Student capabilities

The capability matrix shows what normally can be expected from students in their 1st, 3rd, and 5th years as students. It is provided to give the inspiration to match expectations between students and supervisors.

1st year students

Research question
Student’s role

Formulate ideas that can develop into problem formulation and project design based on supervisor feedback.

Supervisor’s role

Students have seldom experiences with the importance and the status of the research statement. Help students to develop their own problem and intensively and repeatedly discuss the formulation.

Use of supervision

Students are not familiar with project supervision at all. So overall expectations and the meaning of formalities and structures have to be discussed. It has to be underlined what the supervisor is supposed to do and what not. The supervisor has to meta communicate his/her acts! – Especially the change of role from supervisor to examiner/assessor.

Process management
Expectations of students

Can produce a plan for the group work. Can produce agendas for meetings.

Supervisors role

Discuss mutual expectations. Discuss plans with the students, and be aware the students track is realistic. Complete the agendas for meetings.

Group management process

Conflicts in groups and lack of tools to solve them can destroy the work of the students. It can be necessary for supervisor to ask the students how their cooperation works, and help them with smaller struggles. If their problem turns out to be really conflicting, supervisor can recommend the students to consult the student counselling service.

3rd year students

Research question
Students role

Independently connect project ideas with relevant concepts and theories.

Supervisors role

In the introduction phase: discuss the students’ ideas and the needed limitations of the whole project. During the work now and then ask the students if they find it necessary to change it.

Use of supervision

Students are familiar with the process. They are supposed not to set up completely unrealistic expectations neither to themselves or the supervisor. They are supposed set agendas for meetings. Regarding the supervisors work: It might be necessary to discuss prioritizing and the fact that there might be limitations in the amount of supervisor’s readings.

Competencies
Expectations of students

Have an idea of linear and iterative parts of the process.

Supervisors role

Discuss mutual expectations. Be aware the students track is realistic and intervene if the students run out of track.

Process management

Since the students have experience with group work, conflicts that students can’t solve, on this stage most likely are serious. So student counseling service will be needed.

5th year students

Research question
Students role

Independently encircle and formulate drafts for research questions containing relevant concepts and theories.

Supervisors role

In the introduction phase: Discus the students ideas, drafts, final formulations and needed limitations of the whole project. During the work now and then ask the students if they find it necessary to change.

Use of supervision

Students know their own strengths and weaknesses and know where and how in the process they are in need of supervision. They automatically set up agendas for meetings, and they are able to prioritize the work of the supervisor and ex guide the supervisor’s reading of the drafts.

Process management
Expectations of students

Are fully able to manage the process. Have an understanding of the different parts of the process and how they interfere and are able to act when the process is out of track.

Supervisors role

Discuss mutual expectations. If students run out of track discuss different ways to get back.

Group management process

Since the students have experience with group work, conflicts that students can’t solve, on this stage most likely are serious. So student counseling service will be needed.

The capability matrix is constructed by Christian Frankel, Thomas Rousing, Sof Thrane and Jens Tofteskov