Supporting Indigenous Success through Quality Supervision in Research Degrees: Supporting Indigenous Success through Quality Supervision in Research Degrees

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Supporting Indigenous Success through Quality Supervision in Research Degrees: Supporting Indigenous Success through Quality Supervision in Research Degrees
Language: English
Authors: Thu D. Pham (ORCID 0000-0003-4661-8749), Levon E. Blue (ORCID 0000-0001-9046-7832), Peter J. Anderson (ORCID 0000-0003-2491-4205)
Source: Australian Educational Researcher. 2025 52(2):1199-1219.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Indigenous Populations, College Students, Student Research, Success, Supervision, Expectation, Foreign Countries, Academic Achievement, Supervisor Supervisee Relationship
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1007/s13384-024-00759-4
ISSN: 0311-6999
2210-5328
Abstract: Supervision plays an integral role in the success of higher degree by research (HDR) students. A vital component of a successful research degree is quality supervision. In this paper, we explore supervisors' understanding of Indigenous HDR students' expectations and compare them with Indigenous HDR students' expectations of their supervisors. This study is part of a larger study which included six phases of data collection, however, this paper focuses mainly on phase five of the study and at times refers to phase four. In phase five, we surveyed 33 supervisors across Australia who have experience supervising Indigenous HDR students. We also refer to phase four which included 32 Indigenous HDR students. To analyse the data, we conducted a thematic analysis using NVivo software. We found that supervisors need to be more supportive of Indigenous HDR students' work and provide opportunities for students to succeed through the completion of their research degree. Our findings demonstrate that supervisors may understand Indigenous HDR students' expectations of quality supervision; however, there are other expectations that were not accounted for, such as discussion of working styles and clear expectations from the beginning of a supervisor-student relationship, supervisors' practices of cultural safety and awareness, and access to research training for Indigenous HDR students. The implications from this research include strengthening supervision strategies and fostering mutually-respectful supervisor-student relationships.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487822
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Supervision plays an integral role in the success of higher degree by research (HDR) students. A vital component of a successful research degree is quality supervision. In this paper, we explore supervisors' understanding of Indigenous HDR students' expectations and compare them with Indigenous HDR students' expectations of their supervisors. This study is part of a larger study which included six phases of data collection, however, this paper focuses mainly on phase five of the study and at times refers to phase four. In phase five, we surveyed 33 supervisors across Australia who have experience supervising Indigenous HDR students. We also refer to phase four which included 32 Indigenous HDR students. To analyse the data, we conducted a thematic analysis using NVivo software. We found that supervisors need to be more supportive of Indigenous HDR students' work and provide opportunities for students to succeed through the completion of their research degree. Our findings demonstrate that supervisors may understand Indigenous HDR students' expectations of quality supervision; however, there are other expectations that were not accounted for, such as discussion of working styles and clear expectations from the beginning of a supervisor-student relationship, supervisors' practices of cultural safety and awareness, and access to research training for Indigenous HDR students. The implications from this research include strengthening supervision strategies and fostering mutually-respectful supervisor-student relationships.
ISSN:0311-6999
2210-5328
DOI:10.1007/s13384-024-00759-4