Collective dimensions of academic supervision: How the acknowledgment of different actors in degree project supervision can contribute to scaffolding

Abstract

Academic supervision involves several key actors in addition to supervisors and students, who share the same general objectives. Our aim here is to investigate and discuss collective dimensions of degree project supervision practice by examining how supervisors use the acknowledgment of such key actors within the degree project context, in their interaction with supervised students. In what ways do supervisors in their supervision practice acknowledge various actors within the degree project context? What functions may this have in the supervision interaction?

The empirical material consists of recorded supervision sessions with students within teacher education at two Swedish universities. The results show how supervisors used attribution and active voicing to acknowledge the various actors in the degree project context, and how this could be part of the scaffolding means giving instructions and modelling. Based on the analysis of our material, we argue that this can be seen as contributing to the scaffolding intention cognitive structuring, by a) helping students understand the different roles and responsibilities of the different actors, by b) helping them to assess the importance and relevance of the advice given by these actors, and by c) emphasising the students' own role as active participants in the process.