Continuing conversations: Moving support for doctoral supervisors’ professional development online

ABSTRACT

Whilst doctoral supervision online has become almost routine, the COVID19 pandemic significantly changed research supervision. Supervisors were distanced from colleagues and co-supervisors, with less opportunity for the informal and unplanned conversations through which supervisory challenges may be shared and mentoring take place. An accredited Communities of Practice for Doctoral Supervision has been in operation at Birmingham City University since 2015. Designed to run face to face with small groups, the programme moved online in Spring 2020 due to the lock-down in the UK. Surveying the experiences of facilitators and participants, this paper reflects on the challenges and changes of moving conversations online. Online professional development did require more structured facilitation to effectively support openness, honesty and trust amongst supervisors. Whilst online tools bring benefits in accessibility and democracy, a fundamental component of the successful move online was identified as the human element, supervisors as facilitators crafting a sense of community and belonging.

KEYWORDS:

• Doctoral supervisor
• professional development
• online community

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Personal email correspondence to co-programme leads 19 March 2020.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sian Vaughan

Sian Vaughan is Reader in Research Practice at Birmingham School of Art. With long-standing interest in creative research practices and the pedagogies that underpin research, she has published on doctoral education, supervision, artistic research practices and public art.

Carolyn Blackburn

Carolyn Blackburn is Reader in Interdisciplinary Practice and Research with Families. Carolyn co-leads the cross-University Communities of Practice for Doctoral Supervision. Her supervision interests focus on qualitative and creative methodologies and her research interests focus on inclusion and participation.

Rachel Curzon

Rachel Curzon, Senior Education Developer, experienced teacher and supervisor in HE with a background in Built Environment who now plays a key role in the design and delivery of a variety of staff development activities.