College of Science & Engineering

Player experiences

What did trial results reveal about Let's talk about... ?

In 2022/23, we refined and tested Let’s Talk About... with PGR students and their supervisors. The game was trialled with PGR students and supervisors from COSE and MVLS, with follow-up feedback from most participants three months later and compared to a control group.

The results were impressive. Students using the game saw a significant boost in their perception of their supervisors' awareness of non-academic commitments, increasing from 2.2 to 4.0. Additionally, there was a 76% increase in students' awareness of the support they may need during their PhD. The clarity of expectations between students and supervisors improved dramatically, with up to a 59% increase following gameplay.

Let’s Talk About... isn't just for academia; it can enhance communication and trust in various professional settings.

Supervisors benefited even more, showing greater awareness of students' needs and challenges. Feedback from both trials and conferences highlighted the game's ability to foster better communication and relationships. Participants loved its engaging and thought-provoking nature, adaptable to different communication styles. 

What do people think about Let’s Talk About…? 

'I like the flexibility of the game, which allowed me to express my concerns and preferences in a much more comfortable setting'
PGR student in the College of Science & Engineering

'This is a great idea and would benefit people starting their PhDs greatly.'
Study advisor at the University of Glasgow

'The card set allows me to set out expectations right at the beginning of the PhD and give my students the confidence to ask questions.'
PGR supervisor in the College of Science & Engineering

'As a supervisor, I found the game flexible enough to adapt different communication styles that suit the different students I have'
PGR supervisor in the College of Science & Engineering 

Interested in some more Let's talk about... data?

We have you covered!

Table 1. Feedback on the intervention on working relationships between PGR Students (n=7) and supervisors (n=6) where a score of 1 indicates 'strongly disagree' and a score of 5 indicates 'strongly agree'.

PGR student	Mean value
I feel that this game has helped to improve my working relationship with my supervisor	4.4
I have noticed changes in my supervisors' behaviour or approach since the game	4.2
I have noticed changes in my behaviour or approach to working with my supervisor since the game	4.6
I would recommend this game to other supervisors or PhD students	4.6
This game provided me with a new tool for communicating effectively with my supervisor	4.6
This game allowed me to better understand my supervisors expectations	4.6
PGR supervisor
I feel that this game has helped to improve my working relationship with my PhD student	4.4
I have noticed changes in my PhD student's behaviour or approach since the game	4.2
I have noticed changes in my behaviour or approach to working with my PhD student since the game	4.6
I would recommend this game to other supervisors or PhD students	4.6
This game provided me with a new tool for communicating effectively with my PhD student	4.6
This game allowed me to better understand my PhD student's needs and expectations	4.6