,
  fieldwork, expertise?
• Your own skills e.g. you might need to learn
  another language, or become proficient in
  statistical analysis, do you have the time?

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Monitoring Progress

• Monitoring progress has been shown to be
  critical in candidature.
• Most universities have a system (e.g. Annual
  Progress Reports) where the supervisory
  panel/committee discusses with the candidate
  their progress over the past 6/12 months and
  plans for the next 6/12 months
• Reflecting on, and discussing progress, have been
  shown to have a positive affect on progress. It
  can also be the time when changes are made to the
  supervisory panel.
• Realistic milestones and reasons for milestones?
• What if a candidate doesnt reach those
  milestones?
• What happens at Canterbury?

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Feedback on work

• One of the most common complaints from candidates
  is the lack of timely and useful feedback from
  supervisors
• These complaints come through in surveys and
  grievance procedures?
• What makes for useful feedback?
• What is timely?

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In small groups

• How do supervisors give feedback to research
  candidates? E.g. did your supervisor give you
  verbal, hand written on written work that has
  been presented, via email etc
• How often do you think a supervisor should
  provide feedback and how can they make the time
  to do it?
• What advice can supervisors give to candidates
  about submitting work for feedback e.g. suggest
  that candidates give them drafts to read as they
  are about to head off on a long flight?
• What do supervisors expect candidates to do with
  the feedback? e.g. does the supervisor expect
  them to act on it or is it for advice only?
• See Taxonomy of feedback on PhD drafts for
  different kinds of feedback that can be given

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Publication plan

• Possible conferences over the next 2-3 years
  (conferences are good for keeping to timelines!)
• Developing a research theme
• Conference presentations On which parts of
  research? With whom? How?
• Turning a conference presentation into a journal
  article. Determining the right journals for the
  manuscript?
• How does one rework part of a thesis for
  publications (journal, book etc) without having
  to rewrite the whole thing.

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Web Resources

• Research Supervision _at_ ANU http//www.anu.edu.au/c
  edam/researchsuper
• Papers from all seven biennial Quality in
  Postgraduate Research conferences
  http//qpr.edu.au
• Consortium For Improving Research Supervision
  Training (fIRST) http//www.first.edu.au
• Australian Deans and Directors of Graduate
  Studies http//www.ddogs.edu.au/cgi-bin/index.pl
• SORTI web site at the University of Newcastle has
  information on examining theses particularly in
  the performing/ visual arts http//www.newcastle.e
  du.au/centre/sorti/publications.html

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Evaluation Strategies

• Supervision is very difficult to evaluate given
  the small number of students involved and lack of
  anonymity
• On the other hand we need some sort of feedback
  on performance for both formative (improvement)
  and summative (going for promotion) purposes
• Rachel to discuss the options that are available
  at Canterbury

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Evaluation

• Look at the following sheets that are in your
  folder
• Self Assessment
• Alternative Evaluation Strategies
• Peer evaluation of supervision
• Discuss in groups whether any of those ideas
  would work for you.

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Brain Refresher (Quick stretch)

• 5 minutes

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Take home messages

• Each candidate/supervisor relationship is unique,
  therefore, there is no one right way to
  supervise, however, there are characteristics of
  the ideal supervisor - mainly the affective
• Clarifying expectations and developing
  communication are probably the most important
  aspects of the candidate/supervisory relationship
• Supervision is a form of teaching (complex,
  sophisticated, and often challenging) but none
  the less, teaching
• Supervisors are critical components of a
  universitys provision of research supervision,
  but not the only component

35
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