Dear Psych Postgrad
As you may know, LTSN Psychology is conducting a research
project investigating how psychology departments/schools and
staff can better provide supervision and other forms of support
to the growing number and diversity of postgraduates in
psychology, in both research and coursework programmes.
As part of the project, I'm contacting departments to find
examples of good practice in supervision and support of
psychology postgrads. I've been in touch with a number of
postgraduate tutors/coordinators/directors, but we'd also
like to get postgrads involved. Postgrads are a vital part
of the project - you know what really DOES work and makes
a difference to your life as a postgrad.
We would like to produce a number of brief case studies of
good and innovative practices in psychology postgrad support.
These might include such things as:
* Non-traditional forms of course delivery (e.g., online, VLE,
workplace-based)
* New route PhDs in psychology
* Innovative course content/curricula
* Induction programmes
* Training for postgrads, whether psychology-specific
(e.g., research methods, information sources), generic
(e.g., research skills, academic writing, vivas, teacher/tutor
training), or focussed on transferable skills (e.g., teamwork,
employment)
* Training programmes for supervisors and/or examiners
* Training needs analysis and personal progress/skills records
* Mentoring or personal tutor programmes
* Innovative forms of supervision (e.g., group, online)
* Support networks, whether face-to-face or using IT
* Postgraduate ombudspeople
* Evaluation and monitoring (e.g., exit interviews, employment
surveys, recruitment/admissions surveys)
* General facilities and resources (e.g., funding, handbooks/
guides, web pages, proformas & checklists, space, equipment)
* Special facilities/programmes/resources for particular groups
of students (e.g, students with disabilities, part-time students,
mature-age students, international students); or
* Something else that seems to work that we've not thought of!
We're interested primarily in activities offered/delivered by
departments or schools, but faculty- or university-wide
activities that are particularly beneficial for psychology
postgrads are also of interest.
If your department (or faculty/uni) engages in any of these good
practices, I'd like to hear from you, so I can follow it up with
your department and maybe organise a brief visit to talk to staff and
students. It'd also be useful if you could forward this email on
to your department's postgrad tutor/coordinator, as I don't have contact
details for the person/people filling that position in every
department.
If you've heard of any other psych departments doing such things, I'd
also like to know, so I can follow up such leads; please feel free
to forward on this email.
I can be contacted by return email ([log in to unmask]),
or phone (01904 433154).
With thanks for your time, and hoping to hear from you
Lucy Zinkiewicz
Dr Lucy Zinkiewicz (yep, I survived the experience!)
Learning & Teaching Support Network for Psychology (LTSN Psychology)
Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO1 5DD, UK
email: [log in to unmask] Tel: +44 (0)1904 433154
www.psychology.ltsn.ac.uk Fax: +44 (0)1904 433181
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