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CHEP DISCUSSION FORUM Thurs 18 th Oct 2012, 1.15-2.15pm, Videolink

CHEP DISCUSSION FORUM Thurs 18 th Oct 2012, 1.15-2.15pm, Videolink. Undergraduate Dissertation Supervision: Managing Preparation, Support & Expectations. Sally Cook & Wendy Saunderson A. CONTEXT & PROBLEM B. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS C. PROVIDING ON ONLINE SUPPORT SYSTEM ‘ODISSY’.

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CHEP DISCUSSION FORUM Thurs 18 th Oct 2012, 1.15-2.15pm, Videolink

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  1. CHEP DISCUSSION FORUMThurs 18th Oct 2012, 1.15-2.15pm, Videolink Undergraduate Dissertation Supervision: Managing Preparation, Support & Expectations. Sally Cook & Wendy Saunderson A. CONTEXT & PROBLEM B. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS C. PROVIDING ON ONLINE SUPPORT SYSTEM ‘ODISSY’

  2. CONTEXT & PROBLEM • Tens of thousands of UG students complete Dissertations in UK HEIs each year (across the Arts, Humanities, and Social, Natural and Behavioural Sciences) • Despite the significance of Dissertation re. student learning & staff workload: there is a paucity of guidelines, Supervision Sessions are not subject to peer-review, and are rarely observed by QAA auditors. (Rowley and Slack, 2004; Todd et al., 2005)

  3. VARIABLE STANDARDS & PROVISION • HUGE VARIATIONS in the nature, approach, attitudes, concerns, provision, strategies and experience of both Supervisor and Supervisee: But • COMMON CHARACTERISTICS and COMMON CHALLENGES / PROBLEMS

  4. COMMON / KEY CHARACTERISTICS • Student-determined topic; Self-directed learning; • Independent/individual work + Tutor support; • Typically includes empirical research component; • Involves prolonged & sustained engagement. • USUALLY: • 20 credits - 200 hrs - Final year 1/6 • 5 – 10,000 words; No taught component • Dissertation Handbook/BB; Individual supervision • No formal Supervisor training or guidance

  5. COMMON CHALLENGES / PROBLEMS • Delayed start / delay in choosing topic; • Poor time management; • Failure to fully engage with the process; • Dissertation as ‘unknown entity’; • Balancing workload – 1 out of 6 modules; • Lacking self-confidence for independent work; • Unsure of Supervisor-Supervisee relationship; • Unrealistic (misinformed) expectations; • Fear of not knowing what is required, and • Fear of being unable to meet requirements. Risk of under-achievement & dissatisfied students

  6. SUPERVISOR’S ROLE • ACADEMIC GUIDANCE: advice on suitability, feasibility, scale/scope of study; conceptual/ theoretical issues; ethical issues; research methodology; structuring; presentation. • AS ‘MOTIVATOR’: setting tasks and deadlines; managing expectations; providing feedback. Do we have a clear idea of our role? Boundaries? Time commitment? Depends on number of Supervisees? Or our own research/workload? Awareness of acute disparities between & within subjects/Faculties?

  7. BOUNDARIES & BALANCE Where does the Supervisor Role & Responsibility start and end? • How much is enough? Students do need a certain amount of guidance, support and encouragement to gain confidence to apply their skills to complete. • How much is too much? Spoon-feeding infantalises students and stifles original thought: are we teaching / producing ‘technicians or technologists’? For Discussion…

  8. A. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS (& ‘FEARS’)B. PROVIDING AN ONLINE SUPPORT SYSTEM ‘ODISSY’ • What ARE students’ expectations? • Where do they come from? • How realistic are they? • How often do students expect supervision? • By which means? Which types do they prefer? • How realistic/realisable are their expectations? • What are students biggest fears/concerns?

  9. What ARE their Expectations? Fears? 80 UG students; Starting final year; Social Policy, SP Modular, HSCP; Semi-structured questionnaire, pre-Dissertation Special Session & pre-Supervisor contact.

  10. How often is private face-to-face Supervision expected?

  11. Expected duration of each private face-to-face Supervision

  12. UG Students’ ‘Greatest Fears/Concerns’ at start of final/Dissertation Year

  13. School of Environmental Sciences: Geography, Env. Science & Marine Science BSc • 30 credits to 20 credits • S1 to S2 • scheduled Yr. 2 preparation sessions • dissertation ‘log’ – minimum contact • Online Dissertation Support System (ODISSY)- supported by CIES/CHEP

  14. ODISSY student surveys & focus group • guidance on research & writing up • expected standards • contradictory advice • independence • S1workload • credits vs. expectations • supervisor knowledge / interest • supervisor availability

  15. Development of ODISSY – aims: • improve student engagement • assist time management • centralise resources & advice • make better use of supervision time • enable visualisation of process • & progress

  16. Main Features of ODISSY • visualinterface: journey • break into manageable ‘chunks’ • indicate progress • consistent online information • (timetable, C/A criteria, explanations & advice, ‘how to’ guides, links to podcasts & web sites, exemplars etc.) • tools for communication & management

  17. ODISSY:feedback so far… • overview of process • relevance of advice and links • convenience • consistency • exemplars • in regular use (2012 graduates) • 57% used at least weekly: 80%at least monthly • > 80% found map interface useful • (¾) ½said it (maybe) helped time management

  18. Key questions: any answers to…? • optimum timing for engagement • (S1 / S2 / long-thin) • credits: effort vs. degree classification • student preparationYr 2 / 3 • expected minimum supervisory contact • level of support (independence /spoon-feeding) • ensuring supervisor availability

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