Using ICT to enhance the online research supervision process

Abstract

English: Online research supervision is a relatively new and evolving process due to changes in university at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. New models of research supervision include different research supervisor and student roles and entail the constitution of online research communities regarding common goals. Even though the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for shaping the supervision processes is undeniable, literature related to this issue is still scarce. This article presents a case study about the use of ICT to enhance the online research supervision process. ICT was used for content delivery and sharing, and to facilitate the interaction between postgraduate students and a supervisor, as well as between the students. Based on the supervisor’s reflections, key positive and negative factors are also systematisedAfrikaans: Gekoppelde navorsingstudieleiding is ’n betreklik nuwe proses wat voortvloei uit universitêre veranderinge. Die ontwikkelende modelle van navorsingstudieleiding behels die verskillende rolle van navorsingstudieleiers en studente en die skep van gekoppelde navorsingsgemeenskappe met gemeenskaplike doelwitte. Die potensiaal van inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie (IKT) om vorm te gee aan sulke prosesse is ’n ongewone navorsingsontwerp en daar is min relevante literatuur. ’n Gevallestudie word aangebied oor die gebruik van IKT om gekoppelde navorsingsstudieleiding te bevorder. IKT is gebruik om inhoud te lewer en te deel, en die interaksie tussen nagraadse studente en ’n studieleier, asook die tussen die studente onderling te fasiliteer. Gebaseer op die studieleier se terugskoue word sleutel suksesfaktore wat die grondslag vorm van sulke prosesse ook gesistematiseer.