Listening and feeling doctoral students’ perceptions of their doctoral supervision. The PhD students’ point of view.

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 206-223
Author(s):  
Isabel Ribau Coutinho

Doctoral education has been subject to research and analysis by researchers in the last fifty years. Nevertheless, doctoral supervision still a private issue among supervisor and PhD student; if the relationship between them goes wrong, a shadow undermines the doctoral research, hindering student support of others, which may result in attrition and dropout. Breaking this situation, transforming the “private place” in a “public matter”, requires a profound reflection about the doctoral education aim, institutions goals, institution policy, but also a supervisor and PhD students’ perspectives (careers, goals, development, financial support). It is necessary to know, where we want to go, to outline a path to achieve the goals. During the last three years, doctoral supervision has been studied at Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL). A qualitative case study method was used. This was the first study (a pilot study) that covered all the nine UNL schools, is intended to identify the supervision practices, but also captures a glimpse of doctoral students’ life in the academy, their difficulties, their thoughts and feelings related to doctoral education. The documentary analysis, concerning the institution rules related to doctoral education, was the study first step (already published). The second was the implementation of a survey with closed and open questions to allowed students to express their opinion regarding doctoral education, especially doctoral supervision. During three months, a survey, centred in doctoral supervision, applied online in all schools. This paper aims to describe what was found and what was unexpected in the context of a young university.

Author(s):  
Ruth Neumann ◽  
James Guthrie

AbstractGovernments play an important role in providing an appropriate national framework and structure for the development of doctoral education. Nevertheless, ultimate responsibility for quality supervision processes lies with institutions, in particular with their departmental units and their policies and processes (DETYA, 1999c). This paper presents a case study of recent developments in the quality enhancement of doctoral supervision in the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM). In doing so it looks at three areas in particular: (1) the key role of infrastructure support, including the introduction of a code of practice in doctoral supervision; (2) the induction and acculturation processes; and (3) supervision quality, including the selection, development and training of supervisors. The aim of the developments is to make a recognized private process more public and transparent. MGSM currently enrolls a significant number of doctoral students and the enhancement of their doctoral experience is a key priority. The paper concludes by highlighting key issues for future development.


2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24
Author(s):  
Ruth Neumann ◽  
James Guthrie

AbstractGovernments play an important role in providing an appropriate national framework and structure for the development of doctoral education. Nevertheless, ultimate responsibility for quality supervision processes lies with institutions, in particular with their departmental units and their policies and processes (DETYA, 1999c). This paper presents a case study of recent developments in the quality enhancement of doctoral supervision in the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM). In doing so it looks at three areas in particular: (1) the key role of infrastructure support, including the introduction of a code of practice in doctoral supervision; (2) the induction and acculturation processes; and (3) supervision quality, including the selection, development and training of supervisors. The aim of the developments is to make a recognized private process more public and transparent. MGSM currently enrolls a significant number of doctoral students and the enhancement of their doctoral experience is a key priority. The paper concludes by highlighting key issues for future development.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Denis ◽  
Nicole Rege Colet ◽  
Christelle Lison

The completion rate for graduate studies is around 50% in some programs, and several authors suggest that doctoral supervision in a key factor in explaining this. Existing research on doctoral education reveals an uneven international landscape made up of the perceptions of both doctoral students and their supervisors. In the French-speaking North American context, exploration of doctoral supervision practices still remains unchartered. As a part of the first author’s doctoral thesis, interviews were conducted with 20 supervisors and 20 doctoral students from 8 different faculties. The purpose of these interviews was to capture their perceptions and experiences around doctoral supervision, and to explore with them the main issues related to doctoral supervision. Four dimensions for framing doctoral supervision have emerged from these interviews: a) scientific, b) personal, c) administrative and d) professional. Three main issues stretch along a timeline: 1) admission into a doctoral program, 2) mastering of scientific writing, and 3) employability. This study is an attempt to unpack the complexity of doctoral supervision and, in doing so, to construct a shared language for all concerned parties. The overall purpose of the doctoral research is to identify practices that support effective doctoral supervision and reduce the dropout rate.


2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 537-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Stephens

Purpose – The relationship between doctoral students and their supervisors impacts on degree completion rates; faculty research performance; and postgraduate satisfaction with their alma mater. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the experience of supervision and subsequent supervision practices. Design/methodology/approach – Totally, 40 supervisors who are doctoral students/graduates were approached to participate in the study, and 32 agreed. For each participant, data were collected to explore their development as a supervisor. Findings – Supervisors seek guidance from textbooks, workshops, peers, colleagues and their doctoral supervisor to develop as a supervisor. Their supervision style emerges as a reaction to both positive and negative experiences of supervision. A recurring theme in the data is that if there is something missing in the supervision experience, the student will emphasise this element in their approach to supervision. Practical implications – The changing nature of doctoral provision is changing the role of the supervisor. This paper explores the relationship between a student and their supervisor. The outcome is that insights are provided into how the experience of doctoral supervision is reflected in the supervisory practices of the supervised. Originality/value – The impact of the supervisor on the doctoral student's/graduate's subsequent approach to supervision can be mapped against previous research. Additional research is needed to identify the different styles of supervision practised, and how each style is valued within the academic community.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1354067X2110173
Author(s):  
Danilo Silva Guimarães

This article aims to discuss the relationship between personal cultural experience and knowledge construction in psychology, from the perspective of the Semiotic-Cultural Constructivism. The thoughts here presented are, at the same time, from within psychology and about psychology. The researcher is culturally situated and science is a field of production of cultural works that aims to create perspectives of knowledge about the world. Researchers can and must create some detachment from their field of study to be able to understand the course of their own knowledge constructions. This detachment is achieved through a historical–philosophical view on the theoretical–methodological propositions of their field of research. As a case study, we selected for analysis the field’s pioneer productions, from the years 1982 to 2004. The material showed that the rationality that characterizes scientific research is directed, in this field, to creating semiotic resources for further developing reflexivity in psychology, as a recursive and open-ended process. The theoretical–methodological work of the researcher concerns its own personal cultural experience and the tradition of the already constructed knowledge, selected to a dialogue about the ethical implications of human action. Therefore, advances in psychological knowledge construction cannot be addressed from an external, allegedly neutral point of view, focused on the efficacy of the instruments resulting from the said “scientific progress.”


10.28945/4446 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 721-739
Author(s):  
Katherine Fulgence Swai

Aim/Purpose: The paper establishes how doctoral supervisors develop the supervision skills needed to handle the doctoral supervision process in the contemporary world. Background: While the existing literature confirms that PhD holders can supervise doctoral students, there is a need to provide supporting evidence that the skills they possess qualify them to do this. Methodology: Using the qualitative research approach, the study established the knowledge and skills that are needed to supervise doctoral students in the contemporary world. Through thematic analysis of 82 scholarly publications, the study established, in order of preference, five mechanisms through which doctoral supervisors develop supervision skills, i.e. the supervision process, doctoral education, institutional guidelines, institutional training courses and individualized learning. Contribution: The study contributes to the ongoing research on the supervision of doctoral studies in the 21st century. Findings: Findings show that a well-structured doctoral education, including the related processes, imparts the knowledge and skills needed for doctoral supervision. Likewise, a combination of the mechanisms and an individual’s commitment, in terms of time and engagement, develop the skills that are relevant for doctoral supervision. Recommendations for Practitioners: Higher Education Institutions need to make supervisors aware of the potential of these mechanisms for developing the skills necessary for doctoral supervision and encourage them to use them Recommendation for Researchers: Further research on the development of doctoral supervision skills should broadly consider the role of different programmes in developing doctoral supervision skills in different contexts. Impact on Society: The study has implications for doctoral supervisors and universities as regards the need to ensure that both mechanisms are instituted to enable doctoral supervisors to develop doctoral supervision skills. Future Research: Since the study was done theoretically, it might be important to conduct further research using mixed-methods research with a phenomenological design to establish the skills possessed by doctoral supervisors and the mechanism they used to develop the supervision skills in any context.


Economies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 130
Author(s):  
Peter Ágh ◽  
Roman Vavrek ◽  
Marek Dvořák ◽  
Viera Papcunová

The municipality generally uses its property to perform self-governing functions, and public or business activities. In the conditions of the Slovak Republic, the municipality operates either as a legal entity in its own name or carries out business activities with the help of a contributory and budgetary organization or business firm established by the municipality. Revenues from business activities form an important part of the revenue of local self-government budgets. The aim of this paper was an economic evaluation of the management of municipal firms at the level of rural local self-governments in the conditions of the Slovak Republic on the basis of selected economic indicators. At the same time, we analyzed the relationship between selected economic indicators in relation to the size, lifespan and number of employees of the firm. The analysis was performed in the time period 2015–2019 on a sample of municipal firms at the level of rural local self-governments. For the analysis, we used selected mathematical–statistical methods (Shapiro–Wilk test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and regression analysis). The analysis showed that the differences in the profitability of municipal firms from the point of view of the region in which they operate as well as from the point of view of the number of employees is not statistically significant. Statistical significance was not demonstrated even within the volume of revenue of municipal firms from the point of view of the region in which the municipal firm operates. The volume of revenues of municipal enterprises with the population of the municipality as well as the length of time of operation on the market is growing, but these are not the only factors on which these results depend.


10.28945/2308 ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 439-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christelle Devos ◽  
Nicolas Van der Linden ◽  
Gentiane Boudrenghien ◽  
Assaad Azzi ◽  
Mariane Frenay ◽  
...  

The purpose of the present study was twofold. First, we used the three types of support depicted in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) (structure, involvement and autonomy support) to examine supervision practices in the doctoral context. Conversely, we used this material to discuss the theory and suggest new developments to it. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 former PhD students (8 completers and 13 non-completers). The data were analyzed using deductive content analysis. The first aim led us to illustrate how supervisors offer structure, involvement, and autonomy support to the doctoral students, and to support the relevance of this theoretical framework in this particular context. The second aim led us to provide three avenues for reflection on SDT. First, a set of practices belongs both to structure and involvement and are therefore at risk of being overlooked in research. Second, there is a thin line between structure and control (and between autonomy support and chaos) and intentions to offer the first may easily turn into providing the second in practice. Finally, we developed the hypothesis that a necessary condition for supervisors to be able to offer positive support to their doctoral students is to consider them as trustworthy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Jaitner ◽  
Swen Koerner ◽  
Esther Serwe-Pandrick

Academic sports pedagogy continuously assures itself of its disciplinary foundations and determines its position in the structure of modern sciences. While communication is based on differences, the distinction between claim and reality plays a crucial role in sports pedagogy. However, the forms and functions in which the distinction appears have not been more closely investigated in sports pedagogic. This article starts with this in mind, exemplarily focusing on academic sports pedagogy in Germany. While analyzing 212 scientific texts of sports-pedagogical provenance, three central variations of the distinction could be identified, which persist until today and are present in the discipline's central discussion lines: (1) hierarchical demarcation, (2) unsystematic approach, (3) direct synthesis. From a functional point of view, the distinction between claim and reality continuously (re)organizes the relationship of sports pedagogy to other scientific disciplines, educational policy guidelines, and school practice expectations, thus proving to be a supporting pillar of disciplinary identity work.


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