Lecturers' experience of postgraduate supervision in a distance education context

Abstract

After determining the perceptions of postgraduate students at a distance education institution of the guidance they had experienced, a research project was launched to determine lecturers' views on supervision at the same institution. Data collection methods included focus groups, individual interviews and document analysis. Findings indicated that supervisors experienced some aspects of postgraduate supervision as extremely satisfying. However, numerous problems were raised, for example establishing acceptable ground rules, planning the research project, poor language proficiency and design of empirical investigations. In addition, administrative problems were encountered including admission requirements of students, allocation of students to appropriate supervisors and problems relating to the examination process. From the findings, the need for training of students and supervisors; discussion around issues in the supervisory process and written policies and guidelines on postgraduate supervision emerged. BACKGROUND

Challenges of writing theses and dissertations among postgraduate students in Tanzanian higher learning institutions

“…The study confirms the findings of other studies conducted elsewhere (Wang & Linda, 2008;Bitchener & Basturkmen, 2006;Lessing & Schulze, 2003), as pointed out in the literature review section of this article. This situation could be attributed to the following issues: First, given the trend of higher education students' enrolments in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, this observation would not be surprising because the number of students pursuing postgraduate programs has increased tremendously in recent years.…”

“…Most of the concerns have suggested that the quality of the research reports is low (Wang & Li, 2008;Bitchener & Basturkmen, 2006;Holbrook et al, 2004;Lessing & Schulze, 2003). In Tanzanian context, the review of external examination reports by the author of this article for theses and dissertations in four universities of Tanzania has revealed that one of the recurring comments by the examiners in the reports was on the candidates' weaknesses in presenting different chapters of the theses and dissertations.…”

“…Most of the studies conducted worldwide on postgraduate training have focused on issues of supervision (Mapolisa & Mafa, 2011;Taylor & Beasley, 2005;Murray, 2002;Hartley & Jory, 2000). The limited studies on challenges of writing theses or dissertations (Wang & Li, 2008;Bitchener & Basturkmen, 2006;Lessing & Schulze, 2003) have focused on international students pusuing their studies in either the UK or elsewhere, outside the African continent. Therefore, this study was trigered by the limited knowledge on the nature and scope of challenges of writing theses and dissertations facing the majority of postgraduate students in Tanzanian context.…”

Cultivating the next generation of academics in South Africa

“…This statement re ects those of numerous postgraduate student participants who highlighted the need for more direction from their supervisors. Supervision is an important area and deserves further research and attention, as pointed out by LeGrange and Newmark (2002), Lessing and Schulze (2003), and Van der Westhuizen and De Wet (2002).…”

Supervision experiences of postgraduate research students at one South African higher education institution

“…Subsequently, a number of studies have focused on the challenges related to potentially limiting success of postgraduate research students. Such studies have revealed that many postgraduate students drop out or fail to complete their studies within the stipulated time (Naim and Dhanapal 2015;Bitzer 2011;Herman 2011;Wadesango and Machingambi 2011;Dell 2010;Albertyn, Kapp and Bitzer 2008;Stack 2008;Abiddin 2007;Lessing and Schulze 2003).…”