Supervision during your Placement

Activity: Reflections on the article – Khan, A. & Qayyum, A. (2019). Investigating the elements of supervision in library and information science practicums: a systematic literature review, Information Research 24 (3).

Notes:

• Experiential learning – fieldwork, internship, practicum, work-integrated learning.
• It is the supervisor who makes the practicum experience more productive for their student/s.
• Appropriate supervision and mentoring arrangements are crucial in the effectiveness of work placements.
• Practicums in the library setting allow students to: gain insight into the world of work and career prospects; develop job skills and on-the-job performance; develop interpersonal and social skills; enhance employment prospects; increase industry-academia contact; improve their attitudes towards self-confidence, maturity, job-knowledge and seeking, and practical reasoning; and enabling them to make positive contributions and positive attitudes towards a professional career.
• Supervision styles / models / methods – psychotherapy-based models, developmental models & integrative or social role models.
• The supervision models offer limited scope of their applicability to a TL practicum; yet, these models can influence such practicum practices.
• A disadvantage of practicum practices is that multiple roles are required by the supervisor and supervisee within an organisational context which may have contradictory demands.
• Connection with recognising talent, teaching new skills and promoting learning and understanding.
• Practicum supervision is effective when supervisors have a clear understanding of their roles and the students’ expectations/learning needs.
• Supervision style – methods and approaches (often based off models).
• Supervision competency – existence and importance of supervisory knowledge, skills & attitudes required.

 Role of the supervisor:

• To teach/model required competencies.
• Teach the student to perform professional tasks unassisted.
• Must recognise the learning experience being undertaken.
• ‘Ensuring competence enhancement’ and ‘promoting professional development’.
• Ensure that the work of students contributes towards the library  and organisations objectives.
• Responsible for planning, organising, leading and controlling the practicum activities, the sort of supervision demands and the learning needs of the students.
• To be mentors, coordinators, facilitators & counsellors.
• Implement the kills, knowledge, and attitudes that enforce workplace and supervisory competency.

Student-supervisor relationship:

• Student and supervisor working collaboratively to enhance supervisee’s competencies.
• Partnership built on mutually agreed training and learning needs.
• Determining the goals and objectives of the unit.
• Balanced student-supervisor relationships which have mutually-agreed goals and objectives are more likely to be successful.
• Feedback (from the supervisors) and reflection (from the students) assist in developing a positive student-supervisor relationship (informing the supervision style).