ABSTRACT
If you are seeking or receiving an emancipatory approach from your supervisor(s) then you will be reflecting about more than just the nature of knowledge. Reflection in this approach is a holistic, all-encompassing process which enables personal growth and autonomy at a profound level. Personal development planning (PDP) has become institutionalised in the UK, but through PDP and encouraging research in the curriculum you have access to tools that can create an environment that encourages self-actualisation. This can happen effectively through individual reading, small group work or through one-to-one research supervision. A primary goal of emancipation is autonomy and at earlier levels of higher education this can be developed in the curriculum by introducing problem-based and enquiry-based learning.
Self-actualisation is about fulfilment and realising your potential. A symptom of self-actualisation can be when you are working well and lose track of time. Psychologists call this being ‘in flow’. It has connotations of harmony with self and the world.
There are several routes to autonomy, so we look at how self-efficacy is developed by introducing the work of Heron on skills of facilitation, Mezirow on transformative learning and Lee on mentoring. The student will also need to reflect on how they want their research to influence (or create) future career opportunities both in working further on research and considering wider employment options (including teaching assistant posts and work experience outside academia).
