Guiding PGR Supervisors Through Student Wellbeing Challenges: A Six-Stage Scenario-Based Activity

This case study showcases an innovative scenario-based activity designed to help postgraduate research (PGR) supervisors support the mental health and wellbeing of their doctoral students effectively.

By reflecting on key stages of a doctoral journey, supervisors gain insights into proactive, student-centred approaches to foster wellbeing and academic success. This serves as an excellent example of scenario-based teaching, where real-life scenarios are used to enhance learning and provide practical, applicable skills. (Seren Smith, M. et al., 2018).

What did you do/what happened?

This activity is designed to provide PGR supervisors with practical tools and strategies to support the mental health and wellbeing of their students. Using a scenario-based approach, participants work through six stages, each reflecting a key milestone in a fictional doctoral student’s journey. At each stage, groups engage with a realistic challenge, discuss potential actions, select the most impactful option, and reflect on its implications. The activity, delivered through Mentimeter, fosters collaborative problem-solving, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the diverse factors influencing student wellbeing and academic progress.

Activity Instructions:

1. Participants work sequentially through six stages, spending 2-3 minutes on each.
2. At each stage, the group reads the scenario and challenge.
3. They discuss possible courses of action, aiming to select the one they feel has the highest positive impact. None of the options are inappropriate, and in reality, more than one strategy would be used but for the purpose of the activity, groups are asked to select one option.
4. Groups earn points for their chosen options, with higher-impact options scoring more points.
5. Participants record their group’s choice and reasoning before moving to the next stage.

The structured yet collaborative approach allows participants to engage deeply with the material, fostering both discussion and reflection on their supervision practices.

Who has been involved?

• Arena ‘Supporting PGR Mental Health and Wellbeing for Supervisors’ session Facilitators, Manjula Patrick and Pete Fitch.
• PGR supervisors across departments.

Was this in reaction to an issue or request? How did this come about?

This initiative arose from seeking an effective way to equip supervisors to manage wellbeing-related challenges through an engaging and practical activity that is appropriate for both online and in-person sessions.

Why did you take this approach? Was there anything novel in your approach?

The previous version of this staff workshop focussed more on signposting support and brainstorming approaches to support student and staff wellbeing. In the revised workshop we begin by setting the scene for PGR wellbeing in Higher Education. We were then keen to embed the conversation in authentic practice and to encourage participants to reflect on their own experiences and perceptions.

The activity innovatively combines gamified learning with real-world scenarios, encouraging active reflection and skill-building. Its structured, interactive nature helps supervisors directly connect theory to practice. After the scenario activity we relate discussions and potential outcome to the support services and resources available at UCL.

What is the timeline?

Developed over three months, piloted in Nov 24 and Jan 25 supervisor training sessions (35 participants in total).

Logistics, Time, and Resources

• Design and piloting required approximately 8 hours.
• The activity is low-cost and sustainable, requiring minimal ongoing resources.

Is this a first for UCL or higher education?

To our knowledge, this is a novel activity using scenario-based learning to support supervisor professional development in addressing student mental health and wellbeing.

What are your plans for the future?

• Based on feedback, revise the activity by providing on support services as an online resource, paired with an activity where participants find relevant support the fictional student.
• Expand scenarios to address diverse student needs, such as international and disabled students.
• Adapt this model to create a session that explores accessible and inclusive tactile pedagogies.

How can this address common challenges?

By equipping supervisors with tools to support mental health, this activity can mitigate common challenges such as burnout, isolation, and imposter syndrome, contributing to an inclusive and supportive research culture that enables success and instils good practice in the next generation of academics.

The student journey experience felt grounded in reality and extremely relatable. Both the nature and sequence of challenges are very typical of PGR students. – Gabriel Galea, PGR Supervisor, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health

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References

• Seren Smith M; Warnes S; Vanhoestenberghe A; (2018) Scenario-based learning. In: Davies, JP and Pachler, N, (eds.) Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Perspectives from UCL. (pp. 144-156). UCL IOE Press: London, UK.
• Robert M. Klassen RM; Wang H; Rushby JV; (2023). Can an online scenario-based learning intervention influence preservice teachers’ self-efficacy, career intentions, and perceived fit with the profession? Computers & Education, Volume 207, 104935. ISSN 0360-1315.
• Tiffin PA; Klassen RM; (2024) Scenario-based learning: How can it contribute to clinical education? ClinTeach. 21(6):e13805.