Confessions of a Doctoral Supervisor: Valuing Interdependence Rooted in a Mentoring Creed
- Author:
- Carol Mullen
- Subject:
- Social Sciences
- Institution Name:
- Connexions
- Collection:
- Connexions
- Grade Level:
- Post-secondary
- Abstract:
Doctoral students are by their very nature social creatures, and those who experience an "organic union" with others have a far better chance of becoming productive, skilled researchers and lifelong learners. Many studies have found that "cooperative efforts produce higher achievement than do competitive or individualistic efforts" (Johnson & Johnson, 1998, p. 9; see also Johnson, 2003; Winston, 2006). In this confessional essay, I situate myself as a doctoral supervisor reflecting on the value of positive interdependent learning and, as a vehicle for this, research support groups. I have come to realize that my core values are situated, biased, and not generally representative of all of my students, a story I share in this essay. The personal–confessional genre is one in which "confessors" reveal their subjectivities and engage in reflective thinking in ways that potentially shape educational discourse (Bleakley, 2000; see also Bullough & Pinnegar, 2001). In keeping with social theorist C. Wright Mills's conception of research (1959), I believe that "personal troubles" should not be presented merely as troubles but rather "understood in terms of public issues" (p. 226).
- Course Type:
- Learning Module
- Languages:
- English
- Material Type:
- Readings, Syllabi
- Media Format:
- Text/HTML
- Conditions of Use:
-
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
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