Supervision Management

These Supervision Management Strategies are as used and recommended by Dr Robert Boeckmann, Psychology Department, Flinders during a recent Research Education Workshop facilitated by the Staff Development and Training Unit covering the following areas:

	'Managing' your student
	Managing the supervisor's role and the supervisory relationship
	Managing Time
	Managing Potential Problems
	Managing Meetings

'Managing' your student

Establish goals. Ask "Why are you here?", "What do you want to achieve?". Your students can be reminded of their goals at low points in the year to refresh their motivation.
Help your students to manage their emotions, especially stress and anxiety.
The honours project is often the first, large independent project the student will do. This will challenge good students who are used to getting regular feedback from well completed assignments. Also at first there can seem to be are large amount of time that then rapidly disappears. To assist students in maintaining their motivation and direction:
- emphasise the need to write from the very beginning
- emphasise clarity and simplicity

Managing the supervisor's role and the supervisory relationship

Be explicit about the balancing act between a student's independent engagement and the support offered.
Be clear from outset about your understanding of your responsibilities and your student's expectations.
After agreeing on the type of supervision that will be appropriate for both of you, revisit it periodically to ensure you are both comfortable with how it is progressing.

Managing Time

Students need to be prompted to manage their time and may need to develop new skills and techniques - be able to direct them to appropriate resources.
Develop timelines.
Break the project into smaller sections and budget time accordingly.
Monitor and keep track of students' progress. For example, establish a folder for each student in which deadlines and goals are recorded as well as a note of how they are to be met.
Encourage the student to begin writing as soon as possible.

Managing Potential Problems

Monitor each students' level of dependence or independence and confidence and refer them to the Health and Counselling Service if it seems appropriate.
Discuss and agree upon and record discrepancies in expectations/responsibilities.
Focus on the quality of the thesis rather than a mark.
If you supervise a number of students establish the group. Students can benefit from establishing a community of peers - the isolation of honours work is reduced and stress, problems and successes can be shared.
Encourage students to clarify and manage their priorities regarding other aspects of their life, for example family and work commitments.
Ensure that student have a clear sense of their goals - what, where, when.

Managing Meetings

Group meetings

Holding group meetings is a good pedagogical strategy and an effective coping mechanism when supervising more than one student. It is also useful to consider combining with another supervisor to have group sessions if you only have a few students.

The advantages of having group meetings:

Prevents needless repetition
Students gain insights from meetings into their own work, even when the focus is on other students
It eases students' stress and anxiety because it allows social comparison and reduces stress of learning in isolation. Independent study does not have to mean student isolation
There is an emphasis on cooperation and collaboration when students share ideas and resources
It makes students more accountable when they are expected to report in a group environment and can motivate those who may be falling behind.

Issues that can be covered in group sessions

Providing examples of good theses so that students become aware of what they should be working towards.
Reviewing core literature e.g. research methodology
Discussing theory and how it informs research
Teaching students how to write a research proposal (and providing examples of good proposals).
Discussing students' draft proposals.
Exploring the nature of and evidence for critical thinking in a group.
Giving students an opportunity to defend their decisions related to data management and analysis.
Giving students an opportunity to develop their oral presentation skills

Example of a Group Meeting Schedule and Structure from Dr Robert Boeckmann, Psychology Department, Flinders

Individual meetings

Despite having group sessions, there will still be a need to meet with students individually. The Flinders University study of the perceptions of honours students shows that supervisor rapport is pivotal to positive/negative experiences of honours. Meetings should be regular and should be focused on particular tasks or issues relevant to the stage of the project. It can be helpful to arrange for the student to submit something in writing (progress report, questions, ideas, data and data analysis) before the meeting so you have time to return it with comments. This can form the basis of the meeting.

Meetings allow the supervisor to address the following:
- Check that the student is on task
  - review and report on progress
  - identify problems and problem solving
  - planning and modifying plans as necessary
- Provide motivation
  - checking in with student
  - encouragement
  - developing and maintaining rapport
Meetings can be structured for effectiveness:
- Review students' files prior to the meeting, check any work, obligations etc.
- Find out students' views of their own progress
- Check back on mutual commitments
- Consider what the student has submitted prior to the meeting. It is important to establish the expectation that students must be prepared for meetings. For example, they should submit something in writing, such as outlines, explorations of ideas or a list of questions prior to meeting
- Plan the next meeting

Ideally, individual meetings should occur with regular frequency. Some supervisors report that they meet students every week to begin with, but as as project moves, they change to meeting once a fortnight or at even longer intervals. However, many agree that leaving student for a month is too long. Both group meetings and individual meetings can run concurrently.