Getting the Most from Your Supervisor

1. National Teaching Fellow Supervision Getting the Most from Your Supervisor Associate Professor Lynne Roberts

2. Overview • Introductions and ground rules • ‘Good’ supervisory experiences (activity) • Supervision as negotiated practice • ‘Poor’ supervisory experiences (activity) • Dealing with supervisory issues • Developing and practicing your own strategies (activity) • Summary and evaluation

3. Who Am I? • PhD Supervisor • Honours Supervisor • Undergraduate Dissertation Supervisor

4. Who Am I? • OLT National Teaching Fellow Identify, Develop and Disseminate Best Practice In Supporting Honours And Coursework Dissertation Supervision

5. Who Are You?I am currently enrolled at: • Curtin • ECU • Murdoch • Notre Dame • UWA • Other

6. Who Are You?I am currently enrolled in: • Masters by research program • PhD • Other postgraduate course • None of the above!

7. Who Are You?Year of study in current program: • 1st year • 2nd year • 3rd year • 4th year • 5th year (or more…)

8. Who Are You?Your broad disciplinary area? • Science & Engineering • Humanities • Social Sciences • Health Sciences • Business

9. Rules of Engagement Source: http://seo-advisors.com/online-reputation-management-what-it-is/

10. Source: http://www.phoenixisstrategic.com/pr-protects-reputations/

11. Your Supervisor: Student relationshipmost closely resembles • Master: Slave • Mentor: Mentee • Teacher: Student • Parent: Child • Colleagues

12. Is this style of supervisory relationship working for you? • Definitely not • Sometimes • Definitely yes

13. Activity One: ‘GOOD’ SUPERVISory experiences

14. ‘Good’ Supervisory Experiences: Individual Activity 1. Jot down notes about a time when, from your perspective, supervision has gone well • What happened? (2 mins) 2. What did your supervisor do that contributed to this? (2 mins) 3. What did you do that contributed to this? (2 mins)

15. Were you able to identify a good supervisory experience? • Yes • No • Not sure

16. Were you able to identify how your supervisor contributed to this? • Yes • No • Not sure

17. Were you able to identify how you contributed to this? • Yes • No • Unsure

18. Good Supervisory Experiences:Table Activity • List supervisors contributions on one half of the paper • List students contributions on the other half • Asterisk those contributions identified by more than one person

19. Good Supervisory Experiences:Supervisor’s Contribution* • Listening enthusiastically • Focused and organised • Honest feedback – being blunt • Transform ideas to academic words • Drawing on supervisory network and experts • Asking for feedback • Emotional intelligence – feeling valued • Synergy of discussion • Setting realistic expectations • Availability • Constructive feedback • Accessibility • Encouragement *This slide consists of ideas presented by workshop participants

20. Good Supervisory Experiences:Supervisor’s Contribution* *WORDLEdeveloped from workshop participants’ ideas noted on butchers paper

21. Good Supervisory Experiences:Student’s Contribution* • Showing passion for research • Asking the right questions??? (what are they?) • Finding a niche for research • Not personalising the feedback of supervisors • Being proactive • Active patience – keep going • Being open • Being prepared • Committed and focused on research • Adaptability • Resilience • Initiative • Listening • Taking on supervisors comments – even if negative *This slide consists of ideas presented by workshop participants

22. Good Supervisory Experiences:Student’s Contribution* *WORDLEdeveloped from workshop participants’ ideas noted on butchers paper

23. Good Supervision: Student Perspectives Student Supervisor Relationship Shared passion for topic Clear expectations Open communication Available Approachable Supportive ‘Good’ Supervision Meetings Relaxed space Concerns listed to Guidance and support Synergy Meeting Outcomes Remotivated students Focus and clarity Agreed course of action Reduced stress Preparation Ownership Management

24. Student Perspectives she’s just really helpful and I always feel like I can go to her for help and I never feel like I’m a burden … and she’s always so welcoming and helpful and there and available Supervisor Contribution • Approachable • Available • Supportive • Interest in student as person • Sensitive to student’s emotions there is an element of knowing that you can access a bit of emotional support as well, not therapy, but just having that understanding and someone who’s sort of compassionate and flexible and understanding She takes interest in my life outside of uni, so she’s like, “How are you going?” And whatever, and she’s always like, “If you have any other problems?” … I know that if anything comes up, that door is open, that I can communicate with her about that stuff

25. Student Perspectives I had everything planned, had questions and they all got answered and addressed in the session, so that was good because I could progress as I wanted to and most of those questions were addressed where needed Student Contribution • Coming prepared • Taking ownership of project • ‘Managing’ supervision process I can truly say that my research, this current project, is my own. [Supervisor] offers guidance but it’s done so cleverly that it’s all coming from me I have like set questions that I need answered and I go in there and I go, “This is what I wanna know and I wanna know it now,” and that’s when I probably get the best information when I take charge of the structure

26. Student Perspectives She’s so passionate about this area and so that makes it interesting and sort of fun to work alongside her in Student Supervisor Relationship • Shared passion for topic • Clear expectations • Open communication • Asking questions • Discussing problems everything was very organised and they knew exactly what we should be doing and we were told what we should be doing I was confused about a few things and that was sorted out, talked through. And we discussed what approach I might be able to take

27. Student Perspectives I’m like this new fresh lamb and these are my shepherds. <laughs> They’re helping me along like, “Here’s the best grass over here.” Without telling me what to do ‘Good’ Supervision Meetings • Relaxed space • Concerns listened to • Support • Guidance • Reassurance • Synergy …she says, “Hang on. You need to stop for a second. Think about what you’re doing. Think about this, this and this; you’re on the right track,” you know, “Just stay on the path you’re on,” and it sort of allowed me to come back and continue it was all of us thinking together and working as a team. It wasn’t just coming and saying, ‘Oh here’s my idea.’ ‘Oh yeah that’s good okay’ It’s like a very relaxed space and I think when you feel relaxed, I can be myself within the boundaries of the teacher-student – and I think that really helps ‘cause I know if I get stressed, my brain, cognitively, just shuts down

28. Student Perspectives I was just lacking in motivation and I didn't have anything to say about the dissertation but then when I left, I was like, “Oh, I actually do have my head around this,” because she brought it out of me with our discussion and she was just asking questions and I’d found myself saying all these things Meeting Outcomes • Remotivated student • Focus and clarity • Agreed course of action • Reduced stress we’d resolve that particular issue or it was in the process of being resolved, and I came out feeling a lot more relaxed and less stressed about the project when we had meetings together, we would come out and say, “Oh, gee, I feel great. I feel so relieved we’ve had this meeting.”

29. Does this model fit for your level of program? What is your opinion? • Strongly Agree • Agree • Somewhat Agree • Neutral • Somewhat Disagree • Disagree • Strongly Disagree

30. Good Supervision: Supervisor Perspectives Student Supervisor Relationship Shared passion for topic Clear expectations Positive relationship/group dynamic Supportive Provide structure Research knowledge ‘Good’ Supervision Meetings Guidance Clarification Positive feedback Meeting Outcomes Personal growth Skill development Student satisfaction Interest Ownership

31. Supervisor Perspectives being able to connect with the person on a personal level as well as a professional level talking about their variables in real terms, instead of scientific terms, so this is what it is all about, this is what we know about it, this is what we can do Supervisor Contribution • Providing structure • Supportive • Ability to explain • Research knowledge making it seem relatively straight forward … They were sort of seeing it as this big year long haul, and trying to break it down to show that it was doable, and this is how we were going to do it it’s really your experience in terms of what can be done in the time that you’ve got

32. Supervisor Perspectives it was their first choice topic and I think that that is always an advantage. So I think they were just naturally interested in the area Student Contribution • Interest in topic • Student ownership of project the supervision I like is when the students are able to steer it

33. Supervisor Perspectives I think that that interpersonal process facilitates the teaching process, but unless you have that supportive interpersonal relationship between the student and the supervisor, if that’s not there, then I don’t think that the end result is as good Student Supervisor Relationship • Shared passion for topic • Clear expectations • Positive relationship/ group dynamic [cosupervisor] and I were a bit of more upbeat because it’s like, “Hey, look. It’s [type of project]; this is our thing.” And the group feeds off of that, and it’s also because they are upbeat so this is a really nice atmosphere it’s all a matter of getting those [expectations] sorted between the two people at the beginning and sitting down

34. Supervisor Perspectives ‘Good’ Supervision Meetings • Discussion • Guidance • Clarification • Positive feedback look to facilitate what the students are and accommodate their interests and try and guide them without sort of taking over or dictating what it is that they should do We give them like, “Hey. You guys are doing really well. You should be proud of yourself. You’re getting this blah blahblah.” And they were like, “Oh, yeah.” clarification in terms of goals and stuff like that ...[to] “yank them [students] out of that swamp or quagmire of uncertainty

35. Supervisor Perspectives when I see the research group and they’re all, “Oh yes. This is so much fun! I totally get it.” And see them change I’m just satisfied when the student seems satisfied or I feel like I’ve been helpful or been able to guide students and they seem to have moved forward … it’s when I feel like I’ve been competent in the sense of not necessarily giving answers but in providing instruction that helps the students move along and acquire skills themselves Meeting Outcomes • Personal growth • Skill development • Student satisfaction They’re saying that all they want to do is they just want to do their project, and they’ve got all this coursework but they just want to do their project

36. Good Supervision: Supervisor & Student Perspectives Student Supervisor Relationship Open communication Shared passion for topic Clear expectations Positive relationship/group dynamic Available Approachable Supportive Provide structure Research knowledge Meeting Outcomes Remotivated student Focus and clarity Agreed course of action Reduced stress Personal growth Skill development Student satisfaction ‘Good’ Supervision Meetings Relaxed space Concerns listed to Guidance and support Synergy Clarification Positive feedback Preparation Management Ownership Interest

37. Supervision as Negotiated Practice University/Faculty/School Guidelines Negotiated Practice

38. Some Advice from Supervisors on Getting the Most from Supervision http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_UlRlLu0A

39. Activity Two ‘poor’ supervisory experiences

40. ‘Poor’ Supervisory Experiences: Individual Activity 1. Jot down notes about a time when, from your perspective, supervision has NOT gone well • What happened? (2 mins) 2. What did your supervisor do that contributed to this? (2 mins) 3. What did you do that contributed to this? (2 mins)

41. Were you able to identify a poor supervisory experience? • Yes • No • Not sure

42. Were you able to identify how your supervisor contributed to this? • Yes • No • Not sure

43. Were you able to identify how you contributed to this? • Yes • No • Unsure

44. Poor Supervisory Experiences:Table Activity • List supervisors’ contributions on one half of the paper • List students’ contributions on the other half • Asterisk those contributions identified by more than one person

45. Poor Supervisory Experiences:Supervisor’s Contribution • Disinterested in student • Too busy to be approached • No response to emails • Too many ideas and then say its your project • 2 or more supervisors – miscommunication or contradictory advice (supervisors fighting)/ lack of communication • Academic workload • Delayed meetings • Authorship disagreements • Unprofessional – cancelled appointments/ inappropriate relationships/ agitation and anger/ boozers • Ignorant of topic/ everything??? • Intimidating • Power imbalance • Self interest to benefit them/not you • Not getting feedback • Not caring about personal circumstances • Inexperience *This slide consists of ideas presented by workshop participants

46. Poor Supervisory Experiences:Supervisor’s Contribution *WORDLEdeveloped from workshop participants’ ideas noted on butchers paper

47. Poor Supervisory Experiences:Student’s Contribution • Lack of commitment • Incompatibility – style • Facebook • Trying to satisfy everybody • Giving too many excuses • Too dependent or too independent • Lack of initial skills • Poor communication • Not doing what your supposed to • Lack of confidence in raising issues – in person • Trying to outsmart supervisors *This slide consists of ideas presented by workshop participants

48. Poor Supervisory Experiences:Student’s Contribution *WORDLEdeveloped from workshop participants’ ideas noted on butchers paper

49. Changing supervisory practice

50. Commit to Having a Discussion:When • Annual review (Curtin students- this is now!) • Next supervision meeting • Arrange a joint meeting with supervisory team