EXPLORING PHD STUDENTS’ SUPERVISION EXPERIENCES AT UKZN

1. EXPLORING PHD STUDENTS’ SUPERVISION EXPERIENCES AT UKZN Presented by Eric Nkosi & ZinhleNkosi University of KwaZulu-Natal 5th Annual Teaching & Learning Conference of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Date: 26-28 September 2011

2. BACKGROUND • Reports and research indicate the crisis of low PhD production at universities, both nationally and internationally, and this is seen through the level of non-or late-completion of PhD graduate studies (Council on Higher Education, 2009; Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf),2010; Lovitts, 2001; Mouton, 2007; Terrell, Snyder, & Dringus, 2009). • In South Africa the average annual growth in PhD graduates is only 6%, and approximately 45% of doctoral students who enrol never complete their studies, and 29% drop out within the first two years (Council on Higher Education, 2009). • The country currently graduates an annual 27 PhDs per million of population, compared with Brazil's 42 and South Korea's 172, and 240 in Australia or 259 in the U.K. (McKune, 2009). • The Academy of Science of South Africa (2010) states that bold intervention is crucial to escalate and grow the number of PhD graduates in the country.

3. Cont... • Doctoral data from all 23 universities between 2000 and 2007 show that South Africa is near the bottom of PhD-producing countries worldwide ( The Academy of Science of South Africa, 2010; Mouton, 2007). • Armstrong (2004) reports that in the UK, between 40% and 50% of students fail to successfully complete dissertations in the social sciences. • In North America, 50% of students entering graduate programs drop out before they finish their studies (National Center for Education Statistics, 2000; Smallwood, 2004). • Some studies have revealed that one of the contributory factors to students’ inability to finish their studies at a reasonable time (3-4 years) is as a result of the nature of supervision experience they receive (McClure, 2005; Terrell et al., 2009; Krauss & Ismail, 2010; Lahenius & Martinsuo, 2009; Felton,2006). • Research reveals that the success of the PhD for most students is based almost entirely on their experience of supervision. • In this way the role of a supervisor is crucial for the completion of a PhD study.

4. Cont... • For example, students who are not able to complete their studies in 3 or 4 years normally point fingers at their supervisors. The “failure” of not getting through a PhD program can be devastating. Lovitts (2001) quotes her non-completer interview respondents, who describes the experience as “gut-wrenching,” “horrible,” “disappointing,” and even cites a small number that have resorted to suicide as a result of not being able to complete their programs (Lovitts, 2001, p. 6). • The Council on Higher Education (2009) mentions 6 factors associated with non-completion of postgraduate studies in South African universities. These are: poor planning and management, methodological difficulties, writing –up, isolation, personal problems outside research, as well as inadequate or negligent supervision. • This paper focuses on the PhD students’ supervision experiences at UKZN’s Faculty of Education.

5. Research Questions • What are PhD students’ supervision experiences at UKZN’s Faculty of Education? • How do PhD students experience supervision at UKZN’s Faculty of Education?

6. The conception of supervision • According to the Council on Higher Education (2009), to supervise means to “oversee”. In the case of academic supervision, it means to oversee the successful completion of the post-graduate thesis. The five roles/responsibilities of the supervisor are: to advise the student in the management of the post-graduate project; to guide the student through the research process; to ensure that the required scientific quality is achieved so that the student has the necessary opportunities to pass; to provide the required emotional and psychological support when needed; and to provide the required administrative and logistical support to students.

7. Literature Review • Krauss & Ismail (2010) conducted a study of a diverse group of PhD Students’ Experiences of Thesis Supervision in Malaysia. The study revealed that management of the supervisory experience was the major problem for many students to complete their studies. • Lehenius & Martinsuo (2009) conducted a study on students’ experiences of supervision in doctoral education in Industrial Engineering and Management at Helsinki University of Technology in Finland. The results indicated that students differed in their supervision experiences, and the results suggested that the supervision system used in the Department was particularly suited for individuals with strong capabilities and ambition. • McClure (2005) did a qualitative research where he studied the experiences of newly enrolled students from China studying in Singapore. It was found that students were satisfied with the nature of supervision they received, and therefore were able to complete their studies in due time. But for those who were not doing well, McClure stated that many of the unique challenges in supervising foreign students stem from cultural-based differences in expectations of the supervisory experience.

8. Cont... • Most researchers on the subject agree that completing a PhD is a process that depends on a close, working relationship between students and supervisors (Council on Higher Education, 2009; McClure, 2005; Felton, 2007; Neuman, 2003; Lahenius & Martinsuo, 2009; Grevholm, Persson, & Wall, 2005; Lovitts, 2001; ZainalAbiddin, 2007). • Armstrong (2004) states that the relationships with supervisors are also known to be related to the satisfaction and productivity that students find in their supervision, and are known to be critical for successful completion, and are regarded by most graduate students as the single most important aspect of the quality of their research experience (p. 600).

9. THEORETICAL FRAMES • The study employed the collaborative supervision model, whereby the supervisor’s role is to work with the student but not to direct them. Within this model, the supervisor actively participates with the student in any decisions that are made and attempts to establish a negotiated relationship. • Cogan advocates such a model, which he calls “clinical supervision”. Cogan believes that teaching is mostly a problem-solving process that requires a sharing of ideas between the student and the supervisor. The student and supervisor work together in addressing a problem. • This simply means that both the student and a supervisor need to be responsible – both should be blamed if something does not go right.

10. DESIGN & METHODOLOGY • The study employed qualitative case study methods. • Data was collected from 6 PhD students at first, second and third year levels (all full time) in the Faculty of Education. • 4 participants were females and two were males, all Africans. • Purposive sampling • Data was collected over a period of two weeks, with 3 students each week. • Semi-structured interviews were used as data collection methods. • A semi structured interview schedule was developed. • Interviews took about 1 hour per participant. • A tape recorder was used during the interview process. • Three of the participants had supervisors and were not part of the cohort support group. • Other three students had supervisors as well, but also were part of the cohort group.

11. FINDINGS & DISCUSSION • Students supervision experiences varied. It was found that two students who got extra support beyond their supervisors, were found to be enjoying the supervision experience. • One student who was on the cohort supervision, was happy on one hand as she got support from the cohort, yet her supervisor was not happy about it. The student felt that this was because the supervisor was aware that he was not giving the best of supervision to him. In this way, their relationship was not sound. • The other 3 students who were not part of the cohort, were experiencing difficulties with regards to supervision. They mentioned their frustrations about the nature of supervision they were experiencing, which they described as “horrible”, “disgusting”, “devastating” and “annoying”.

12. Cont... • The cohort supervision became a prominent feature of the interviews with the participants. Those who were part of the cohort group spoke about “great support both academically and emotionally and said that it brings a sense of “comradeship with both the staff and peers”. • According to Mbali, the cohort gave “me the direction because before I became part of the group, I was lost in the dark mist. I had developed the feeling that I am being led by the blind man who is leading me to the dark bush. To me, the cohort is a “real glue that holds you together”, and Bongani added that “I wouldn’t be coping well if there was no cohort support. All cohort students felt that it was of great value to them, especially if their supervisors were able to learn from critics students received from the cohort seminars.

13. Cont... • The results suggest that doctoral students getting the cohort supervision and students who do not, differ in their research stages and their supervision experiences. • Some students preferred their co-supervisors than the main supervisors and felt that the main supervisors were not beneficial to them at all, and that they only want to get recognition in the end. • The findings thereby lend support to earlier research that emphasizes the strong support needed in the early phases of the thesis work and draw attention to the different experiences of students in the cohort and those who were not. • The positive experiences with supervision were associated with supervisors that employed a hands-on approach where supervisors were closely involved in structuring the thesis, giving directions, setting standards, making students aware of problems and constraints, and co-authoring publications.

14. Examples of students’ responses Example 1 (Mbali) • He seems uncomfortable and bored with me. He lacks passion and enthusiasm, and I feel let down by his inability to assist me to stay focused. Today he tells me this, tomorrow that, and I’m so tired and frustrated about him. Let alone bringing back feedback. Sometimes I get it after three months, sometimes I don’t. When he happens to give feedback, you will see that he was actually doing the editing, correcting grammar and spelling. What I need is for him to say “ this doesn’t make sense, think about this and that, what if you do this, etc. Of course I need development on academic writing, but not in the manner he does. I need him to say something about the methodology, the content, and so on... Example 2 (Bongani) • I know now what I will not do to my students once I become a supervisor...all those things that hurt me about my supervision experience, I will not do them to my students. For example, I will make sure that my students have trust on me, I respect them, I guide and advise them to the best of my ability, give them feedback on every piece of work at a reasonable time, allow them access to other academics for extra support, be prepared to learn more, to be able to supervise my students...

15. Cont... Example 3 (Zama) • I was hoping to finish in three years just like my other peers who attend the cohort. My supervisor had no time for me. Last month we quarrelled over the draft I sent to her two months ago, without any feedback from her. I then decided to divorce her, as it was evident that I got into marriage with a wrong partner. I therefore had to follow the procedures of changing a supervisor. Fortunately, the Faculty does not tolerate supervisors to block students’ progress. It did not take time for me to get a new supervisor. But, what I can say is that the one I have at the moment is also not any different from the previous one. She is always busy, attending conferences locally and abroad, she has a big number of students to supervise, and so on. These are all the justifications I receive each time when I request feedback... I do not want to lie, we don’t meet frequently as she is not always available for me…It is now clear to me that there is no way I can finish this study next year. I do not trust her anymore.

16. Cont... Example 4 (Thando) • I have changed supervisors for three times and I can see that by the time I finish, I will have more than ten supervisors in this study. Well, sometimes I feel like I can just forget about this thing. But the problem is that I love studying, and I do not want to allow anything to discourage me from what I want to do. It was unfortunate that I didn’t get the right supervisor. But I will tell you that I survive because of the cohort...even if I had no supervisor, I am confident that I would be able to finish my study. The cohort staff and peers are a blessing to me. I learn from my peers as they do their presentations during the cohort seminars.

17. Way forward • Student need to be encouraged to be self motivated, so that even if they encounter difficulties with supervision, they must have a drive within themselves, so that they succeed. • Considering the training of supervisors. • Register those willing to be supervisors. • Looking carefully at the workload of supervisors and preventing a novice supervisor from supervising more than one or two students. • Encouraging publications from the beginning. Supervisors should encourage students to publish. But thesis writing should always be the first priority.