Project supervision different semesters - characteristics, challenges and experiences

Supervision over the course of the programme will change in character as students become familiar with the form of project work and gain more insight into the profession. This section will describe the typical main features of the supervision provided during the first semesters and last semesters of the programme, with a view to clarifying the expectations of the role of supervisor.

The description will only cover common learning objectives across the programmes and the general supervision associated with this.

Supervison on the first semesters will typically be characterized by:

TEK project work is something new for the students, so it needs a framework and support to be provided so that the students know what is expected of them. At the same time, the students require the support and tools that will enable them to achieve the learning objectives of the project themselves.

The supervisor must also focus on the collaboration and the form of work in the project group and help to ensure that this takes a positive form that builds relationships and provides a basis for effective learning. The supervisor must be capable of intervening in, and helping to resolve, conflicts that occur, particularly in the first semesters, and give the students the tools they need to resolve issues themselves.

As the students will not be familiar with the engineering profession and its traditions, methods and norms, it is the supervisor’s task to introduce them to these aspects, partly by verbalising them and partly via their own professional conduct in the supervision.

Among other things, this means that the supervisor will, as a starting point, be expected to be proactive, and:

set the profession in a framework.

Communicate the values and working methods typical of engineers, so that the students acquire knowledge of how engineers work.

Set an example and show students how to deal with the problems that come up in the project.

Communicate the formal requirements for documenting a professional engineering project.

provide support that facilitates effective project collaboration.

Help the project groups by creating a framework for the students’ collaboration.

Clarifies the purpose of working in groups.

Help the project groups to plan and manage the project.

Discuss which form would be most appropriate for the work in the group.

Provide support dealing with open-ended problems and the frustrations that often accompany these.

Communicate knowledge of models that outline the different roles/personal profiles of the project participants.

Provide support during conflict resolution.

sets requirements for the students and is proactive.

Is proactive in intervening if any professional problems occur in the project group and takes a proactive approach to finding solutions.

The supervisor must be proactive, sets requirements for the students and monitors their activities in the group. Supervision is often done to schedule.

The supervisor handles the conflict that may be between actively influencing the project and subsequently having to assess the project..

Supervison on the last semesters will typically be characterized by:

The student has extensive experience with projects and is very self-driven. The student is targeted and structured in the meeting with the supervisor and is aware of what the guidance should lead to.

The supervisor focuses on challenging the student in the choice of methods and processes, and expects overview and reflection from the student. Academic issues are discussed "equally".

The supervision will reflect the fact that the student will now be more self-driven and have a responsibility to seek the right supervision themselves. This does not mean that the supervisor cannot create a formal framework for the supervision, however.

The complexity of the project is substantially increased, and elements of the project often fall outside the supervisor's own core area.

Among other things, this means that the supervisor:

can assume that the students are familiar with the project work as a working method and that they can run the project themselves

Expect the students to take initiative and reflect and are generally hesitant.

Assume that the students have a professional approach to the project work and its reporting.

challenges the students in their choice, rather than instructing.

Encourages students to reflect on selected strategies in the project, and is critical of selected methods and results.

Provides feedback with open questions rather than directions.

is part of a (more) equal discussion with the student on academic issues.

Can expect students to familiarize themselves with new, relevant material.

Can handle supervision on projects in which the subject matter is outside their own core competences.

Consider the dilemma between the requirement for the student's independent efforts and the incentive to guide the student so that the project results can contribute professionally to the supervisor's own research and/or development projects.