New article published by CELT Teaching Fellow explores Solution-Focused communication
A current Teaching Fellow with the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching recently published an article in the journal of Innovations in Education and Teaching International that is based around developing a research-based live actor simulation for graduate supervisors.
The article, “Towards solution-focused graduate supervision: Developing a research-based live simulation for graduate supervisors (external link) ”, was published by Dr. Yukari Seko (Professional Communication), Professor Asmaa Malik (Journalism), Parky Lau (Ph.D. candidate, Psychology), Danielle Neri (Journalism alumnus) & Alesya Courtnage. It is based on a research collaboration between Dr. Seko and Prof. Malik that was funded by a 2020-21 Learning and Teaching Grant (LTG).
While faculty members are expert researchers in their respective fields, evidence shows that many supervisors do not feel well prepared to support graduate students when challenges emerge that are beyond their scope of expertise. The research conducted by Dr. Yukari and her collaborators was designed to address this gap, and to contribute toward developing new professional development (PD) programs for research supervisors.
“Solution-Focused (SF) communication intends to ‘stretch’ the students’ world by illuminating their own strengths and help supervisors develop a respectful, transparent, and student-centred working alliance. Although we originally designed the SF training for graduate supervisors, we quickly learned that the SF approach can be integrated in PD training for graduate students. With YSGS, we’ve facilitated a number of SF workshops for graduate students. It is our hope to provide more PD opportunities for both supervisors and graduate students, so that more cross-pollination between students and supervisors will happen.”
The team sought to design an innovative PD opportunity to help new and experienced supervisors practice SF approaches in a safe, open, and collegial learning environment.
The Live Actor Simulation (LAS) team, a part of the Experiential Learning Hub at the Centre, was brought in to help create the space. For over 25 years, Live Actor Simulation (LAS) has worked to provide innovative, high-quality, professionally relevant skills development to the internal Toronto Metropolitan community and external clients.
A total of 81 graduate students and alumni as well as 33 supervisors were interviewed in order to develop three graduate student characters. In the PD session, 7 research supervisors practiced with LAS simulators (actors) performing the role of graduate students and shared feedback.
Following the LTG, under the Centre’s Teaching Fellowship, Dr. Seko and the team have been expanding the SF communication training to facilitate a parallel Community of Practice with the Creative School faculty and graduate students. While there aren’t any official plans to create more simulations, Dr. Seko says she would like to explore more paths of solution-focused learning in the future, saying “I personally want to create a simulation character that represents students with disabilities and neurodiversity”.
