Strategies for
Supervision?
Sheila Trahar
Graduate School of Education
University of Bristol
Strategies for Supervision

Common Criticisms – ‘Myths’?

The Supervisory Relationship and
Postcolonial Theory

More Practically…

Non-UK Supervisors

A Supervisor is Someone Who…
Common Criticisms –
‘Myths’?

Difficulty in gaining access – myth?
Criticism?

Lack of guidance and attention – myth?
Criticism?

Unequal role relationship in different
societies – myth? Criticism?

Encouragement of student independence
and initiative in ‘Western’ academic model –
myth? Criticism?

Need to email supervisor to arrange a
meeting – myth? Criticism?
The Supervisory Relationship
and Postcolonial Theory

Personally resistant to a ‘liberal disavowal of
difference where authors argue that the
needs of all students are the same,
regardless of culture’ (Manathunga, 2007,
p.95)

This may lead to a failure to address
challenging issues of power, identity and
culture

Postcolonial themes of contact zones,
transculturation, unhomeliness allow
exploration of how colonial overtones/
stereotypes may subconsciously impact on
perceptions
The Supervisory Relationship
and Postcolonial Theory

Contact zone – spaces where disparate
cultures meet; possibility for productive
dialogue without ‘glossing over’ difference

Transculturation – creation of new cultural
possibilities; creative new knowledge can be
formed

Unhomeliness – ambivalence felt by people
– supervisor/ee - adjusting to new cultural
practices
The Supervisory Relationship
and Postcolonial theory

Encourage supervisee to challenge academic/cultural
conventions – ‘contact zone’; encourage a writing
style that is congruent with tradition

Discover ‘other’ academic traditions –
‘transculturation’

Work with your own ‘discomfort’ to develop new
learning – ‘unhomeliness’
BUT…

Be alert to how much influence you may have e.g.
methodologically

Recognise the potential danger in encouraging
supervisees to challenge paradigms dominant in own
local context
More Practically….

Establish a way of working from the first
meeting

Regular meetings – monthly for doctoral
students – including during research training

Respond promptly to emails – especially from
Hong Kong

Invite supervisee to produce a brief summary
of each meeting – enables you to check
understanding/identify any differences in
perception

Digital recording of meeting – can help with
language
Non-UK Supervisors

“I was very self-conscious anyway because of my
language. But then I realised also the others might have
problems, because I might not be speaking clearly
enough” (Elsa)

“Oh you’re just a European and you do things differently,
and we do things differently here. That’s European and
we are English” (Elsa)

“It’s quite interesting to work outside your cultural
boundaries. It’s a learning opportunity, because the way
you do things that’s the end of it - but when you go
somewhere else you take new ideas from there. But in
doing so you also discover that you have some things to
offer as well. So what I’m trying to say is that there are
advantages of teaching in these types of environments,
both to me as a lecturer here, and my coming from other
culture also have some advantages to some students too
– because I’ve brought with me some experience other
than the conventional ones they are used to…” (Adnan)
A Supervisor is Someone
Who…

Has a cooperative goal – to attain doctoral
level work with me

Shares my interest in my subject or
methodology

Is willing to read my writing, however poorly
it is written, however messy it is organised

Is always available to answer my questions

Lends her ear to my difficulties, puzzlements
and worries
What we can do to attain our
goal – informal dimension…

Qing – a long-lasting, trusting relationship
characterised by a genuine exchange of
ideas, resources and concern, can release
the tension between supervisor/ee in the
formal dimension of the relationship

Frankly share our ideas/scope of the study

Keep regular contact

Share personal background
What I find helpful in my
supervisor…

Points out my concepts that seem muddled

Puts me in touch with people, information
and reading material

Lets me have the sense of different systems,
perspectives in different culture

Constructive criticism

‘The gentleman agrees with others without
being an echo. The small man echoes
without being in agreement’ (Confucius)