Postgraduate research supervision: more at stake than research training

Abstract

English: Is research training of students the key responsibility of postgraduate supervisors? While many academics would agree, supervisory roles might involve more than training postgraduate students. This article argues for the importance of research training as well as development interventions for supervisors. Drawing on relevant conceptions and a proposed supervisor development scheme, twenty-one supervisors reported how their supervisory roles have changed after interventions in five developmental areas. Similarly, supervisors who participated in a four-day supervision conference reported important developmental gains. The article proposes that supervisors seem to assess their supervisory roles and responsibilities more holistically and critically after and as a result of development interventions.

Afrikaans: Is navorsingsopleiding die kernverantwoordelikheid van nagraadse studieleiers? Hoewel heelwat akademici hiermee akkoord sal gaan, behels nagraadse studieleidingsverantwoordelikhede waarskynlik heelwat meer as bloot navorsingsopleiding. Hierdie artikel voer aan dat beide navorsingsopleiding en eie ontwikkeling as studieleier belangrik blyk te wees. Op grond van relevante idees in hierdie verband en ’n voorgestelde studeleierontwikkelingskema het een-en-twintig studieleiers in ’n ondersoek aangetoon hoe hul persepsies van hul eie studieleidingsrolle in vyf belangrike opsigte na aanleiding van intervensies verander het. Eweneens het studieleiers wat aan ’n vierdaagse konferensie oor studieleiding deelgeneem het, belangrike ontwikkelingswinste aangetoon. Die artikel stel voor dat studieleiers waarskynlik hul studieleidingsrolle en -veranwoordelikhede meer holisties en krities benader na aanleiding van ontwikkelingsintervensies.