Research and Project Supervision Gregory Light, PhD Denise Drane, PhD

1. Palestinian Polytechnic University Hebron March 19th, 2014 Research and Project Supervision Gregory Light, PhD Denise Drane, PhD

2. WORKSHOP OVERVIEWMode: Interactive presentation, discussion and activities • The Challenges of Supervision • Responding to student problems • Roles & relationships • Assessing Projects/research

3. Group Question: What are the main Challenges you have with supervising projects and dissertations?

4. Challenges • Title of the project • Student commitment to project, preparedness, seriousness • Hypothesis not found to be correct • Narrowing down broad ideas to questions that are useable for project • Absence of resources & financial support • Relationship between supervisor and student • Relationship between industry and the university, transferability of technology, business opportunities for students • Evaluation of group projects • Communication and proposal writing skills, drafting and editing • Different challenges for undergrad vs. masters students, standards for the different levels need to be established • Contribution of supervisor to work…how much? • Sensitivities of faculty when their students are being judged by other faculty • How to help students develop a structured problem • How to help students develop work plans • Low proficiency of students in writing • Students short term interest in project vs. long term interest of professor • Students see the project as a course to pass rather than seeing it as part of the work they will do in the future • Participation in projects needs to be considered from the beginning of the project

5. KEY ISSUES OF SUPERVISION • Supervision Relationships • Relationships and roles in supervision • Responding to student problems and challenges • Supervision & Assessing Project/Research • Formative assessment • Creativity and originality • Summative Assessment

6. TEN ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SUPERVISOR AND STUDENT

7. FOUR DIMENSIONS OF SUPERVISION • The intellectual dimension • Establishing learning contracts • Student expectations of their supervisor • Supervisor expectations for their students • Self-directed learning • Encouraging Dialogue • The social dimension • The challenge of social isolation • The personal dimension • Supporting the Research Journey • Research styles and professional identity • The practical dimension • Encouraging problem-solving • Fostering independence and accountability • Developing the interpersonal

8. Group Question: What are the main problems students come to you with?

9. The project doesn’t work • Student doesn’t know where to start • How to develop and understand background literature • Lack of cooperation in teams • Students don’t understand and then don’t follow through • Restrictions on and availability of technology • Students are frightened about starting new ideas because they are unsure if they will pass

10. Activity In groups of three identify student problems you have experienced Identify what response you feel is most appropriate to the student and why

11. SUPERVISION: MEETING EXPECTATIONS

12. Group Question: What are the main problems for assessing students?

13. ASSESSING RESEARCH/PROJECTS