Supervisors’ strategies and perspectives on feedback to PhD students

Abstract

This report concerns supervisors’ strategies and perspectives on feedback in higher education. Interviews with 8 supervisors were carried out, with questions relating to how and on what feedback is given, their strategies for giving feedback, and their appraisal and visions of feedback. Similarities and differences between the interviewed supervisors are pointed out and discussed. The findings from the interviews are further compared to findings from a previous study of feedback, based on interviews with PhD students. An interesting finding here relates to supervisor-student dialogues regarding feedback on a meta-level and mutual expectations. From the PhD students’ perspective such dialogues seem to be very relevant for
achieving efficient supervision, while the supervisors’ awareness of this issue seems less clear.