A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

11
Supervising projects
and dissertations
Stephanie Marshall
When considering what constitutes good project and dissertation supervision the waiter
analogy is useful: a good waiter in a good restaurant is around enough to help you when
you need things but leaves you alone enough to enjoy yourself (Murray, 1998). Readers
will undoubtedly agree with the sentiments expressed above, as would students reflecting
on their desired role for their supervisors in the supervision of projects and dissertations
as an integral part of taught programmes (for research student supervision, see Chapter
12). But how is such a fine balance achieved, and is it really possible for a supervisor to
attain the ideal of knowing when to be ‘hands-on’ and when to be ‘hands-off’? This
chapter seeks to explore this question, first by providing a background to the use of
projects and dissertations in teaching, moving on to consider a working definition; and
second, by mapping out the terrain – that is, the key issues supervisors need to think
through and be clear about prior to introducing such a strategy for promoting learning.
Finally the chapter will summarise the key management and interpersonal skills required
of the supervisor in order to promote efficient and effective supervision of projects and
dissertations.
WHY PROJECTS AND DISSERTATIONS?
Over the past decade, the use of projects and dissertations in university curricula, both
undergraduate and taught postgraduate, has been seen as increasingly important. First,
projects and dissertations have been seen as a means of encouraging more students to
think about ‘staying on’ as research students and thus contributing to the research
productivity of departments and schools. Second, projects and dissertations are deemed
to be an important means of bringing about an effective research culture to underpin all
undergraduate and postgraduate curricula. Third, projects and dissertations have come
to be seen as an important component of degree programmes across the disciplines,
because of the clear emphasis they place on the learners taking responsibility for their own
learning, and engaging with the production of knowledge. The importance of students
❘
150
❘