Abstract
This paper completes a two-part series on graduate advising that integrates concepts from adult learning, leadership, and psychology into a conceptual framework for graduate advising. The companion paper discussed how to establish a learning-centered working relationship where advisor and graduate student collaborate in different roles to develop the student’s competence and confidence in all aspects of becoming a scientist. To put these ideas into practice, an advisor and a student need to communicate effectively. Here, we focus on the dynamics of day-to-day interactions and discuss (1) how to provide feedback that builds students’ competence and confidence, (2) how to choose the way we communicate and avoid a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal communication, and (3) how to prevent and resolve conflict. Miscommunication may happen out of a lack of understanding of the psychological aspects of human interactions. Therefore, we draw on concepts from Educational Transactional Analysis to provide advisors and students with an understanding of the psychological aspects of graduate advising as a basis for effective communication. Case studies illustrate the relevance of the concepts presented, and four worksheets ( Supplementary Material ) support their practical implementation.
Highlights
Human factors, and the emotional competencies of advisors and graduate students that are displayed in day-to-day interactions, may be a main contributor to program completion, yet the emotional aspect of graduate advising is understudied (O’Meara et al 2013)
This paper provides a brief overview of the underlying psychological processes that are likely to affect the dynamics of the working relationship between advisors and graduate students
The pragmatic goal here is to provide a collection of concepts that integrate with the conceptual framework presented in the companion paper and enable advisors
Summary
The emotional competencies of advisors and graduate students that are displayed in day-to-day interactions, may be a main contributor to program completion, yet the emotional aspect of graduate advising is understudied (O’Meara et al 2013). Beta lets Gray identify both the positives and negatives, and the advisor makes an effort to offer praise and express appreciation for what the student has done well. The first step is to create the conditions where the student can open up about their emotional experience; for example by sharing the learning model or by stating simple observations of the student’s behavior in encouraging nonjudgmental ways, as illustrated in Case Study 1 (Box 1).
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