An introduction to undergraduate supervision

Spotlight Series 1:
Introducing our undergraduate supervision course

The Cambridge Centre for Teaching & Learning provide a three-part programme aimed at those new to supervising undergraduates at Cambridge and anyone who would like to revisit the fundamentals of effective supervisions: An Introduction to Undergraduate Supervision. Starting with an online module which provides essential pre-reading, participants then attend a face-to-face workshop where the focus is on activities informed by their preparatory work and on discussion with peers. Everyone new to supervising undergraduates at Cambridge must complete these two components of the programme – an equivalent department-led workshop is a suitable alternative to the face-to-face session – but the third element is optional. This is a follow-up session offered directly to participants who, after they have gained some supervision experience, wish to discuss their experiences and supervisory practice further with peers.

Asking participants to complete an online module before attending the core workshop allows us to dive straight into the more nuanced aspects of supervising and devote our in-person time to dialogic education. The module provides essential context for understanding the purpose and place of supervisions: those who have not experienced the UK secondary education system receive a brief introduction, and supervisions are placed within the broader context of teaching at Cambridge and the College system. Participants also learn about policies and processes which are critical to understand, such as how payment works and Cambridge-specific terms to watch out for. This also means that participants can use the module as a reference point for important information throughout their time as supervisors.

This is not to say that the online module is purely focused on logistics. We introduce learning theory and the pedagogical framework of supervisions as well as practical concepts which are then explored further in the workshops, including managing discussions, encouraging student engagement and making supervisions inclusive. We explore the particular experience of first-year undergraduates, who themselves might not necessarily understand the purpose of a supervision and may be feeling overwhelmed by the intensity of supervisions. We consider formative feedback, arguing that one of the most important responsibilities a supervisor holds is to provide effective feedback on students’ work. We include examples of feedback for problem-sheet based supervisions, while participants who supervise essay-based subjects are asked to read sample essays in advance of their workshop, and have a go at preparing ‘specific and actionable’ feedback using a template that is known to be appreciated by students.

Our core in-person workshops are led by a team of highly experienced tutors. They are tailored based on whether participants will be supervising subjects which use problem sheets (such as Maths, Engineering and Chemistry) or which primarily use essays for supervision work. Our essay-based workshops are led by Dr Mary Beth Benbenek, Director of the Introduction to Undergraduate Supervision programme and Associate Teaching Professor at CCTL, and Prof. Matt Castle, who leads the University’s Centre for Research Informatics Training. Our problem sheet workshops are led by Dr Joanna Haywood, Director of Studies for Natural Sciences at Homerton College and Affiliated Lecturer for the Faculty of Education, and Paul Fannon OBE, Fellow of Christ’s College and Teaching Associate for the Centre for Research Informatics Training.

Building on the online module, the workshop is where we get into the ‘nitty gritty’ of supervising. After first revisiting the question of the purpose of supervisions and the role of the supervisor, we spend some time on activities where participants explore techniques for designing learning activities that they could use in their own supervisions. Here, we look closely at actual example supervisions from more experienced Cambridge supervisors across numerous disciplines. We also explore what personalised teaching and learning actually means, ways of creating inclusive and accessible learning environments, and how to use feedback effectively.

One of the elements participants report appreciating in particular is group discussions of real teaching scenarios that they might encounter. These range from common situations, such as one student dominating the discussion, to more nuanced scenarios related to imposter syndrome, instrumental attitudes to learning, imbalanced supervision groups or student motivation. Finally, we round off the workshop by considering how participants can continue to develop their supervisory practice over time: we want to nurture the attitude that they should always be seeking to improve their approaches and questioning (healthily!) their current practices.

One way that we directly help to facilitate this approach is by offering participants a follow-up session that they can attend once they have started supervising and acquired some experience. Checking in with undergraduate supervisors provides an opportunity for participants to ask any questions that have arisen directly out of their initial experiences of supervising, and to share with each other about any challenges they’ve navigated or positive outcomes achieved. It also provides us with an opportunity to understand what further support might be valuable for new supervisors, and how first experiences of supervising undergraduates are perceived in reality. The feedback we receive from participants is instrumental in continuing to shape the course to ensure it best meets the needs of our new supervisors – who are critical to our flagship, bespoke educational approach – and of the collegiate University.