“Good” supervisory practices My experience as a supervisor

1. “Good” supervisory practicesMy experience as a supervisor Acram Taji

2. What will I cover? History of PhD International students Building rapport Topic selection Strategies for success Feedback Meetings Writing QUT Models of HDR Collaboration Scholarships

3. A bit of history • The first PhD in Australia was awarded from Melbourne University in 1952 • In the 1970s Australia had 11 universities and about 500 PhD students • Today there are more than 25000 PhD students in Australian Universities • Last year more than 5000 people graduated with PhDs from Australian Universities

4. My own history • Came from Iran • Married an Australian • My experience as a student • Had my daughter the day I submitted my PhD • My first serious academic position was at QUT in 1991 • Have taught and supervised students from 15 countries

5. HDR Students in each Faculty

6. % IHDR Completion to total HDR in 2009

7. International students • Different academic style • Rote learning • Problem solving/ critical research approaches/ analytical writing (thinking and reflection) • Culture shock • Supervisors should not be challenged • Egalitarian society • Language • English not their first language • Utilising student’s first language for reinforcing ideas

8. Building rapport • Telling my own story - icebreaker • Asking for their stories • Academic and personal aspects of the supervisory role • How close should we become to our students? • How much support is enough support?

9. Building rapport…. • Learning about my student’s scientific aptitude- e.g. writing an abstract to a paper within the first few weeks of arrival on campus • Help with issue of problem solving • Paper critique • What is their motivation to do a PhD?

10. A brief interlude

11. Getting serious • Who defines what • Student • Define research question • Methodology to be used • Type of data to be collected • Supervisor/s • Can we supervise the project? • Do we need to invite others into the supervisory team? - e.g colleagues from other organisations- multidisciplinary teams

12. Topic selection • Will it be completed within the available time frame? • Is the topic worthwhile- i.e. potential for contribution to knowledge? • Is the student’s background adequate in undertaking the topic? • Are there units student should take before launching into the research? • How much reading should the student be doing before starting the research?

13. Topic selection • Is the student interested in the topic? • Is the principal supervisor genuinely interested in the topic? • Am I the right supervisor? • Should a preliminary/ pilot experiment be conducted to define parameters/ boundaries of research? • Are resources available/ adequate / appropriate?

14. Strategies used in ensuring progress • Proper planning with realistic deadlines to achieve milestones • Work out a contract with my student related to this plan- specify what assistance will be required, who will provide the support and at which particular points • Regular meetings for discussion- discussion paper to focus the meeting • Email to document important elements of discussions

15. Strategies used in ensuring progress • Group discussions for my own specific group to report on progress- teach problem solving • Use fellow students as resource- creating supportive networks • Logbook/ journal/ diary of student’s activities including reading, library work, lab or field work, data collection, analysis and evaluation • Discipline/ School seminars • Attending national or international conferences • Submitting papers to peer reviewed journals- provides a huge sense of achievement

16. Provision of feedback • Feedback provided during the regular supervisory meetings • Timely written feedback on any written work • Follow up written feedback with a meeting • Feedback should be task specific • Feedback obtained through Discipline/ School seminars • Feedback obtained through attending conferences

17. More on feedback • Feedback obtained through submission of papers to refereed journals • Feedback should be honest not brutal • Honesty about weaknesses • Balance between praise and punishment • Honesty about strength • Always start and end with a positive comment

18. Meetings • Frequency/ pattern of meetings • Once a week initially • Once every fortnight after the first initial period • Once every three weeks to per month later • More frequently at writing stage • Who should be doing the talking? • Meetings should be planned in advance and be held in a meeting room- no phone calls in the middle of meeting • Discussion paper and/ or agenda to focus meetings to be given to supervisors at least 24 hours before the meeting

19. More on meetings • Allow minimum one hour for formal meetings- do not rush meetings • I asked students to send me an email capturing important elements of the discussion after the meeting. Input into the email and keep it as a record of discussion • Any ad hoc meetings should also be documented by email • Meetings are student’s right not privilege

20. Characteristics of a good meeting • Progress on recent research • Current activities • Immediate problems and difficulties • Discussion on recent literature • Review the project against the milestones • Adjust milestones if necessary • Tasks for the next few weeks

21. More on meetings • Flexibility and awareness of individual learning style • Aware of other commitments- e.g. family responsibilities. Monitor progress and set time management strategies if required • Responsiveness to the needs of individuals- Be flexible

22. Supervisors’ role in the process of writing • Encourage students to start writing as early as possible- literature review is a good starting point • With international students written communication may be difficult- remedial English courses • Establish a pattern of timely and regular feedback on student written work • Thesis style- encourage students to check other theses in their field for suitable style

23. Supervisors’ role in the process of writing • Constructive and critical feedback on draft chapters with respect to: • Writing style • Structure • Clarity of expression • Logical argument • Depth of analysis • Story line • Comments on grammar/ punctuations/ spelling can be done by others

24. Supervisors’ role in the process of writing • Structure of thesis should be defined before writing • Remind my students of the big picture- tendency of students to become too involved in detailed process of writing • Where there is a problem with English and style refer my students to relevant support group (e.g. LDP, ISS, etc ) - it is NOT the supervisor’s job to write the thesis

25. More on writing • Proof reading of thesis is very important • Use of technological labour saving devices e.g. Endnote, statistical packages, graphic packages, etc. • What should we do when our students suffer of “writer’s block”? • At the end of the day a good thesis should tell a story of substance

26. What else? • We need to remain supportive and encouraging at every stage • How to deal with personality clashes • Student’s personal issues • Health • Children • Strife in family (divorce, kids running away from home, husband abandoning the family, etc) • PhD blues- Feeling of isolation- Emotional side of PhD • Supervisors who are Tarmac Professors - Who to run to when supervisor is not there

27. Anything else? • At the end of the day as a supervisor my role in quality supervision is to: • Provide academic support • Nurture my students creativity • Help them with their professional development • Facilitate their learning and protect them against the never ending red tape of administration • Mentor them for future careers

28. Issues encountered at QUT • Since taking up my new role the main issues dealt with have been: • Plagiarism • English • Analytical versus descriptive in Stage Two and Confirmation documents • Supervisors lack of appreciation of students’ culture - resulting in clashes • Supervisors lack of interest or knowledge in the research project

29. Models of HDR collaboration • Following are some of our models of HDR supervision: • Joint/Double/ Dual PhDs • KSU model • Bhutan Model • IGNOU Model • San Jose Model

30. Scholarships • Close of application for the Main Round of Annual Scholarship- 30th of September for new IHDR and 15th of October for current IHDR and domestic HDR • Overseas government full scholarships- e.g. Iran, Libya, Saudi • APA/ APAI/ QUT Research scholarships • Tuition Fee Waiver • Out of Round scholarships • CRCs • Others

31. Thank you Any comments, questions or criticisms?