Methodological Challenges – From a Supervisor’s Experiences

Abstract

Problem-oriented, interdisciplinary and participant-directed project work differs markedly from ordinary study methods. Instead of being expected to reproduce insights from courses and mandatory reading lists or to apply already selected theories or models to given case materials, the students are expected independently to generate new knowledge relevant to their study subject. This means that the study process has a number of traits in common with research processes and it means that one of the supervisor’s primary roles is to support the students’ development of academic knowledge and competences. To facilitate the students’ processes of acquiring academic competences by project work requires that the supervisor is aware of a complexity of epistemological principles and research methods and paradigms. It further requires a willingness on the part of the supervisor to let the students’ curiosity and motivation continue to be the driver of the project work. This means to find appropriate ways to acquaint the students with methodological and epistemological reflections. This chapter will address some methodological challenges experienced by the author as facilitator and supervisor of project groups within social science at various levels of education: at the bachelor-level, masters-level, and PhD-level. The author will compose a framework for being sensitive to the students’ interests while helping them to select methods and approaches. Therefore, although the subject of this chapter rests on the philosophy of science, the focus and exposition will be a supervisor’s perspective.