Communities of Practice around research supervision

As researchers engage in this model they are providing an array of approaches to investigating research supervision.

communities of practice
Researchers
  • Geof Hill
  • Sian Vaughan
  • Vanessa Cui
  • with Amanda French, Tim Wall and Sarah Raine, Sarah Cooper, Elizabeth Nassam, Tony Armstrong and Rob Smith, Kate Carruthers Thomas and Emma Bridger
Background

Research supervision practice has emerged within the Higher Education discourse as a threshold element of doctoral research. Different approaches to providing professional development for research supervisors have been explored to develop and improve the practice and thus the completion rate for doctoral candidates.

BCU in 2015 commissioned a community of practice model for research supervision professional development. As researchers engage in this model they are providing an array of approaches to investigating research supervision.

Research Aims
  1. Introduce and evaluate a model of research supervision professional development.
  2. Document different ways for investigating research supervision
  3. Disseminate models of research supervision professional inquiry to encourage other supervisors/academic staff to reflect on and investigate their own supervision
Method of Research
  • Narrative Inquiry
Findings
  • Firstly the model has been published and has generated interest in the UK and in other countries
  • An additional initial publication of examples of investigating research supervision has been developed
  • The communities of practice around research supervision are proving to be a viable academic professional development
Application of Research
  • Improved research supervision and improved doctoral completions
  • Development of university based discourse around research supervision