Exploring Supervision Program: full module requirements

Academic staff can become eligible for registration as principal HDR supervisors by enrolling in the 'full module' of the Exploring Supervision program. This requires: participation in the three workshops; the writing up of a reflective journal; completion of a short assignment; and the undertaking of an independent research project. If they have not done so already, staff will also need to attend an HDR Supervisor Induction workshop.

On this page we set out the tasks required for successful completion of the full module. For further information, with links to workshop timetable & registration, program enrolment etc., please see our full module overview page. 

For more general information on professional development for HDR supervisors, please see our Exploring Supervision program overview page.

QUICK LINKS:  WORKSHOPS  |  SUPERVISOR INDUCTION  |  JOURNAL  |  ASSIGNMENT  |  RESEARCH PROJECT  | PROGRAM MATERIAL (MyUni) |

Do I have to attend ALL the Exploring Supervision workshops?

Why do I also have to attend an HDR Supervisor Induction Workshop?

What does the supervisory journal involve?

What does the short assignment involve?

What am I expected to do for the research project?

Do I have to attend ALL the Exploring Supervision workshops?
Yes. In 2010 each workshop is offered three times, so hopefully there will be scheduling options that will suit you.

Why do I also have to attend an HDR Supervisor Induction Workshop?
ALL new staff, or staff planning to participate in HDR supervision for the first time, are required to attend the HDR Supervisor Induction workshop. This workshop provides essential information on the policy, procedures, practice and strategic context of HDR supervision at the University of Adelaide, and complements the material covered in the Exploring Supervision program.

What does the supervisory journal involve?
Through the course of your participation in the program you should maintain a learning journal that reflects on HDR supervision issues, practices and procedures. The learning journal should include some commentary on the usefulness, validity, etc. of the ideas and techniques raised in the Exploring Supervision workshops.

A learning journal is a diary of your growth, development etc as a supervisor (or aspiring supervisor), and should trace how you engage with and build your command of one or two key issues as the semester progresses. It should include reference to the literature, theoretical constructs, analytical discussion, etc., but ultimately it is about your personal journey.

You should begin the journal at the first opportunity, and you should add to it on a weekly basis.

Format: any medium or format that you think appropriate (e.g. traditional diary; blog; powerpoint or keynote presentation; multimedia, etc.)
Length: minimum 1500 wds (or equivalent multi-media)
Due date: end of week 13 of the teaching semester

What does the short assignment involve?
For the short assignment you need to either:

1. identify a supervisory tool, resource, technique etc. that you find interesting and provide a critical assessment of it (based on your own experimentation with it as appropriate); OR
2. develop and present a supervisory tool, resource, technique etc., explaining how this will enhance HDR supervision.

Format: any medium or format you think appropriate
Length: minimum 750 words (or equivalent in multi-media)
Due date: end of week 10 of the teaching semester

What am I expected to do for the research project?
For the research project you need to:

1. identify an issue, or issues, in researcher education and development in their Faculty/School/Discipline(s) or other relevant community;
2. review relevant research literature, theory and policy documents;
3. review practices, and consult stakeholders (including students); and
4. develop an approach, recognizing current policy contexts and resource limitations, to resolving the issue(s) that can be expressed ultimately as a set of recommendations to an appropriate person/body.

The project is to be presented either as a school or discipline seminar (you will need to make these arrangements) or at a relevant conference or symposium (e.g. such as ERGA, HERDSA etc.). Project presentations should take 30 minutes each (including 10 minutes question time). While presentations should be appropriately supported by powerpoint slides, handouts, etc., no written paper needs to be submitted.

The projects will be assessed by a panel convened by the Researcher Education and Development unit, and drawn from senior supervisors and research education specialists. Projects will be rated by the panel as ‘satisfactory’, ‘requiring further negotiated work’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. Participants receiving an ‘unsatisfactory’ assessment have the option of delivering a revised presentation.

The research project may be undertaken on an individual or group basis. Group projects will, of course, need to be proportionally larger in scope or length.

Due date: The research project must be presented within 12 months of your first enrolment in the Exploring Supervision program.