IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION B

Abstract

Dissertation supervision plays a critical role in shaping student experience, yet its quality often varies (Roberts and Seaman, 2018). This paper presents a student-centred framework for approaching undergraduate dissertation supervision that combines collaborative and reflective practice, to ensure consistency and quality in students’ experiences of dissertation supervision. Within Manchester Metropolitan’s Q-Step Centre in the UK, Sociology and Criminology final year undergraduates complete a dissertation grounded in quantitative analysis of real-world data. As module leaders, the presenters co-created (with staff and students) minimum expectations for supervisors and learners and used coaching and reflective tools to facilitate and mediate the student-supervisor relationship throughout the academic year. This structured, supportive approach aimed to foster open dialogue and mutual accountability, providing a more consistent and professional supervision experience. It also empowered students to take ownership of their dissertations, building confidence, resilience and problem-solving skills, all key employability attributes. Drawing on Bandura’s (1986) social learning theory and Wenger’s (1998) concept of communities of practice, this approach sought to improve the student experience and reduce inequalities in cultural and employability capital by providing access to professional networks and critically discussing academic norms to build confidence navigating higher education (Bourdieu, 1986; Tomlinson, 2017). Set against the UK context of rising tuition fees, the commodification of higher education, demanding academic schedules and an increasingly competitive graduate employment market, we present our pedagogic principles and leadership strategies with evidence of effective supervision and an excellent student experience.