Encouraging Dialogue in Doctoral Supervision: The Development of the Feedback Expectation Tool

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This paper introduces the Feedback Expectation Tool (FET) as an easy-to-use and flexible pedagogical tool to encourage dialogue on feedback between supervisors and candidates. The main aim of this pedagogical innovation is to allow negotiation to understand expectations and establish boundaries through transparent practices. Background: Feedback is a key element of learning and development and vital to developing scholarship. The literature indicates that supervisors and candidates often have different expectations about feedback. We developed the FET as a tool to encourage dialogue on feedback between supervisors and candidates so that they could understand each other’s expectations, negotiate, and work together in the most beneficial way possible. Methodology: We sought qualitative survey data from doctoral supervisors and candidates attending two universities. Participants identified key issues they faced with feedback. Based on current literature, qualitative survey data, and our insights as feedback researchers and academic developers, we developed a list of 13 conflicting statements. From this, we created the FET. Contribution: This paper shows how the FET evolved as an educational, developmental tool. It includes the tool (the FET) for easy and immediate use by supervisors and candidates. The FET makes an innovative pedagogical contribution to supervision practice and the wider body of knowledge around these practices. Findings: The paper presents and discusses the 13 FET statements that are the synthesized result of the literature review, the analysis of the qualitative survey data, and our experience. Each statement has contradictions that offer opportunities for dialogue between the supervisor and the candidate. Recommendations for Practitioners: Supervisors can use the FET successfully as a pedagogical tool when talking with their doctoral candidates. Every supervisor and candidate will use the FET in a way that works best for them both. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers could conduct studies in other research sites and countries and in specific disciplines. These studies would help us better understand the FET as a pedagogical tool so we could develop it further. Impact on Society: The FET is designed to help learning take place. It achieves this by creating a common understanding of the complexities in the feedback process. To keep up with ongoing changes in society in general, and in Higher Education and doctoral education in particular, we present the FET as a living document. Future Research: The authors are conducting follow-up research to discover how useful the FET is as a tool to help achieve more open and collegial feedback practices in doctoral supervision.

Alignment of Doctoral Student and Supervisor Expectations in Malaysia

“…This can only be achieved when the student-supervisor relationship is based on mutual respect, trust, clear, and negotiated expectations (P. Green, 2005, p. 4). Despite the growing emphasis on the importance of clarifying student-supervisor expectations, especially at the early stage of candidature (Parker-Jenkins, 2016;Stracke & Kumar, 2020), the treatment of expectations in the existing supervision models (i.e., Acker et al, 1994;Benmore, 2016;Gurr, 2001;McCallin & Nayar, 2012) has always been either implicit (Masek, 2017;Sambrook, 2016) or completely missing. The importance of expectations and the failure of current supervision models to fully account for them in the student-supervisor relationship points to a clear deficit which requires attention.…”

“…The need for constructive feedback is another important aspect of supervision that is agreed upon by students and supervisors (Ali et al, 2016;Friedrich-Nel & Mac Kinnon, 2019;Memon et al, 2014;Roach et al, 2019;Sambrook et al, 2008). The inability to provide high quality feedback to students has been identified as one of the main sources of student-supervisor conflicts and students' dissatisfaction (Adrian- Taylor et al, 2007;Chireshe, 2012;Stracke & Kumar, 2020).…”

“…Like many human relationships, student-supervisor relationships can be problematic if expectations between individuals are vague or misunderstood. While the growing literature on doctoral supervision acknowledges the importance of setting, clarifying, negotiating and reviewing student-supervisor expectations (Parker-Jenkins, 2016;Sambrook, 2016;Stracke & Kumar, 2020) and considers it a key success factor in the supervision process (Phillips & Pugh, 2005), expectations around the roles and responsibilities of each party remain largely unarticulated (Barry et al, 2018;Davis, 2019;Helfer & Drew, 2019;Mantai, 2019;Masek, 2017). Therefore, this study addresses two central questions:…”

Using Stimulus Material to Explore How Supervisors and Candidates Clarify Expectations During the Research Supervision Process in England

“…Furthermore, the literature makes the link between how roles are undertaken and the quality and satisfaction of supervision. Stracke and Kumar (2020) emphasize that expectations play an important role in the supervisory relationship but the differences in expectations between supervisors and candidates such as around feedback, need to be addressed. In response they developed a Feedback Expectation Tool (FET).…”

“…The practice of discussing regulations has been adopted by universities such as the University of Otago (2021) who produced a supervisor checklist including the need to discuss regulations with candidates. Stracke and Kumar (2020) highlight that candidates in their first year of their studies, may not feel confident enough to negotiate the completion of the agreements or checklists, even though they have become prevalent in many universities, as discussed below. Baydarova et al (2021) constructed a hierarchical model of supervisor and candidate expectations which includes the more formal expectations such as university regulations, but also frequency of meetings, feedback and updates which appear more ground rules.…”