Challenges in doctoral supervision in South African universities

Benard Ungadi Akala

Abstract


This article addresses the challenges encountered by doctoral supervisors as they interact with their doctoral students in the contexts of South African universities. In a qualitative study of seven doctoral (PhD) supervisors and six PhD students, data was collected using interviews to examine the challenges supervisors experience as they supervise doctoral students. The PhD students were included in this study in because their responses would confirm or refute supervisor's views/opinions that emanated from their experiences in a social, cultural, and political context. Data analysis showed that doctoral supervisors experienced multiple challenges including overworking, time, and a set of academic characteristics of PhD students. Overall, the results of this study suggest that certain aspects among doctoral students who have completed doctorates in South African context, and their supervisors in different parts of the world would provide a starting point in the understanding of the implications of these aspects and their effect on the selection of doctoral students and the ongoing research in doctoral supervision in the South African context.

 

 

doctoral supervision.


Keywords


Keywords: Doctoral supervision, doctoral supervisors, doctoral students, challenges of

Full Text:

PDF

References


REFERENCES

Mouton J. Post-graduate studies in South Africa: Myths, misconceptions, and challenges. South African Journal of Higher Education. 2007: 21(8).

ASSAf. The PhD Study: An Evidence-Based Study on How to Meet the Demands for High-Level Skills in An Emerging Economy. Consensus Report. Johannesburg:

The Academy of Science of South Africa-ASSAf; 2010.

Manyike TV. Postgraduate supervision at an open distance e-learning institution in

South Africa. South African Journal of Education. 2017; 37(2).

Jansen J. The state of higher education in South Africa: From massification to

mergers. State of the nation. South Africa. 2003; (2004): 290-311.

Hornsby DJ, Osman R. Massification in higher education: large classes and student learning. Higher Education. 2014; 67(6): 711-719.

Herman C. Elusive equity in doctoral education in South Africa. Journal of

Education and Work. 2011; 24(1-2): 163-184.

Mouton J, Boshoff N, James M. A survey of doctoral supervisors in South Africa: leading article. South African Journal of Higher education. 2015; 29(2): 1-22.

Kiguwa P, Langa M. The doctoral thesis and supervision: The student perspective.

Perspectives in Education. 2009; 27(1): 50-57.

Schulze S. Empowering and disempowering students in student-supervisor relationships. Koers. 2012; 77(2): 1-8.

Smit R. Doctoral supervision: facilitating access to a community of research practice.

African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. 2010; 14(2): 96-109.

Koen M, Bester M. Two master’s students’ perspectives on higher education studies in pursuit of scholarship. 2009.

Heath T. A quantitative analysis of PhD students' views of supervision.

Higher Education Research & Development; 2002; 21(1): 41-53.

Yousefi A, Bazrafkan L, Yamani, N. A qualitative inquiry into the challenges and complexities of research supervision: viewpoints of postgraduate students and faculty members. Journal of advances in medical education & professionalism. 2015; 3(3).

Mapesela MLE, Wilkinson AC. The pains and gains of supervising postgraduate students from a distance: The case of six students from Lesotho. South African Journal of Higher Education. 2005; 19 (Special Edition 1): 1238-1254.

Sawahel W. (2018, July 20). The challenges of growing PhD graduate numbers.

University World News Retrieved available from: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20180719073910721.

Bartlett A, Mercer G. Introduction, in Bartlett, A & Mercer, G (eds) Postgraduate research supervision: transforming (r)elations. New York: Peter Lang:1±5. 2001.

Johnson L, Lee A, Green B. The PhD and the autonomous self: Gender, rationality, and postgraduate pedagogy. Studies in Higher education. 2000; 25(2): 135-147.

Hutchings M. Improving doctoral support through group supervision: analysing.

face-to-face and technology-mediated strategies for nurturing and sustaining scholarship. Studies in Higher Education. 2017; 42(3): 533-550.

Grant B. Mapping the pleasures and risks of supervision. Discourse: studies in

the cultural politics of education. 2003; 24(2): 175-190.

Lessing AC, Schulze S. Lecturers' experience of postgraduate supervision in a

distance education context: research in higher education. South African Journal of Higher Education. 2003; 17(2): 159-168.

Smith SW, Brownell MT, Simpson RL, Deshler DD. Successfully completing the dissertation: two reflections on the process. Remedial and Special Education. 1993; 14(3): 53-59.

Waghid Y. Education, responsibility, and democratic justice: Cultivating friendship to alleviate some of the injustices on the African continent. Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2007; (3).

Mouton J. "Doctoral production in South Africa: Statistics, challenges and responses." Perspectives in Education. 2011; (29.1): 13-29.

Bourdieu P. The forms of capital. In G. Richardson, Handbook of theory and research for the Sociology of Education. (241-258). New York: Greenwood;1986.

Green P, Bowden J, Andrew M. Supervising doctorates at a distance: three trans‐Tasman stories. Quality Assurance in Education. 2012.

Sussex R. Technological options in supervising remote research students. Higher Education. 2008; 55(1): 121-137.

Ezebilo EE. Challenges in Postgraduate Studies: Assessments by Doctoral Students in a Swedish University. Higher Education Studies. 2012; 2(4): 49-57.

Stats SA. Education series volume V: Higher education and skills in South Africa, 2017; 2019.

Sandoval L. The effect of education on Brazil’s economic development. Global Majority E-Journal. 2012; 3(1): 4-19.

Van Rooij E, Fokkens-Bruinsma M, Jansen E. Factors that influence PhD candidates’ success: the importance of PhD project characteristics. Studies in Continuing Education. 2019; 1-20.

Wichmann-Hansen G, Bach LW, Eika B, & Mulvany MJ. Successful PhD

supervision: a two-way process. In The Researching, Teaching, and Learning Triangle pp. 55-64). Springer, New York, NY. 9(2). 2012; 182-196.

Erwe R, Albion P, Van Rensburg H, Malan R. Dealing with doctoral students: Tips from the trenches. South African Journal of Higher Education. 2011; 25(5): 889-901.

Govender K, Dhunpath R. Student experiences of the PhD cohort model:

Working within or outside communities of practice. Perspectives in Education. 2011; 29(1): 88-99.

Backhouse J, Ungadi BA, Cross M. 'They can't even agree!': students' conversations about their supervisors in constructing understandings of the doctorate. South African Journal of Higher Education. 2015; 29(4): (14-34).

Backhouse J. Patterns of practice in South African doctoral education: An empirical study. Acta Academica. 2010; (Supplement 1): (1-22).

De Lange N, Pillay G, Chikoko V. Doctoral learning: A case for a cohort

model of supervision and support. South African Journal of Education. 2011 ; 31(1).

Chireshe R. Research supervision: Postgraduate students’ experiences in

South Africa. Journal of Social Sciences. 2012; 31(2): 229-234.

Samuel M, Vithal R. Emergent frameworks of research teaching and learning in a cohort-based doctoral programme. Perspectives in Education. 2011; 29(1): 76-87.

Herman C. Elusive equity in doctoral education in South Africa. Journal of

Education and Work. 2011; 24 (1-2): 163-184.

Bourdieu P. The forms of capital. In G. Richardson, Handbook of theory and research for the Sociology of Education. (241-258). New York: Greenwood; 1986.

Navaro Z. In search of cultural bulletin interpretation of power. IDS Bulletin. 2006; 37 (3).

Kemp C. Building Bridges between Structure and Agency: Exploring the Theoretical Potential for a Synthesis between Habitus and Reflexivity. Essex Graduate Journal of Sociology. 2010; (10): 4-12.

Slack K, Thomas L. Aspirations, and access to higher education: Some critical reflections on a school-based aspiration-raising initiative. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning. 2002; 4(2). 18 - 25.

Reay D, David, Ball S. Making a difference?: Institutional habituses and higher education choice. Sociological research online. 2001; 5(4): 14-25.

Grenfell M. Pierre Bourdieu. (eds.) Stocksfield: Acumen Publishing Limited. 2008.

Bourdieu P, Wacquant L. An invitation to reflexive sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press. 1992.

Field J. Social Capital. (2nd Ed.) London and New York: Routledge. Taylor and Francis Group; 2009.

Wacquant L. Pierre Bourdieu. In R. Stones, Key Contemporary Thinkers. (Eds.) (pp. 1-17). London and New York: Macmillan; 2006.

Halse C. ‘Becoming a supervisor’: the impact of doctoral supervision on

supervisors' learning. Studies in higher education. 2011; 36(5): 557-570., 557-570. Demand.

Bourdieu P, Passeron J. Reproduction in education, society, and culture

(R. Nice, Trans. (2nd ed.). London: Sage publications; 1977.

Gaventa J. Power after Luke’s: a review of literature. Brighton:

Institute of Development Studies; 2003.

Boer H, Huisman J, Klemperer A, Meulen B, Neave G, Theisens H, Wende

M. Academia in the 21st century: An analysis of trends and perspectives in higher education and research. Adviesraad voor het Wetenschaps-en Technologiebeleid; 2002.

Mathaba RSR, Dorasamy N. Education within public management in South Africa: a focus on external whole-school evaluation process’ contribution in Mpumalanga Province. 2015.

Hope KR. The New Public Management. London: Routledge; 2002.

Backhouse J. Doctoral Education; models, pedagogies, and students ’experiences. PhD diss. The University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; 2009.

Foucault M. The Archaeology of Knowledge. New York: Colophon Books:1976.

in chemistry and history. Higher Education. 2007; 54(5): 723-740.

Bourdieu, P. Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste. Harvard

University Press; 1984.

Creswell JW. Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches. London: Sage publishers; 2013.

Merriam SB. Qualitative research in practice. Examples for discussion and analysis. San Francisco: Jossy-Bass- A Wiley Company. 2002.

Patton MQ. Variety in qualitative inquiry: Theoretical orientations. Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd Ed.). Newbury Park: Sage Publications; 1990.

Creswell JW. Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed

methods approaches (3rd Ed.). London: Sage; 2009.

Saldaña J. "An introduction to codes and coding." The coding manual for qualitative researchers 3; 2009.

Strauss A, Corbin J. Basics of qualitative research. Sage publications; 1990.

Henning E, Van Rensburg W, Smit B. Finding your way in qualitative research. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers; 2007.

Kehm BM. Doctoral education in Europe and North America: A comparative

analysis. Wenner Gren International Series, 83, 6; 2006.

Rademeyer, G. Thesis supervision: getting the genie out of the lamp. South African Journal of Higher Education. 1994; 8(2): 92-95.

Davis A, Jansen van Rensburg M, Venter P. (2016). The impact of managerialism

on the strategy work of university middle managers. Studies in higher education, 41(8), 1480-1494.

Adams F. Managerialism, and higher education governance: Implications for South

African Universities? South African Journal of Higher Education. 2006; 20(1): 5-16.

Held D, Thompson JB. Editors Introduction. In D. Held, & J. B. Thompson, Social theory of modern societies: Anthony Giddens and his critics. (1-19). Cambridge: University Press. Cambridge; 1989.

Teelken C. Compliance or pragmatism: How do academics deal with managerialism in higher education? A comparative study in three countries. Studies in Higher Education. 2012; 37(3): 271-290.

Deem R. The knowledge worker, the manager‐academic and the contemporary

UK university: new and old forms of public management? Financial Accountability & Management. 2004; 20(2):107-128.

Maloshonok N, Terentev E. National barriers to the completion of doctoral programs at Russian universities. Higher Education, 2019; 77(2): 195-211.

Pearson M. Building bridges: Higher degree student retention and counselling support. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management. 2012; 34(2): 187-199.

Ahern K, Manathunga C. Clutch-starting stalled research students. Innovative Higher Education. 2004 237-254.

Ellsworth E. Why doesn't this feel empowering? Working through the repressive myths of critical pedagogy. Harvard educational review. 1989; 59(3): 297-325.

Bottomley WJ. The relationship of the doctoral dissertation to scholarship. The Australian University. 1973; 11(3): 202-219.

Blessinger P. The shifting landscape of doctoral education. University World News; 2016.

Chetty R, Pather S. Challenges in higher education in South Africa. Telling Stories Differently: Engaging 21st century students through digital storytelling. 2015; 1-6.

Malfroy J. Doctoral supervision, workplace research and changing pedagogic practices. Higher Education Research & Development. 2005; 24(2): 165-178.

Tranter D. Becoming self-conscious: Exploring habitus (Doctoral dissertation, Australian Association for Research in Education); 2006.

Barnes BJ, Austin A. The role of doctoral advisors: A look at advising from the advisor’s perspective. Innovative Higher Education. 2009; 33(5): 297-315.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.23954/osj.v6i2.2886

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.