collaborative supervision: collaborative learning déirdre ní chróinín; elaine murtagh, richard...
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Collaborative supervision: Collaborative learning
Déirdre Ní Chróinín; Elaine Murtagh, Richard Bowles, Liam Clohessy
Arts Education and Physical Education, Faculty of Education
“I think it was really good that I had three quite different supervisors, because, imagine that I only had one? Then I would be like a clone of that supervisor”
Quote from a PhD graduate (Kobayashi et al, 2013)
Collaborative / joint / team / panel co- supervision!
•North American has longer tradition•More common in the Sciences than
Humanities or Social Sciences (Manathunga, 2012)
•Little research has been devoted to co- or joint supervision and its role in doctoral research and the writing of the thesis (Olmis-López & Sunderland, 2013)
Figure 1 from Kobayashi et al, 2013
PhD student’s research sits at the interface between 2 or more distinct groups
PhD student’s research utilises 2 or more distinct methodologies
Possible pitfalls
•Receiving diverse feedback (Guerin & Green, 2013)
•“Operations of power” (Manathunga, 2012)
•Problematic for students to “manage” their supervisors (Kobayashi et al, 2013)
•Problematic if no-one in the team can take an overall view of the thesis (Spooner-Lane etal, 2007)
Pros
•Broadens the range of experiences and the opportunities for the student to benefit from different points of view
•Suite of specialised expertise for interdisciplinary projects
•Junior academics can learn from more experienced supervisors
•Supervisor absences can be accommodated
Bourner & Hughes, 1991; Guerin & Green, 2013;
Can collaborative supervision develop more positive working relationships ?
My story began 2 years ago…
• I had little experience of the ‘research’ world and wasn’t sure about what to expect
• I had heard about supervisors, however,…
• The PE department were supportive and listened: I had contact with several lecturers.
• We discussed my ideas and they helped to refine them.
• Emails began to be shared and it was suggested that I would have 2 supervisors.
How it works in practice• Including everyone on all communications• Everyone attends each meeting• Piece of written work e-mailed one week before
meetings• Agenda written by me sent to supervisors in
advance• Individual written feedback/comments from each
supervisor• Discussion and multiple perspectives gained• Student as chair• Record of meeting
My experience of co-supervision (so far!)
‘Many hands make light work’
“A great supervisor oversees your academic work, is passionate about your subject area and invested in
your success”.
http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/research/home/yoursupervisor/relationship/
Lee, A (2008) Supervision Teams: Making them work, Society for Research into Higher Education.
PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL
FUNCTIONAL
Directing/ Project management
Progression through tasks: acquiring resources/ monitoring
Student: organised/ responsive•Roles (e.g. contact/ lead/ cc both)•Responsibilities (e.g. deadlines/ agenda)
ENCULTURATION
Opportunities for participation within the discipline ‘legitimate peripheral participation’
Gatekeeping
Student: Apprenticeship/ Role model• Teaching assistant/ Conferences/ Meeting
attendance
CRITICAL THINKING
Socratic method/ Constructive inquiry
Evaluate/ Challenge
Student: Inquiry – synthesis of literature/ making an argument• What would Mary think/ say now? What do I
think? • Expectations (e.g. feedback schedule)
EMANCIPATION
Disorientation/Confusion…transformation
Mentoring/ Support/ Challenge
Student: Critical reflection/ Personal Growth/ Reframing/ Owning the argument
RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Supporting the emotional dimension
Relationship outside of supervisory meetings
Support/ Good team member
Student: Good team member
(Lee, 2008,p.35)
Supervisor learning?
“Doctoral supervision is the peak of the teaching
experience for academics” (Lee, 2008)
Supervisor Learning
“becoming a supervisor” is rooted in pedagogical relationships (Halso, 2011 p.568)
• Complex and multi-faceted process
Supervisor supports• How to be a supervisor
▫Own experience▫Graduate school▫Research Office
• Linking to wider networks and supports ▫Advice on research design PE PAYS Research Centre
• Supervisor identity in the wider academic community ▫Networking at conference
•Supervisor – student relationship is a critical factor in successful doctorial outcomes
•Defining roles and responsibilities: getting
the balance right
COMMUNICATION
Supervisor
Supervisor
Supervisors
Studen
t
(Guerin & Green, 2013)
