Supervisory Style Research Articles

Investigating Supervisory Feedback Practices and their Impact on International Research Student's Thesis Development: A Case Study

There is inadequate research examining international doctoral students’ experiences of feedback from their supervisors and its impact on their thesis development. There is indeed a dearth of local literature on research investigating supervisors’ concepts of research supervision as evident in their supervisory practices and communication methods, and the research students’ expectations of research supervision, as well as their reactions to the supervision approach. The literature has emphasized the need for a more process oriented supervisory role that facilitates collaborative knowledge creation be employed (Johnson et al., 2001; Greenberg and Baron, 2003; Lee, 2007; Lee et al., 2008) to transform the relationship between supervisees and supervisors from one that is dependent to independence to graduate competent researchers successfully. At the same time it is important to note that the naturally unequal roles between supervisors-supervisees require continual negotiations and interactions throughout the supervision process to attain collaboration in thesis development. This paper will report on the preliminary case study investigating the nature and patterns of supervisory practices and methods of communication employed by a supervisor supervising an international research student. Research findings from this preliminary investigation is only part of a larger study and will guide further in depth investigation of supervisory feedback practices towards framing an overall pedagogical approach to supervising international students with an integration of effective supervisory styles and intercultural communication methods, essentially providing a toolkit for developing critical literacy in EFL thesis writing.

Supervisory styles: a contingency framework

While the contingent nature of doctoral supervision has been acknowledged, the literature on supervisory styles has yet to deliver a theory-based contingency framework. A contingency framework can assist supervisors and research students in identifying appropriate supervisory styles under varying circumstances. The conceptual study reported here develops a contingency framework of supervisory styles and thus identifies functional relationships between organisational, relationship and research task variables on the one hand, and the supervision process and product dimensions on the other. Drawing on the organisational behaviour stream of contingency theory and operating under the positivist paradigm, the framework assumes that no single supervisory style is effective in all situations. The paper contributes to the supervision and higher education literature by deriving theoretical propositions from the contingency framework and by providing practical guidelines for supervisors and research students.

Prevalent Supervisory Styles in Primary Schools in a Remote Rural District in Zimbabwe: Strategies for Reconciling them with Teacher Preferred Supervisory Styles

This study set out to identify supervisory styles prevalent in Bulilima district in Zimbabwe, solicit teachers’ views on the supervisory styles and find ways of reconciling teacher-supervisor differences. The sample comprised twenty primary school teachers and ten School Heads. The research used the descriptive survey design and a semi structured questionnaire with both closed questions, where they chose from a set of predetermined responses and open ended questions for data collection. Quantitative data was presented in tables and frequencies and analysed while for qualitative data emerging themes were identified through content analysis. The study showed that supervision offered lacked relevance to instructional improvement. Teachers also felt that supervision offered lacked meaningful feedback. The study recommends that School Heads should offer practical assistance to teachers in the form of demonstration lessons. Teachers need to be involved in the supervisory process.

A cross-cultural comparison of clinical supervision in South Korea and the United States.

We investigated similarities and differences in clinical supervision in two cultures: South Korea and the United States The study had two parts: (1) a test of the cross-cultural equivalence of four supervision measures; and (2) a test of two competing models of cultural differences in the relations among supervisory style, role difficulties, supervisory working alliance, and satisfaction with supervision. Participants were 191 South Korean and 187 U.S. supervisees currently engaged in clinical supervision. The U.S. measures demonstrated sufficient measurement equivalence for use in South Korea. Cultural differences moderated the relations among supervisory styles, role difficulties, supervisory working alliance, and supervision satisfaction. Specifically, the relations among these variables were significantly stronger for U.S. than for South Korean supervisees. Implications for theory, research, and practice were discussed.

The relationship of supervisor and trainee gender match and gender attitude match to supervisory style and the supervisory working alliance

AbstractBackground: Gender‐related events have the potential to impact the supervisory relationship. Gender events might be related to the match between supervisors and supervisees on variables such as gender or gender attitudes. Method: In this study, we sought to determine whether gender match and gender attitude match were related to supervisory style and the supervisory working alliance in 94 supervisory dyads using four instruments: the Gender Attitude Inventory; Operationalisation of Gender Match; Supervisory Styles Inventory; and the Working Alliance Inventory/Supervision. Results: Progressive dyads (in which supervisors have more liberal attitudes about societal issues and culturally defined roles for women than their supervisees) were perceived by supervisors as more task‐oriented than parallel‐high dyads (in which supervisors and supervisees both had liberal attitudes). Implications for counselling supervision are discussed.

Empowering and disempowering students in student– supervisor relationships

In South Africa, the issue of empowerment or disempowerment in student–supervisor relationships has not been adequately addressed. Research for this article therefore aimed at determining how students are empowered or disempowered in their relationships with their supervisors. The conceptual framework for the research comprised social constructivism, critical pedagogy and theory on the empowerment of students. In the phenomenological case study, 15 master’s and doctoral students with 9 different supervisors from one college at the University of South Africa, and who had recently graduated, were purposefully selected for interviews. The findings of the study revealed that the students were not always empowered through sustained two-way communication in a supportive environment. In order to empower students, supervisory styles need to change from power-centred to facilitationcentred supervision. The study also showed that many supervisors found it difficult to adopt this style in a distance-education environment. The study is significant for generating a model that illustrates the interaction between various forces related to supervisory practices. Some recommendations for improvement were made.

Learning through a Reflection: Becoming an effective PhD supervisor

The aim of this paper is to learn how to be a better or more effective supervisor through a critical reflection on my own supervisory experience. The importance of the effective supervision is highlighted in view of the established link between effective supervision and greater completion rates of postgraduate degrees, where the latter is main focus of higher education institutions/authorities in the last decade. The reflection is used to not only to justify the way we were supervised, but to challenge it and find ways how we can improve our effective supervision. Several researchers argue that supervisors usually adopt the same supervisory practice and style as the one they experienced themselves as research students (Pearson and Brew, 2002; Lee, 2008; Wright et al., 2008), notwithstanding additional factors that might influence the effectiveness of supervision. Pearson and Brew (2002) argue that new supervisors should have an ability to critically reflect on their past experience as research student in light of the theoretical conceptions and research findings in the literature on supervision, a process called “a critical reflective journey” by Tait (2009, p.193). The methodology for this research is based on the framework for effective supervision adopted by Engebretson et al. (2008) who establish eleven characteristics of an effective supervision. Parallel to the examination of each of those individual characteristics, I provide my insight into each characteristic by reflecting on my own experience. The structure of the paper is as follows. Section 1 introduces the importance of an effective supervision in the modern educational environment, as well as the value that critical reflection brings to the learning. Section 2 provides a literature review of the characteristics of a good supervisor, along with a personal experience related to each of them. Section 3 concludes. Key words: Reflection, Learning, Supervision, Students, Oversees

Effective and Ineffective Supervision

Although supervision is recognized as a significant tenant of professional growth for counseling and psychotherapy students, the variability of the effectiveness, or ineffectiveness, of supervision has come under scrutiny in recent times. Our sample of 128 participants shed light on the most effective (e.g., encouraged autonomy, strengthened the supervisory relationship, and facilitated open discussion) and most ineffective (e.g., depreciated supervision, performed ineffective client conceptualization and treatment, and weakened the supervisory relationship) supervisor skills, techniques, and behaviors. Moreover, effective and ineffective behaviors, along with best and worst supervisors, were significantly differentiated based on the supervisory working alliance, supervisor style, supervisor self-disclosure, supervisee nondisclosure, and supervisee evaluation. Implications for supervision competencies and supervisor accountability are discussed.

What is a doctorate? A concept-mapped analysis of process versus product in the supervision of lab-based PhDs

Background: Concept-mapping and interview techniques are used to track knowledge and understanding over the duration of PhD study amongst four students and their supervisors in the course of full-time research towards their PhDs. This work is in contrast to much PhD supervision research and policy research that focuses on supervisory styles and roles and may decontextualise the topic and disciplinary setting. Purpose: The work investigates the understanding of the process and product in PhD-level research and supervision. Sample: Participants were four students and their supervisor(s). Case studies were based on longitudinal studies conducted over three to four years (the duration of a PhD). The students were all enrolled in lab-based PhDs in one UK-based higher education institution. Three of the four students were international (one EU-based) and three supervisors were from outside the UK. Design and methods: The data provide documentary evidence of the ways in which these supervisors act to facilitate learning and discovery of research processes and an understanding of lab-based science research supervision. In the initial interview (conducted separately with students and supervisors), the interviewee constructed two maps, one on the topic of the PhD and one on the process of a PhD. In subsequent interviews, the student or supervisor reviewed and updated the previously constructed maps. Transcripts of the interviews were made as well. These data draw on 72 interviews and 96 unique concept maps constructed. The challenges of a PhD being both a process of learning (for the student and the supervisor) and a product of a research project are explored using case study analysis of these four pairs. Findings and discussion: Analyses of the collected data suggested that the students focused more on the product of a PhD (completing a thesis and publication), whereas the supervisors concentrated on the process of learning and scientific development. Conclusions: Evidence in the study suggested product/process differences in the student and supervisor conceptualisation of the PhD. This paper offers development towards a research-led pedagogy of supervision that places the process and product of a PhD at the centre of the supervisory relationship.

P-1469 - Effect of stress on women's health in the context of a global labour market: the case of women in export processing zones

This study examined the association between labour intensification due to work intensification and work extensification and ill health in women in certain manufacturing work in the Philippines. Work intensification is defined as more workload for each worker, and work extensification as less deadtime or work rest and more overtime. The sample was 23 establishments and 630 respondents. Workplace environment monitoring showed exposure to hazards such as noise, chemicals, poor ventilation, and poor illumination. The most prevalent illnesses and health problems were headache and coughs and colds. Results of focus group discussions showed adverse work conditions, hazard exposures among women workers, fast pace of work, close supervision, and prevalent occupational illnesses. . The results indicate that the health issues of women workers depend on many factors, such as management and supervisory style, job autonomy, nature of task, and hazard exposures.

Research supervision: supervisory style, research-related tasks, importance and quality - part 1

To examine postgraduate students' and academic nurse supervisors' views of research supervision by focusing on four major issues; supervisory style, research-related tasks as well as the importance and quality of research supervision. Research supervision is central to the higher education programme and of particular relevance for scientific development of nursing leadership in order to improve health care. A descriptive-correlational design with descriptive and interferential statistics was used. Problem-solving, research preparation, communication and interaction appear to be key aspects of supervisory style. The research-related tasks of research supervision comprised monitoring the research process, providing encouragement and critical comments on drafts as well as fostering an academic role. The perception of the atmosphere of the session was good and the supervisors' feedback on the text was deemed well-prepared and constructive. Overall satisfaction with the quality of the academic leadership was high. Research supervision is a mutual, interactive process aimed at improving the supervisor's ability to be sensitive to the students' competence and limitations. Academic leaders have a wide range of roles, research activities and serve as role models within their professions. Research supervision needs to be valued in order to promote closer and more collaborative research between clinical practice and academia.

Relational Transactional Analysis Supervision

This article presents a working model for a relational approach to supervision and integrates a number of supervisory ideas and approaches within a transactional analysis framework. Supervisory styles and approaches are identified and considered alongside Erskine's (1982/1997) stages of supervisee development. The author discusses how to approach the supervisory work through a contemporary relational lens and offers an outline of how he uses contracts within transactional analysis supervision. He describes two approaches to working at the teach/treat boundary and distinguishes between traditional and relational approaches. A diagrammatic representation of the supervisor-supervisee relationship is offered to support the supervisor in working at this boundary. Finally, a case example illustrates the application of these ideas in practice.

The Influence Of Real Estate Sales Managers Supervisory Behaviors On The Role Clarity And Job Satisfaction Of Real Estate Salespeople

This study examined the influence of the sales managers supervisory style on the role clarity and job satisfaction of a group of full-time real estate salespeople. The results show that the salespersons self-esteem, need for role clarity, experience, and self-perceived performance moderate the relationship between supervisory behavior and salespeoples job attitudes. Real estate salespeople have more positive job attitudes when the sales manager is supportive of their behavior rather than when the sales manager tries to structure their jobs.

Leader self-development as organizational strategy

Leader self-development enables leaders to adapt to the continually changing environment both within and outside of the organization. The purpose of this paper is to describe the construct of leader self-development and the processes by which it can serve as an organizational leadership development strategy. We framed the paper around a multi-level model of leader self-development linking organizational level constructs such as human resources practices and resources with group level phenomena of norms, supervisor style, and social networks with the individual leader self-development process. Leader self-development is a cost-effective way for organizations to develop leaders resulting in competitive edge.

The Effects of Leadership Styles and Use of Performance Measures on Managerial Work-Related Attitudes

In this paper we investigate the effects of superiors’ performance evaluation behaviors on subordinates’ work-related attitudes. In response to critique on the multidimensional nature of the ‘supervisory style’ construct in the RAPM literature, we argue that the two dominant dimensions underlying this construct are leadership style and performance measure use. We develop and test a path model that allows us to disentangle the effects of leadership style (initiating structure and consideration) and performance measure use (objective and subjective measures) on managerial work-related attitudes (goal clarity and evaluation fairness). We test our hypotheses using survey data from 196 middle-level managers in 11 organizations. Results show that an initiating structure leadership style affects subordinates’ work-related attitudes through the use of objective performance measures. Consideration leadership behavior instead only has a direct impact on work-related attitudes. These findings have important implications for management accounting research on superiors’ use of performance measures, and provide an explanation of some of the problematic findings in the literature.

Midwives' supervisory styles and leadership role as experienced by Norwegian mothers in the context of a fear of childbirth

The aim of the present study was to describe the midwives' supervisory style and leadership role as experienced by pregnant women and new mothers in the context of a fear of childbirth. A service led by midwives can influence the quality of care. The sample consisted of 13 mothers. Data were interpreted by means of qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed that the midwives' supervisory styles were related to their ability to create a trusting and caring relationship, demonstrate problem-solving capacity, and showing willingness, preparedness and courage to support the women. The midwives' leadership role was described as involving a crucial set of professional management skills and techniques. The findings have strengthened the argument for the provision of continuity of care to women who are afraid of childbirth. Further studies should focus more specifically on the implementation of research in practice. It is necessary for midwives to demonstrate leadership in order to develop practice, predict challenges and changes, provide different care delivery models and acquire an evidence base for care. This also demands systematic supervision to improve care outcomes.

Midwives' group supervision and the influence of their continuity of care model - a pilot study

Midwives' different leadership and supervisory styles influence women's experiences of childbirth in various ways. The aim of this study was to evaluate midwives' experiences of group supervision and the influence of the continuity of care model, with particular focus on childbearing women's need for emotional support. An additional aim was to evaluate the development of the midwives' professional competence. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse the notes made during the supervision sessions and focus group discussion. The significance of the midwives' continuity of care model was: assessment of the women's individual needs, enabling strategies to create a deeper relationship and acknowledging the vulnerability in the relationship with the women. The outcome of the midwives' group supervision was increased professional competence. Three themes emerged: Integrating science into midwifery practice, Awareness of one's professional role and Sensitivity in one's professional role. These findings provide a clear indication that the women's need for emotional support can be fulfilled by the midwives' leadership. The development of the midwife's role as a leader in maternity care is closely related to the opportunities for the provision of supervision aimed at increasing her professional competence.

Learning and Supervisory Styles in the Training of Social Workers

This research investigated the learning and supervisory styles among a population of supervisors (N = 133) and social work trainees (N = 333). Using Kolb's Learning Style Index, the study looked at the ways learning styles change over the course of a three-year BSW program, distribution of supervisory styles among the fieldwork supervisors, and similarities and differences in styles between the two respective groups. The approaches used by supervisors to adjust their style to accommodate the learning needs of individual supervisees were also investigated. The findings allow us to infer that the learning styles of the students are more varied among themselves upon the commencement of studies than upon completion of the social work degree. The supervisees tend to move toward the styles that are prevalent among social workers. Almost all of the supervisors exhibit styles congruent with the styles typically found among social workers. In addition, supervisors tend to stick to their “natural” supervision style irregardless of the learning style of the specific supervisee. However, in the instances in which adjustments were made, the supervisors favored a certain degree of contrast between their supervisory style and the learning style of the supervisee in the supervisory dyad. The limitations of the study as well as the implications of its results for future research are discussed.

The supervision of professional doctorates: Experiences of the processes and ways forward

The doctoral research terrain is changing, as new-styles, for example professional doctorates, are being developed (Park, C., 2005. New variant PhDL the changing nature of the doctorate in the UK. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 27(2), 189-207). There is a scarcity of literature aimed at supervisors (Gatfield, T., 2005, An investigation into PhD supervisory management styles: development of a dynamic conceptual model and its managerial implications. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 27(3), 311-325) and this is particularly so in relation to professional doctorates. In this position paper we argue that the supervisory approach required for a professional doctorate student is different than that required for a PhD. Professional doctorate students, like PhD students, are required to make an explicit contribution to knowledge. Their emphasis, however, needs to be in producing knowledge that is theoretically sound, original, and of relevance to their practice area. This is of increasing importance within healthcare with the growing emphasis on patient driven translational research. As such, the students and their supervisors face unique challenges of balancing academic requirements with praxis. We suggest this requires specific tools to make explicit the dialogical relationship between a particular project and the cultural, social, educational and political aspects of its environment. We expose the potential of soft systems methodology as a means to highlight the emergent aspects of a doctoral practice development project, their respective and evolving supervisory interactions. This focus of this paper is therefore not about guiding supervision in a managerial sense, but rather at offering methodological suggestions that could underpin applied research at doctoral level.

Who Wants Feedback? An Investigation of the Variables Influencing Residents’ Feedback-Seeking Behavior in Relation to Night Shifts

The literature on feedback in clinical medical education has predominantly treated trainees as passive recipients. Past research has focused on how clinical supervisors can use feedback to improve a trainee's performance. On the basis of research in social and organizational psychology, the authors reconceptualized residents as active seekers of feedback. They investigated what individual and situational variables influence residents' feedback-seeking behavior on night shifts. Early in 2008, the authors sent obstetrics-gynecology residents in the Netherlands--both those in their first two years of graduate training and those gaining experience between undergraduate and graduate training--a questionnaire that assessed four predictor variables (learning and performance goal orientation, and instrumental and supportive leadership), two mediator variables (perceived feedback benefits and costs), and two outcome variables (frequency of feedback inquiry and monitoring). They used structural equation modeling software to test a hypothesized model of relationships between variables. The response rate was 76.5%. Results showed that residents who perceive more feedback benefits report a higher frequency of feedback inquiry and monitoring. More perceived feedback costs result mainly in more feedback monitoring. Residents with a higher learning goal orientation perceive more feedback benefits and fewer costs. Residents with a higher performance goal orientation perceive more feedback costs. Supportive physicians lead residents to perceive more feedback benefits and fewer costs. This study showed that some residents actively seek feedback. Residents' feedback-seeking behavior partially depends on attending physicians' supervisory style. Residents' goal orientations influence their perceptions of the benefits and costs of feedback-seeking.