Supervision T&L Conference 2007 Kate Williamson School of Education

Today’s session background Proposed research project Student dimension Staff dimension CLT group UG / PG

I want to cover: Background thoughts Data from student questionnaire Reflections on how we supervise Moving forward

Just general supervision: not Special educational needs Gender issues Intercultural issues

UG research projects Often seen as the last but most challenging obstacle Should be about their first big project Which lays foundations for a developmental pathway And makes them part of an academic research community

Transparency Anti-litigation strategies A shared journey Sharing the risk

Supervision is.. Guiding? Framing? Teaching? Sharing? Facilitating?

Models of supervision ‘Technical rationality’ ‘Negotiated order’ Actions of students and supervisors based on perspectives derived from: Past / present experiences Interactions with others Interpretations of situations (Wisker, 2005: 25-29)

supervision Is a socially constructed product of mutual expectations between students and supervisors and subject to negotiation and change over time The interface is a personal relationship, often 1-2-1

The ‘tucked in’ phenomenon Often no CPD Lacks focus in terms of the practices of teaching

UG ITE Research Preparation Preparation for tutorial time Mostly number of hours Suggestions about how to use effectively Student responsibility

Student questionnaire Primary 3 – 7 Primary 5 – 11 Upper Primary Lower Secondary 2 Year BA CPD generic UG

Sample 9 CPD – discarded 165 returned for ITE 100% response

Allocated Tutorial time Satisfied 34 Wanted more107 Non response 23 Had none 1 N=165

Satisfied with their tutorial time Satisfied StudentsTutorial hours 113 / 3.5 hours 192 / 2.5 hours 41 hour 030 mins Total = 34

Wanted more on top of what? StudentsHad tutor hours 293 / 3.5 hours 322 / 2.5 hours 291 hour 1730 mins Total = 107

Preference for tutorial time allocation Allocation - hours As GivenExtra hour Extra 2 hours Extra 3 hours Totals mins Totals

Supervision format All but 1 had individual time with tutor The majority had contact with tutor 19 experienced paired or small group tutorials (some overlap, so less)

Preferences Overwhelmingly for one to one tutorials Combined the next most popular 2/19 enjoyed the shared tutorial

Student expectations of tutor Guidance on subject content Help with structuring your writing Help with generating ideas Supporting writing skills Critiquing your work

Student expectations of tutor No clear pattern Predominantly subject guidance Followed by critique of draft work

Supervisors helpful? Largely yes: 134 / 164 thought so Some ‘very helpful’ Calming – reassuring – positive – supportive laughed – respectful – easy to contact provide ideas – honest - critical - helpful

What helpful supervisors did Read work – clarified ideas Reassured checked work – provided feedback answered s built confidence allowed discussion told student about new research arranged meetings

Unsatisfactory tutors About 30 were mentioned Maybe 30 tutors or a smaller number with multiple tutees Main complaints were access and availability Illness / absence / change of tutor

Unsatisfactory tutors Were difficult to meet did not answer s at all - or did so too late didn’t seem clear about regulations didn’t provide feedback or no immediate feedback were harshly critical did not provide encouragement – negative

Supervision tasks Please think about supervision tasks and fill in the flip charts available What disrupts supervision?

Preparation of tutors and students Recognition of the product Recognition of the process Indicators along the way

Conceptual development How do we promote this? How do we recognise it How do we help the student to recognise this?

Learning styles Recognising individual learning styles Making space for individual learning styles

Identity of ‘research worker’ May not be wanted May not be clear May not be seen as useful/professional May be seen as superfluous May not want to move on!

Make explicit: Previous experience of supervision personal anchors personal identity issues to excavate fundamental ideas about learning

Recommendations Mentoring Self evaluation Journal keeping Taping tutorials Interpersonal skills???

Preparation module Could this focus more effectively on appropriate use of tutors? Can we more effectively present the supervisory process as a mode of teaching and learning? Is this as important as learning about research methods?