Building a practice of reflective PhD supervision

1. Department of Science Education Building a practice of reflective PhD supervision Aims of session: • Discussion on outcomes and capabilities of a PhD study • Relationship between supervisor and PhD-student • Supporting the project • How can I as a supervisor develop being a good supervisor

2. Why do we educate an increasing number of PhD-students? • What are the outcome and capabilities of a PhD-study for society? • Should the outcome and capabilities be different when PhD-students are not going to be employed in academia? • What are the outcome and capabilities for the individual gaining a PhD-degree? Department of Science Education Outcome and capabilities of a PhD-study

3. Building relationships • Supervision styles • Clarify mutual expectations • Trust • Co-supervision

4. Department of Science Education Styles - Gatfield People concern Product concern Gatfield, T. (2005) An investigationinto PhD supervisory Management Styles: Development of a dynamicconceptual model and itsmanagerialimplications

5. Department of Science Education Gatfield - styles People concern Product concern Low Support High Low Structure High Gatfield, T. (2005) An investigationinto PhD supervisory Management Styles: Development of a dynamicconceptual model and itsmanagerialimplications

6. How can a supervisor then adapt her/his style to need of the PhD student? Geoff Gurr developed a toolkit to talk about style with his PhD students. He uses it every 6 months in order to talk about supervision. Department of Science Education Adapting style Gurr, G.M. (2001) Negotiating the “Rackety Bridge” – a Dynamic Model for Aligning Supervisory Style with Research Student Development. Higher Education & Development, 20 (1), 81-92.

7. Department of Science Education Model of supervisory styles Gurr, G.M. (2001) Negotiating the “Rackety Bridge” – a Dynamic Model for Aligning Supervisory Style with Research Student Development. Higher Education & Development, 20 (1), 81-92.

8. Exercise: Clarify mutual expectations • Go through the statements on p. 66 and mark you position (10 min) • Compare with your neighbour positions and look for mismatches. Discuss your understanding of the statement and reasons for diverging positions (20 min) Exercise

9. Building trust – and undermining it • How do we build trust? • Active listening • Being reliable • Openness • Honesty • Clarity • Some classic ways to undermine your relationship: • Hiding (yourself or real or imagined problems) • Ignoring (feedback you don’t understand or don’t like) • Forgetting (appointments, deadlines) • Mixing (business with personal issues) • Gossiping (about your PhD-student/supervisor or colleagues) • Assuming (what something meant, what you’re entitled to do)

10. Chapter 6 • Benefits of co-supervision? • Challenges of co-supervision? Department of Science Education Co-supervision

11. Meta-communication • Use of tools • Division of labour • Competencies • Good cop><bad cop • Academic integration >< social integration • Process ><content • Let the PhD-student decide • Accept the differences • Benefit from diversity – bothPhD-student and supervisor Department of Science Education Co-supervision

12. Keeping research on track • Feedback • Plagiarism Department of Science Education Supporting the project

13. How to keep on track: • Roadmap • Grey boxes chapter 5 + 7 • Getting students to write • > Linear metaphors • What about the unexpected? • Research as a less travelled road – winding with detours • Rules for critical thinking? In all disciplines? Department of Science Education Keeping the research on track

14. submit a given number of pages at or before every meeting • write a one-page synopsis of their thesis at regular intervals • free write their way through problems, blocks, and for coming to grips with new ideas • write a maximum of two/three pages describing the process of their research, identifying problems, thinking through possible solutions • write a one-page review of everything they read • write a two/three pages review of a number of articles dealing with a particular theme, comparing points of view, commenting on the relevance for their research • write expanded structures (synopses) for the whole thesis or for each of the proposed chapters or articles Getting students to write

15. Department of Science Education Feedback

16. Where is the PhD student in the learningprocess? What is the most importantthing to learn right now? What is the purpose of the text/presentation the students wants feedback on Department of Science Education Feedback at different levels

17. Department of Science Education The substance of the feedback Praise Specific General Criticism

18. Many supervisors areconcernedthatthey give toomuch negative criticism and not enoughpraise. Many students saythattheyarehappybecausetheyget a lot of criticalcomments. At the same time theyarehungry for praise. Howcanthisbeunderstood? Department of Science Education Supervisors’ dilemmas

19. The positive comments students get from supervisors are often general, sweeping and consequently not ’trustworthy’. They do not document that the supervisor has read the text well. Criticism (negative comments) are much more specific and provide ideas for improvement. It also documents that the supervisor has studied the text thoroughly. Department of Science Education Interpretation

20. The sandwich model: Praise-critique-praise Traffic lights:Red: Avoid thisYellow: Be aware ofGreen: Continue doing this Appreciative feedback:Caring: Sincere, appreciative and respectfulConstructive: With the real possibility of improvement and developmentConcrete: Specify and give examples Department of Science Education Different ways of giving feedback

21. Feedback on a text: • What should remain in the text? What should you keep doing? • What should there be more of in the text? What do you more often? • What needs to be less of the text? What should you do less often or completely stop? Department of Science Education Example

22. Find the right level of expectation Usemetacommunication Behonest Bespecific Remember to look for the positive things Department of Science Education Five rules of feedback in supervision

23. Start by agreeing on purpose of the (supervision) meeting (the outcome of this supervision should be...) • Begin with the positive • Think forward “how can you improve this” instead of backward “you should have done” • Remain on ‘your own half’ by using ‘I’ (“I did not quite understand the conclusion” instead of “the conclusion is unclear”) • Use open-ended questions (especially what and how, whereas why can be accusatory) • Choose your words carefully - especially when written feedback • Use active listening • Think of your body language and observe the other's body language Department of Science Education Advice for feedback provider

24. Start by making sure you understand and agree on the purpose of the feedback – adjust if necessary • Do not explain or defend yourself • Try to perceive feedback as a gift and not as a criticism • Ask what the feedback provider would like to see more/less of and what already works • Repeat points to make sure that you have understood the message • Use open questions and ask for examples • Choose your feedback partners carefully • Receive feedback from several people and several times, preferably early on in the process Department of Science Education Advise for feedback receiver

25. Eco, Umberto (1979) The Role of the Reader Indiana University Press, s.3-43 Eco, Umberto (1996) How culture conditions the colours we see. I: Poul Cobley (ed.): The Communication Theory Reader. Routledge, s.148-171 Department of Science Education Literature

26. Happenseverywhere • Can youbuy a PhD? • Resources for avoidingplagiarism • http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/plagiarism/default.asp?s=&n=&i=&v=&o=&ns=0&t=&uid=0&rau=0 Department of Science Education Plagiarism

27. Department of Science Education Develop as a supervisor • Exercise: • Key elements of supervision