torsdag den 5. januar 2023

Generalizations 28# Niclasen, janni, & Strøbæk, P. (2019)

At the current stage this project is about finding statistical generalizations in qualitative, danish educational research. That is to check my assumption that there is a tendency to make statistical generalizations on the basis of observations which cannot support such generalizations.

I will be posting excerpts from all those studies which to me seem problematic. This post is part of that and this is a link to the first post in the line.

Niclasen, janni, & Strøbæk, P. (2019)

Reference:

Niclasen, janni, & Strøbæk, P. (2019). Group versus individual supervision of university students: a qualitative study. Dansk Universitetspædagogisk Tidsskrift, 14(27), 118–135. https://doi.org/10.7146/dut.v14i27.109618

 

Abstract:

Background: Studies investigating strengths and limitations of group and individual supervision of university students are sparse. The aims of the present study were to investigate advantages and disadvantages of group and individual supervision, and to identify specific situations under which these two forms of supervision are particularly suitable.


Method: A qualitative study comparing a combined group/individual supervision

model with a complete group supervision model among third-year Bachelor psychology students.


Results: Group and individual supervision contribute differently to the supervision process. Group supervision is preferred in the beginning of the supervision process when close ties between the group members are yet to be established and there is a process-oriented focus in the actual supervision. Individual supervision is more

profitable at the end of the supervision course when content-focused supervision is needed.


Discussion: Each supervisory model contributes differently to supervision. Based on the data from present study, a combined group/ individual supervision model is recommended.

 

Testable hypothesis?:

Nej: "The  primary  aim  of  the  present  study  was  to  investigate  the  advantages  and  limitations  of  individual  and  group  supervision,  respectively.  The  second  aim  was  to  identify  under  which  circumstances   individual   and   groups   supervision   are   appropriate. " s121

 

Method/materials:

"This qualitative study consists of two types of qualitative data that were collected for the pre-sent study; individual qualitative interviews and task-based focus-group interviews. The indi-vidual  interviews  were  approximately  one  hour  in  duration,  whereas  the  task-based  focus-groups  were  scheduled  to  last  for  a  maximum  of  two  hours.  The  individual  interviews  were  included  to  investigate  students’  individual  viewpoints  and  perspectives.  Four  individual  in-terviews  were  conducted,  two  from  each  of  the  Bachelor  classes.  Each  of  the  two  focus-groups  consisted  of  three  interview  persons  (Table  1).  The  task-based  focus-groups  were  included  as  part  of  the  study  design  to  activate  more  voices  and  to  shed  light  on  potential  agreements  and  disagreements  that  may  emerge  through  the  dialogues  between  the  stu-dents when they collectively were to discuss and solve the tasks within the groups (Litosseliti, 2003; Morgan, 1996). In order to secure the students’ anonymity and receive honest answers from  them,  we  interviewed  the  students  from  each  other’s  classes.  As  the  interviews  and  analyses  were  carried  out  in  Danish  the  quotes  applied  in  this  article  were  translated  by  a  bilingual native English speaking scholar." s123

 

Statistical generalizations:

1) "On  the  basis  of  the  qualitative  analysis  it  is  concluded  that  there  are  advantages  and  disadvantages  to  both  types  of  supervision,  and  furthermore    that    the    two    types    are    appropriate    under    particular    situations    and        circumstances. The  advantages  of  individual  supervision  include  more  expert  supervision  from  the  supervisor,  time  allocated  only  to  one’s  own  dissertation,  and  then  individual    supervision  is  considered  to  be  emotionally  safe.  In  group  supervision  the  advantages    include  social  support  from  the  peers,  supervision  and  feedback from more than just the supervisor, inspiration from the peers, and feelings of having a reference group to which one can  compare  oneself.  On  the  negative  side,  individual  supervision  lacks  social  support,  peer  inspiration and having a reference group. For group supervision the negative aspects include that it is time-consuming and that the students call for individual time with the supervisor." s130


2) "As  in  the  study  conducted  by  Dysthe  et  al.  (2006),  individual  supervision    creates the opportunity to ask very specific questions and ask for specific advice. This finding is supported and elaborated upon in the present study." s131

 

3) "On the basis of the above analyses, we tentatively recommend that supervisors offer a mixed group/  individual  course  of  supervision.  Group  supervision  seem  to  be  suitable  in  the    beginning of the supervisory course, when the group dynamic is being established and when the supervision is more focused on the structure and process of the dissertation. Additional-ly,  the  students  do  not  feel  the  same  time  pressure  at  the  beginning  of  the  supervisory  course" s131

Comments:

I have flagged this study for generalizations of type 3, 4 and 5 (see typology).

 

In the first quote a variety of positive and negative attributes are ascribed to the two forms of supervision. The authors safeguard the overproximity of their statements by making them as vaguely relevant to common sense as the evidence that they have produced is to the reality they want to describe. Nonetheless the attributes ascribed to the two forms of supervision, are an example of statistical generalization. Despite the vague delivery it is to be assumed that the attributes mentioned are more likely to be relevant in the future, whenever someone considers or applies one of the two forms of supervision (type 4). 


In the second quote a reference to another study, which is not directly comparable, is used to solidify the findings of the present study. The implication being that the two studies combined, have greater explanatory power with regards to some attribute of individual supervision (type 3).

In the third quote suggestions are made for future behavior (implementation), implying that the findings of the present study hold true when relevant/similar aspects are repeated by other people in other contexts (type 5). 

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