Research Supervision Research Articles

An Action Research Inquiry: facilitating early childhood studies undergraduate researcher development through Group Supervision

ABSTRACT This paper reports an Action Research Inquiry that aimed to develop research supervision as a learning strategy, in order to facilitate early childhood undergraduates’ completion of a primary research project and dissertation in the final year of their degree programme. Researchers in this context are conceptualised as a community of practice where there is a common goal for undergraduates to become researchers. In this community, supervision accompanies students along their research project; it provides opportunities for learning for the supervisor and the student. Communities of Practice are spaces for social learning. The objectives of introducing supervision as a group social practice were to provide a space to develop researcher identity, apply research skills and make sense of the experience of research. Group Supervision represented a shift in teaching and learning practice. Action Research was applied as a research method. Such an approach placed emphasis on the participation and collaboration of lecturers in a strategy for changing practice. The research was conducted in a University in the United Kingdom. One cycle of action research was completed. Findings from the study suggest Group Supervision is valued and understood, by lecturers and students, as a social learning process.

Psychotherapy supervision research: On roadblocks, remedies, and recommendations

ABSTRACT Psychotherapy supervision research, while reflecting empirical advances across the decades, also reflects unfulfilled promise. We subsequently consider why that is so, examining some of the roadblocks that seemingly have prevented supervision research from moving most fruitfully forward. It is our contention that rich seeds of supervision research advancement have long been available, cast in the form of constructive recommendations for action that, unfortunately, have generally gone unheeded and not been acted upon. In hopes of further stimulating supervision research and a re-study of those useful recommendations, we review long-lingering supervision roadblocks, remedies, and recommendations for remedy implementation. Several fundamental issues — focusing on study design, sampling, and measurement concerns — are taken up for consideration. Supervision research, because of its triadic nature, can be highly challenging, difficult to conduct, even ‘messy’. But if supervision is to ever empirically advance beyond its current state, then re-visiting and acting upon some of those earlier-identified, admittedly-demanding recommendations seems sine qua non.

Shifting from face-to-face learning to Zoom online teaching, research, and internship supervision in a technologically developing ‘female students’ university in Pakistan: A psychology teacher’s and students’ perspective

During the Covid-19 pandemic, students, and teachers of the developing countries had to shift from the face-to-face traditional classroom to an e-learning environment, which elicited various reactions to teaching and learning. I conducted this research to understand how students perceived online learning and to share my reflexive experiences about this shift in a Pakistani public sector women university. I administered a short survey in seven domains. As a teacher, I found (working from home) online teaching, assessment, internship, and research supervision extremely productive, interesting, rewarding, and excellent for my health and wellbeing. More than 50 per cent of the students appeared adjusted to online mode of learning. Improvement in internet connection, development of teachers’ and students’ computer skills, and development of teachers’ cultural sensitivity can enrich students’ learning outcomes. Online educational systems need to be improved in developing countries. Students engaged in practical work or those progressing to online careers need more online hands on experience.

Thoughts on vaccine hesitancy in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic

Vaccines have made great contributions to the prevention of infectious diseases, but vaccine hesitancy is widespread in the world. The reasons for vaccine hesitancy are complex, but the main reasons are the lack of public awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases and the lack of confidence in vaccine effectiveness and safety. In the context of the continuous spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, boosting public confidence and ensuring the orderly development of the vaccination work of COVID-19 vaccines and conventional vaccines are necessary to curb the resurgence of the COVID-19 epidemic and prevent the outbreak of various infectious diseases in China. Under the current situation, the main measures to deal with vaccine hesitancy are to play the role of health care institutions, improve public health literacy, normalize the public opinion orientation of the media platform, strengthen the supervision of vaccine clinical research and production, and do a good job in surveillance and compensation for adverse events following immunization. Copyright © 2021 by the Chinese Medical Association.

Adygea Wind Power Plant: Research, Design, and Field Supervision

Adygea Wind Power Plant: Research, Design, and Field Supervision

The higher degree by research student as ‘master’: Utilising a design thinking approach to improve learner experience in higher degree research supervision

This article presents a work-based learning and research approach to professional postgraduate education specifically in the case of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs. It highlights a prototype of the Cohort-based Advisory Team (CAT) model as a useful strategy. The authors propose that a design thinking approach that empathises with the student experience as the 'Master' of the design reveals insights that may inform future formal higher education in the professions. An overview of the design thinking process associated with the Professional Studies programs as developed at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is provided. Case accounts of HDR students in the law and engineering disciplines provide exploratory evidence of the student experience. The article concludes that there is a case to be made to professional associations that this form of professional development (work-based learning and research) should be recognised in terms of the contributions it makes to the knowledge, skills and abilities of graduates.

The higher degree by research student as ‘master’: Utilising a design thinking approach to improve learner experience in higher degree research supervision

This article presents a work-based learning and research approach to professional postgraduate education specifically in the case of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs. It highlights a prototype of the Cohort-based Advisory Team (CAT) model as a useful strategy. The authors propose that a design thinking approach that empathises with the student experience as the “Master” of the design reveals insights that may inform future formal higher education in the professions. An overview of the design thinking process associated with the Professional Studies programs as developed at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is provided. Case accounts of HDR students in the law and engineering disciplines provide exploratory evidence of the student experience. The article concludes that there is a case to be made to professional associations that this form of professional development (work-based learning and research) should be recognised in terms of the contributions it makes to the knowledge, skills and abilities of graduates.

Alignment of Doctoral Student and Supervisor Expectations in Malaysia

Aim/Purpose: This paper compares doctoral student and supervisor expectations of their respective roles and responsibilities in doctoral research supervision relationships in Malaysia. It identifies the areas, and the extent to which expectations align or differ. Background: Incongruence of expectations between doctoral students and their supervisor has been cited as a major contributor to slow completion times and high attrition rates for doctoral students. While researchers urge the need for explicit discussion of expectations, in practice doctoral students and supervisors rarely make their expectations explicit to each other, and few researchers have examined the areas of alignment or misalignment of expectations in depth. Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were held with fifteen doctoral students and twelve supervisors from two research-intensive universities in Malaysia. An inductive thematic analysis of data was conducted. Contribution: This paper provides the first in-depth direct comparison of student-supervisor expectations in Malaysia. A hierarchical model of student-supervisor expectations is presented. Findings: Expectations vary in the degree of congruence, and the degree to which they are clarified by students and supervisors across four different areas: academic practice, academic outcomes, skills and personal attributes, personal relationships. A hierarchical model is proposed to describe the extent to which both students and supervisors are able to clarify their mutual expectations arising throughout the doctoral student-supervisor relationship. Recommendations for Practitioners: Institutions should support discussions with both doctoral students and supervisors of expectations of their student-supervisor interactions, and encourage them to be more proactive in exploring their mutual expectations. Recommendation for Researchers: Data is recommended to be collected from students who have recently completed their studies, given the observation that some student participants were uncomfortable speaking about their supervisors while still in the student-supervisor relationship. Impact on Society: Opening opportunities for discussions of expectations by students and supervisors, supported and encouraged by the institutions within which they work, can help set the scene for positive and productive relationships. Future Research: Findings indicate there is need to examine in depth the impact of gender, and the competing pressures to publish and graduate on time, as they relate to the student-supervisor relationships and experience.

SISTEM PENJAMINAN MUTU DAN PENGAWASAN PENDIDIKAN TINGGI

This study aims to determine the internal quality assurance system for education standards, research, community service and educational supervision in higher education institutions. The results of the study indicate that all components of the education quality standard must be endeavored to achieve the desired quality, both internal and external stakeholders. Research standards and community service need to be intensified in carrying out an internal quality assurance system by referring to the principles of being educational, accountable, objective, and transparent. Educational supervision in tertiary institutions must always be present to complement the administrative and management processes in achieving educational goals and become an umbrella for inputs, outputs and systems in tertiary institutions to keep activities carried out from deviating from a predetermined plan.

Trustworthiness in Sampling Selection: Remedies Against Introspective Chaos

The ethical dimension pertaining to protecting participants from psychological harm due to the in-depth nature of the inquiry and to the intimacy resulting from prolonged engagement is well-documented. This is laudable, but very few studies focused on guiding the researchers against chaotic emotions arising from introspectively questioning their beliefs and motivations and inspiring their judgments underlying their decisions. In our involvement with masters’ students’ thesis writing and research management training, supervision, and examination, we became aware of recurring cases of novice researchers silently disappearing from the program, eventually reappearing, continuously struggling with their thesis. Investigating this process, we identified the difficulty of becoming trustworthy researcher-instruments as the central issue leading to students disconnecting from their research. Students would disclose their anxiety of being accused of bias when defending their purposeful sampling. Therefore, we decided to equip them pre-emptively, helping them build their researchers’ expertise and confidence. Firstly, we disclosed our vulnerability from the perspective of the researchers’ awareness. Secondly, we exposed an intricate sampling case in terms of methodical considerations. Lastly, we provided a step-by-step demonstration of the initial, purposeful, and theoretical sampling selection process, illustrating the constant comparative analysis method, peer discussions and member reflections as safeguarding procedures towards trustworthiness.

Post COVID- 19 protocol of treatment, radiologic examination and infection control in dentistry

The COVID-19 is an utmost challenge to the health care profession. The medical professionals and system and has recommended different reaction and sorts of solutions found all over the world. As the dental health care professionals deal directly with the oral cavity, their responsibility in avoiding the spread of COVID-19 proves significant. All the usual dental treatment and procedures put on hold into countries which come across COVID-19. During this pandemic, there is a need for planned crucial care which might be delivered by dental professional and auxiliary they should be provided with proper PPE on priority. Dental health care professionals should also be trained to contribute to health care. Quick re-organization of significant health care support is not simple. Dental health care professionals have an ethical duty to lessen the fear of spreading COVID-19 for routine care in dental patients. But they were and are worried concerning the monetary issues. The huge data is online accessible and over societal media, but still, it is hard to recognize research confirmation and supervision; however, ethical conclusions should be made.

Performance Management and Quality of Lecturers’ Services at Makerere University

The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between goal setting and quality of lecturers’ services. This was based on the deteriorating quality of lecturers’ services in Makerere University, the pioneer university in Uganda. The study was a cross-sectional survey, targeting academic staff in College of Humanity and Social Sciences (CHUSS), College of Commerce and Business Administration (CoBAMS) and College of Education and External Studies (CEES). These lecturers were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. It was analysed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient index and regression analysis techniques. Results revealed that there was a highly positive significant impact between goal setting and quality of lecturers’ services (teaching, research supervision, writing and publication, and finally community services). It was hence concluded that goal setting is a strong predictor of quality of lecturers’ services. Thus, a recommendation that once lecturers’ quality of services is to be enhanced at Makerere University there should be high engagement of lecturers on boards, council, senate to influence decisions geared towards achieving university objectives missions and goals.

The Profile of the Supervising Lecturer: On the Association between Supervision Outputs and the Nature of the Supervision

This study is a pioneer study that seeks to explore the association between supervision outputs and the nature of the supervision (by e-mail, face-to-face, the student’s independence). In addition, the association between the supervising lecturer’s personal background (gender, age), professional background (faculty, tenure, excellence in teaching), and the supervision outputs (articles written, presentations at conferences) and nature of the supervision is explored. The purpose of the study is to explore items in depth so that they can be used in developing a questionnaire exploring the association between supervision outputs and the nature of the supervision.
 
 The research findings show, for various items, significant interactions between age and gender, excellence in teaching, and tenure. Significant interactions were also found between gender and faculty, as well as between age and excellence in teaching. Differences were also found between faculties.
 
 The findings of this study might have practical consequences for establishing the output-guided association in research supervision, as well as for establishing the practical association between the nature of the supervision and the lecturer’s personal background, professional background, the supervision outputs, and the nature of the supervision. These findings constitute a foundation for methodological thinking concerning supervision by staff members, a subject that has considerable meaning for the initial steps taken by young student researchers and for the systematic establishment of the pattern of academic supervision, which although not frontal teaching may be even more demanding.

The development of research supervisors’ pedagogical content knowledge in a lesson study project

ABSTRACT In this study, we aimed to identify how the learning activities elicited in a lesson study project contributed to self-perceived change in supervisors’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Lesson study is a method which combines both professional and educational development. During a lesson study project, teachers collaborate in a team and develop, teach, evaluate, and redesign a research lesson. During the 4-month lesson study project described here, four supervisors designed a protocol for research supervision meetings aimed at enhancing undergraduate students’ learning. During the project, they experimented with open questioning and giving positive feedback instead of giving instruction and explanations. A mixed-methods design was used in this study. Data on the supervisors’ learning activities and PCK were gathered using learner reports, video-recordings of meetings, and exit interviews. The analyses of these data showed that the lesson study project contributed to the development of the supervisors’ PCK on instructional strategies and student understanding. The learning activity that contributed most to these changes was reflecting on their own practice and that of their students.

Improving postgraduate nursing research output: A South African nursing science perspective

Background. Postgraduate nursing research programmes prepare professional nurses for receiving Master’s or doctoral degrees, foster growth of the profession and strengthen the nation’s health sectors through development and implementation of innovative approaches for better nursing care. Enrolment in and completion of postgraduate nursing research programmes follow rigorous processes, involving the student, supervisor(s) and university. Objectives. To review the relevant literature obtained from a computerised database search that focused on improving postgraduate nursing research throughput in South Africa (SA) to synthesise ideas and draw conclusions regarding the topic being discussed. Methods. An unsystematic, narrative literature review approach was adopted for a computerised database search. Results. The study revealed that postgraduate nursing research throughput could be improved through enrolment of a greater number of Master’s and doctoral students across SA universities, and adequate provision of structures for accessing information, e.g. the latest technologies. The study also revealed the need for adequate support of supervisors with the necessary resources and continuous training of more supervisors in innovative methods for appropriate development of the requisite skills to strengthen research supervision. Conclusion. There is a dire need to promote postgraduate nursing researchers owing to the importance of professional growth, development of new knowledge and university funding.

Frank Featherstone Bonsall. 31 March 1920—22 February 2011

Frank Bonsall played a significant role in the mathematical life of the United Kingdom in the decades following the Second World War. He had a particular impact in Scotland and the north of England, especially in research and graduate education. His research interests focused primarily on functional analysis, the area of mathematics that brings together various strands of analysis under a single abstract framework, and on the related theory of linear operators on Banach spaces. He influenced a generation of young mathematicians with the elegance of his written and oral expositions, both of his own research and that of others. The quality of his caring and thorough research supervision was reflected in his many PhD students who would continue in research and go on to successful academic careers in their own right, both in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Supervision of Research at Higher Education: Perception and Practices of Supervisors in Karachi Pakistan

The purpose of this research study was to find the perceptions and practices of researchers who supervised the research scholars at the higher education level. It is the common complaint of the students that their supervisors do not cooperate and resultantly the research study does not complete quite well in time. A quality research approach was adopted for the purpose, and sixteen research supervisors were interviewed. Responses of the supervisors who were included in this research for finding problems the supervisors are facing in the process of research supervision at higher education level, data were collected through open-ended questions which were presented during personal interviews to supervisors from private and government universities, both from social sciences and from applied sciences. While the findings of this research show more than these problems which supervisors are facing. It is recommended that the supervisor's point of view should also take into consideration, and further researches should be conducted to analyses hidden areas of this process.

A realist review of scholarly experiences in medical education.

Scholarly experiences have been increasingly employed to support the development of scholarly skills for medical students. How the characteristics of the various scholarly experiences contributes to scholarly outcomes or the complexities of how the experiences build skills warrants further exploration. To identify how medical students' scholarly experiences lead to scholarly outcomes under what circumstances. A realist review was conducted with a search of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and ERIC databases using the terms "medical student" and "scholarly experience" and related synonyms. Studies involving the engagement of medical students in a range of compulsory scholarly experiences including quality improvement projects, literature reviews and research projects were included. Key data were extracted from studies, and realist analysis was used to identify how contexts and mechanisms led to different outcomes. From an initial 4590 titles, 28 studies of 22 scholarly experiences were identified. All were primarily focused on research-related scholarly experiences. Organisational research culture that valued research, dedicated time, autonomy and choice of experience were found to be key contexts. Adequately supported and structured experiences where students can see the value of research and quality supervision that builds student's self-efficacy were identified as mechanisms leading to outcomes. Outcomes included increased research skills and attitudes, scholarly outputs (eg publications) and future interest in research or other scholarly endeavours. The design of scholarly experiences for medical students needs to ensure protected time, adequate supervision and autonomy, to achieve scholarly outcomes. Much of the focus is on research and traditional outcomes with little known about the role or outcomes associated with other scholarly work.

A supervision approach to facilitate learning during the master’s research journey

ABSTRACT Research supervision can utilise teaching and supervision practices to structure the research journey for master’s students and achieve higher order learning. This study applied known practice to conceptualise a supervision approach to support the learning process of master’s students during research supervision. The approach focused on improving supervision quality, achieving the required learning even though postgraduates have time constraints as part-time students, and enabling the supervisor to support the growing number of postgraduates. This supervision approach provides a structured approach to less experienced academics who can utilise it to implement their own practices and improve their supervision.

COVID-19: medical students in clinical research.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of clinical research staff from across the UK were redeployed to the front line of the National Health Service (NHS).1 This left a depleted workforce to deliver the urgent public health research (UPHR) projects required to characterise the novel disease, inform public health measures and evaluate potential therapeutics. As medical students at the University of Birmingham, we received an urgent appeal from Dr Chris Green (co-author) and the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) to volunteer to help deliver these clinical studies. We responded with the aim to support the NIHR and NHS workforce, and positively contribute to the unfolding crisis.2 We further sought to experience clinical research first-hand as, despite coming from a range of backgrounds, we had few insights into the practicalities of organising and conducting clinical trials. Our volunteer roles have varied in response to emerging research needs. As part of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infections Consortium (ISARIC), we collected serial data on COVID-19 inpatients’ symptoms and observations.3 Our role later expanded to assisting with the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial to help screen patients for eligibility, assess their capacity to consent and explain the trial to patients, alongside and under the supervision of local NHS research and development (R&D) staff. Our experiences have not only supported UPHR delivery but have also highlighted the learning opportunities that clinical research presents to medical students. The need for evidence-based medicine is reinforced throughout our medical training; however, with limited access to research during medical school, contextualising this concept is difficult. During our experience, we have observed the demand for a COVID-19 therapeutic agent and the process required to demonstrate its safety and efficacy. We have also been able to appreciate the uncertainty inherent in both research and clinical practice. Whereas the patient cases presented during our education often have clearly defined answers and learning objectives, we have seen that outcomes for individual patients and clinical trials are not as well defined. This is a more nuanced view, which should serve us well as future doctors. It is difficult for medical schools to prepare students fully for the sudden responsibility that we will experience as newly qualified doctors; however, we believe that clinical research placements could play a role in doing this. Whilst volunteering, we have been responsible for organising our own work schedule and presenting our ideas and findings to the wider research team. We have also rapidly learned to implement our theoretical understanding of concepts such as critical appraisal, communication, mental capacity assessment and taking informed consent. Furthermore, for many of us, our first patient consultations have not been the typical, highly supported, semi-artificial scenarios, but an exchange of critical information relating to a global pandemic. We have developed an improved understanding of how scientific data are collected, which will enhance our ability to assess available evidence critically and make erudite clinical decisions in the future.4 The newly developed NIHR clinical research volunteer network is more representative of the multidisciplinary teams found within the NHS. As students at different stages of training and with varying levels of experience, we have had the chance to interact across year groups, having had limited opportunity to do so otherwise in medical school. Opportunities to discuss our ideas and questions about the studies with consultants and the wider clinical research team have also given us unique insights into the current understanding of COVID-19, potential treatments and vaccines. These opportunities and the research network that we have developed will be invaluable to help us engage with future research and inform our career choices.5 The research experience available to us during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable to our professional development. Given the requirement for high levels of advanced training and expertise, however, opportunities to participate in research during medical school are currently limited. This seems counterintuitive, as many of us will play critical roles in future clinical research. We believe opportunities for clinical research placements should therefore be incorporated into medical education. These placements should be coupled with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training for medical students, to ensure both compliance with ethical practices and the safety of patients.6 Although we recognise mandatory placements and training could stretch an already busy medical curriculum, and may not be welcomed by all students, we believe that it will benefit our understanding and engagement with evidence-based medicine, clinical trials and researcher–clinician collaborations. This will help with the effective delivery of future clinical research and will ultimately benefit our patients. The research experience available to us during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable to our professional development … opportunities for clinical research placements should therefore be incorporated into medical education