The paradox of supervision - A study of students’ agentic opportunities

The current study offers a framework for analysing systematic efforts to foster graduate student agency. The framework identifies key agentic opportunities during students’ research process. Based on qualitative interviews with graduate thesis supervisors in three very different cultural, social and institutional contexts, findings show considerable shared normative assumptions and taken-for-granted practices related to the supervision process as embedded in a research logic—despite attempts to structure and professionalise supervision as an educational process. A key feature in our data were the many opportunities that existed for students’ agency, the high level of flexibility shown by supervisors in the process and their willingness to be adaptive to student needs. In the discussion, a paradox related to supervision is identified, addressing how the qualities associated with developing student agency are inevitably linked to the quality risks of a less efficient and streamlined supervision process.