A Study on Korean Graduate Students’ Learning Experiences in the Context of the Supervisor’s Sabbatical Leave

• In Event: Comparative Studies of Educational Policy: Examples from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and South Korea

Proposal

1. Theoretical Framework
Sabbatical leave aims to enhance university faculty expertise by providing time away from routine duties. This time off, coupled with partial or full financial compensation, allows professors to focus on developing their professionalism (Boening, 1996; Miller & Kang, 1998) and to yield mutually beneficial outcomes at the university level (Eells, 1962; Miller et al., 2012; Miller & Kang, 1998; Zahorski, 1994). In higher education, sabbatical leave was first implemented in 1880 at Harvard University and this policy was gradually adopted across North American universities over time (Eells, 1962; Kimball, 1978; Sima, 2000). Today, sabbatical leave has become a widespread faculty development tool in many universities around the world (Boo et al., 2012; Gardner, 2022a).
To date, numerous studies have investigated the effects of sabbatical leave. Some have examined its impact on faculty’s research or teaching (Boening & Miller, 1997; Sima & Denton, 1995; Zahorski, 1994), while others have explored its relationship with the university’s quality or faculty well-being (Benshoff & Spruill, 2002; Eells, 1962; Miller et al., 2012; Rosser, 2004). However, in previous studies, the focus has been mostly on professors’ outcomes or experiences.
Considering that students are also a crucial part of universities, understanding their experiences during faculty sabbatical leaves can provide critically important insights. Particularly, given that graduate programs have long been based on an apprenticeship-style education model, learning happens through interaction with and emulation of the supervisor (Austin, 2009; Lovitts, 2001; Weidman et al., 2001). Given such a close relationship between supervisors and graduate students, professors’ sabbaticals could give students a different dimensionality to their experience.


2. Data and Methods
I conducted interviews with 12 graduate students from University 'A' in South Korea, aiming to include diverse participants from various majors. Participants from the same university were selected to overcome contextual differences. Because each university in South Korea operates its sabbatical leave program slightly differently, it would have been challenging to identify complex contexts if several universities had been selected as research targets. University 'A' is a research-oriented university in South Korea that has been implementing sabbatical leave for nearly 20 years.
Full-time graduate students whose supervisors had been on sabbatical leave within the past five years were selected for participating in an in-depth interview. The interviews took place individually beginning in May of 2023, in a relaxed atmosphere, using a semi-structured questionnaire. For this study, I utilized thematic analysis, which focuses on identifying, investigating, and recording themes within textual data (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Spradley, 1980). I categorized repeated words and significant sentences into sub-themes; remarks with similar characteristics were grouped into broader themes (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Through this process, meaningful preliminary conclusions were derived for the study.


3. Results
Learning Experiences During the Sabbatical Leave
Graduate students’ learning experiences varied greatly depending on how supervisors spent their time during sabbatical. During their sabbaticals, many professors continued to mentor their students online via video conferencing or email, maintaining the same frequency as before. In these cases, students did not experience significant changes in their learning during the professors’ leave. However, when professors did not conduct regular meetings or offer adequate guidance during their sabbaticals, then the burden landed on the students themselves. This often led them to seek assistance from colleagues or other professors. In cases in which the research topic was highly specialized, students had to study their subject independently.

Achievements During Sabbatical Leave
If the supervisor effectively manages his or her sabbatical leave for its intended purpose, then students could also experience growth during this period. While on leave, some professors shared new insights with their students, broadening their intellectual and academic horizons. For example, they introduced new research topics, methodologies, facilities, and equipment to the students. Moreover, students could become more independent researchers by solving problems on their own rather than relying solely on their professors. Additionally, given their reduced administrative tasks, students could spend more time focusing on their studies.

Challenges During Sabbatical Leave
However, due to the nature of graduate school, which involves significant interaction with a supervisor, many students faced difficulties amid their supervisors’ absence. Particularly for those with supervisors who did not engage sufficiently in, students struggled to progress their research. Consequently, there have been instances in which a student’s graduation was delayed. Furthermore, the supervisor’s absence made it challenging for students in handling administrative tasks, such as obtaining recommendation letters or securing funding. Also in some cases, when professors used their leave just for resting, students were not provided with new intellectual or academic insights.

Suggestions for Sabbatical Leave
Students hoped for a system that would facilitate the mutual growth of both professors and students. Firstly, they wished for a regulation by which professors would be obligated to communicate regularly with students during their sabbatical period to ensure continued interaction. Secondly, students proposed delegating administrative tasks and thesis guidance to a co-supervisor during the primary supervisor’s sabbatical leave. With such a system in place, we can expect the system to become a mechanism for the mutual growth of today’s professors and the next generation of scholars.


4. Conclusion
This study finds significance in listening to graduate students’ voices, which have been marginalized in previous discussions on sabbatical leave. In higher education, those with authority and power are usually the professors, and students’ voices have often been ignored. It can therefore be helpful to see this issue from students’ perspectives, thereby identifying what institutional changes are required to improve the institutional practice of sabbatical leave.
Even though there are insights afforded by this research, this study does have some limitations. For instance, students’ experiences may differ based on their fields of study, whether they are in a master’s program or a doctoral course, and the university to which they belong. Additionally, the experiences reported here may be influenced by the unique relationship between Korean students and professors. Therefore, further research is needed to consider different contexts in depth.

Author

• Lina Kim, Seoul National University