Much of the supervision literature revolves around the delicate balance between directive supervision and student independence. Yet there remains a paucity of empirical research about the balancing act. This is the first study based on survey data to undertake a large-scale empirical analysis of the assumed relation between doctoral supervisor…

This paper examines supervisors at a reform university where most supervision concerns undergraduate and Master's project work. Drawing on Grant's ([2018]. 'Assembling Ourselves Differently? Contesting the Dominant Imaginary of Doctoral Supervision'. Parallax 24 (3): 356-370) understanding of being a supervisor as an ongoing process of assembling…

Due to growing pressures on universities, many master's degree students are offered all or part of their thesis supervision in groups involving core feedback skills and engagement. Given that not all graduate students understand or are comfortable with the academic discourse and strategies for formative feedback engagement, the institutions cannot…

This article investigates and exemplifies the personal side of our supervising skills. This is inspired from psychotherapeutic research specialized in investigating openminded contact and authentic meetings. The article is based on our experiences supervising project groups at Roskilde University. Supervision is sometimes a challenging task that…

This paper explores how the concept of "the facilitator as a fool" can be used as a guiding principle for supervising students at universities adhering to problem-based learning pedagogies. With the example of students enrolled at spatial planning studies, the paper argues that students should learn how to face uncertainty and take…

We explore how norms of science are given attention through laughter in life science doctoral supervision. Four supervision sessions were observed and video recorded. All laugh units were identified, and instances of humour were coded in relation to norms of science. Our analysis reveals tensions around how to do valid research, governance vs.…

While supervision is often characterised as a relatively private relationship, we would argue it is strongly influenced by departmental, institutional, national and global factors. It is also intertwined with other academic work and life experiences -- with time playing an important role, not just as regards lifecourse but also changing…

Supervision in higher education (HE) often balances the tension between fostering student autonomy and providing sufficient guidance, especially within undergraduate programs. This paper explores an under-researched area: the dynamics of group supervision in undergraduate education, specifically how students challenge their supervisor's expertise.…

This article is concerned with the source of men's invisible advantage in the male-dominated disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It is suggested that this advantage has been obscured by combining sponsorship and mentoring. The research asks: Are men or women most likely to be mentored? Is it possible to…

When schools locked down owing to the spread of COVID-19, Danish upper secondary school students worked on the major written assignment that completes their studies. This assignment is interdisciplinary, and students receive up to twenty hours of supervision from two teachers. This year, supervision was reorganised into a virtual format. This…

A Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educators has been established in Denmark, accentuating the development of a professional ethos. However, the divergence between professional ethical ideals and the complex realities of professional practice can result in the phenomenon defined as moral distress. This article is a case study that discloses how…

In this paper, we focus on professional development for senior academic staff, in particular, doctoral supervisors. Using an authentic case as an example of a long-term, comprehensive, and mandatory development program for senior staff, we analyse the challenges and benefits of such a program and identify issues for consideration. The main issues…

This is a discussion paper based on didactic reflections of three junior academics at the Architecture and Urban Design (A&UD) programme at Aalborg University. The discussion unfolds "didactic friction", where principles of PBL come into contact with architectural didactics, causing challenging teaching situations. This discussion of…

This article is an account of how the author developed a comprehensive understanding of human learning over a period of almost 50 years. The learning theory includes the structure of learning, different types of learning, barriers of learning as well as how individual dispositions, age, the learning environment and general social and societal…

To be successful, a surgeon must master a variety of skills. To meet the high demand for surgical expertise, an extracurricular undergraduate project was launched. The extracurricular project consists of hands-on laparoscopic training and a mentorship programme. The project aims to find the best surgical talents among fourth-year medical students.…