Postgraduate Research Supervision Pedagogic Methods: A Critical Review for South Africa

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
MC Madondo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Research Supervision ◽  
Postgraduate Research

scholarly journals Introducing the C.O.S.T.A. Postgraduate Research Coaching Model—A Complementary Approach to Supervision

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
King Costa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Design Strategy ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Panoramic View ◽  
Coaching Model ◽  
Research Supervision ◽  
Complementary Approach ◽  
Postgraduate Research

Postgraduate research is a massive stumbling block to students who had never had an opportunity of exposure to research methods. A study conducted by the researcher (Costa, 2018) revealed challenges in postgraduate supervision—one of these challenges was lack of exposure to research language by students. Qualitative research and its complexities due to a variety of approaches including rigour determination pose a plethora of challenges to novice researchers. This document presents C.O.S.T.A model as a tool suitable for use by academics and students, with a panoramic view of steps to be taken first to understand foundational concepts and the language of research and secondly to make informed choices on the research methods and design strategy options available for the prospective researcher. Conclusions drawn on the reliability of the model are based on empirical evidence of application of the model observed over a period of 12 months, with some students testifying to have passed their research projects satisfactorily at their respective leading universities in South Africa. Secondary research also provides voluminous sources of success of similar research supervision programmes both in South Africa and abroad.

scholarly journals Quality improvement in higher education: a critical review, with reference to South Africa

2004 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 104-113
Author(s):  
R. W. Pretorius
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
And Control ◽  
Measurement And Control ◽  
New System

In view of the controversy which characterises systems for quality assurance in higher education worldwide, this article provides a critical review of the theory and practice of quality in the higher education sector.  The state of affairs in South Africa is also reviewed, with the focus on the new system for quality assurance which is currently being implemented.  Despite good intentions, however, the new system in South Africa tends to be over-burocratic, with limited potential for deepseated change and quality improvement as a result of the focus on accountability rather than on continuous improvement. Real improvement is an internally driven process, which cannot be achieved through burocratic measurement and control.  In line with what has been experienced internationally, this article argues that a more flexible approach to the meaning of quality in the context of higher educaction is required in South Africa.  Apart from defining and assuring quality, this approach should also be directed at its improvement.  However, the point of departure has to be quality improvement, and not quality assurance and control.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Challenges in Research Supervision at South African Universities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
King Costa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
South African ◽  
National Development ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Research Supervision ◽  
Knowledge Based Economy ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning

Postgraduate students in South Africa and other parts of the world, particularly in developing nations struggle to complete the research component of their studies. According to the National Development Plan ( 2013) it has become a requirement for South African institutions to play a pivotal role in knowledge production so as to transform South Africa from a resource-based economy towards a knowledge-based economy.  In pursuit of meeting this requirement and further to increase subsidy from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), South African institutions of higher learning have been on the drive for recruiting postgraduate students en masse. One of the main problems facing South African institutions is that the number of students enrolled does not correspond to those who graduate at the end of the postgraduate programme study period.  This study is a systematic review of literature on challenges in postgraduate supervision and further proposes a possible solution.  Five South African institutions of higher learning’s postgraduate throughput data is carefully studied and substantiated by previous research on postgraduate supervision challenges on these particular institutions. Study findings present challenges related to research capacity development and burden of supervision at these institutions.  Collaborative methods of supervision such as the C.O.S.T.A model are hereby proposed as possible solutions to the current throughput problem in South Africa.

scholarly journals Culture-specific management and the African management movement: A critical review of the literature

1998 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-66
Author(s):  
Adèle Thomas ◽  
Johann S. Schonken
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
South African ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Business Practice ◽  
African Culture ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
African Writers ◽  
Specific Management

In recent years a school of thought has emerged in South Africa, which proposes that, along with the new political dispensation, African values and African culture should be incorporated into South African business practice. This so-called African management movement bases its assumptions and recommendations on various contemporary South African writers and also draws heavily on a theoretical model advocated by Lessem. This article argues that thinking in this field has not been empirically derived and contrasts Lessem's model to the more empirically-formulated one of Hofstede.

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