Module 1, Session 2: Supervision with a humanizing pedagogy

[CPC Admin]

#4840

Work through the PowerPoint “Supervision with a humanizing pedagogy”. Once you have looked through it, post a message, sharing your thoughts on it.

Remember to click “subscribe” (top right corner) to receive responses to your comments via email.

[Nelly Akinyi Juma]

#5254

Many thanks for the PowerPoint Slide. We are able to gain insights on issues of social inclusion that enable us to understand postgraduate students better, thereby helping them navigate their journey to proficient knowledge.

[Richwell Mhlanga]

#5265

Interesting presentation, opening the mind to understanding the hurdles encountered in transitioning from being an undergraduate to postgraduate study. The presentation revealed to me the extent to which failure to adapt to the “new world”, plays a considerable role in the failure or struggles of an otherwise hard-working and intelligent candidate. Social exclusion and inclusion are complex as they involve various factors, some of which have unfortunately been institutionalised over time.

[Marina Cadaval Narezo]

#5267

I liked the PPT for its relevant and critical approach, questioning or making us aware of the way in which knowlegde has been produced -and, somehow, who is entitled to do produce it. From my perspective, it is urgent to consider the multiple ontologies, epstemologies, contexts and perspectives, as well as the differet (unequal, gendered, exclusionary, racialized) education systems from where we all come from. This is very important to supervise. For me, is about learning from others and share my own experience as part of colective journeys.

[George Kegode]

#5268

My experience with not a few postgraduate students indicate that issues of social status could be a factor in competition rates. For instance, many newly married postgraduate students especially women would naturally find themselves focusing on bringing up your families, a factor that could compromise their academic focus. Similarly, having to balance between study and work (mostly salaried) and coupled with lack of scholarships/government funding, provides another set of hurdles to be overcome and bring postgraduate studies to completion. On the other hand, a possible lack of firm disciplinary grounding during the undergraduate studies may compromise a student’s sustained academic focus on knowledge production.

[Thivhulawi Malwela]

#5269

Thank you for the slides, i learned that sometimes we asume that all students coming to p/g lerning should have somrthing to say.We forget that they were not exposed to the same system of learning at their undergrad studies. Various factors influence how much one know, things like social exclusions etc. The thing that was so important to me is that the supervisor need to think of what they can do to make the candidates know, that would be fair.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by Thivhulawi Malwela.

[Tracey Feltham-King]

#5275

Thank you for a thought provoking slide show. This process of finding one’s academic identity can be so daunting! I have seen many students struggle with mental health issues as a result. A crisis of confidence ensues because they feel that they cannot meet the expectations of the supervisor and that their families and friends (who do not have PG experience) also cannot give them the support that they need. The pride and excitement they felt when they were accepted into the program is often short lived. Very soon into the process they start feeling inadequate and isolated.
I attribute this to a colonial way of being which has been privileged in my discipline. PG students enter the discipline which expects them to be resolutely individual, autonomous, rational and self-sufficient. Personally, acknowledging the emotional barriers to writing authoritatively (such as shame) and finding a collaborative community, has been a decolonial act. Creating safe spaces (which offer peer support) where you can share these feelings of vulnerability and still feel comfortable and accepted is vital in the process of developing that identity.

[Andati]

#5294

Largely I agree with the presentation. In my view, funding plays a major role in the so called social exclusion from the world of knowledge. Lack of or limited access to funding, either at individual level, institutional level, government level or even donor sources deprives many potential doctoral candidates from either registering, progressing or completing their studies and research. Institutional or government polices that do not necessarily promote research and innovation always has in impact on funding for accessing the world of knowledge.
Beside funding, there is also the issue of knowledge and capacity. Either just many individual do not necessarily have the knowhow on doctoral programs and studies. On the other hand, doctoral studies are considered the apex of knowledge and command of specialties which sometimes tends to be controlled in some manner by the existing pioneers.

[Channel Zhou]

#5304

The PowerPoint presentation reflects on some of the most important aspects that supervisors have to take into consideration if they are to successfully supervise students from diverse backgrounds. Exclusion may come in different forms, the basic one that affects foreign postgrad students is funding which may be based on geography. This limits the potential of students to contribute to the knowledge economy, as some may find themselves dropping out of their studies. But also most interesting is the assumption by supervisors that postgrad students are aware of what they are supposed to do. It is important for supervisors to orient the students on the process of knowledge creation and keep reminding them about what it means to be an academic in a particular field. Thank you for the PowerPoint presentation for addressing a wide range of issues regarding what is expected against what happens on the ground. As a supervisor, I think one should always find ways of bringing the best out of a student.

[Quinter Migunde]

#5308

The presentation was educative and an eye opener on matters to do with social inclusion. i have learnt that there are certain ways of being and thinking that we have embraced as supervisors that lead to social exclusion even to our fellow members of faculty without realizing. As a supervisor I realize that sometimes I expect too much from my student without considering that they come from different backgrounds, have different educational experiences and face different challenges in their struggle to get into the knowledge community. it is important for supervisors to take into consideration the fact that some of our postgraduate students may not be aware of what they are expected to do and as a result it is our duty to induct students into the new world of the knowledge community. Supervisors also need to see students as social beings with knowledge, ways of thinking and experiences that are different from theirs and to certain disciplines. As supervisors we need to create the right climate for our students to learn and develop.

In my view, the main factors that contribute to social exclusion are age (Older learners tend to have lots of responsibilities hence may not complete their studies on time), lack of funds and previous educational experiences. Some students have good background on the disciplines they wish to study compared to others.

Thank you

[Frank Moffat]

#5310

Thank you for the slides. Exactly my view as I am transitioning from being a postgraduate student to assuming supervision responsibilities. Students are always excluded through the ways of supervision but that narrative has to change.

[Phemelo Hellemann]

#5315

I think for students that are juggling family, work and studies this induction into the new world is really challenging. There are so many things to remember and these require them to wear different hats. But more so, with the understanding that the studies are a short-term sacrifice, they tend to give more energy to finish on time, but because life happens, they encounter so many delays, which turn the short-term sacrifice into a long-term sacrifice. I believe black women are under pressure (social and career) to get more qualifications and to catch up on decades of exclusion. They are doing all of this while raising families, working more than one job and then having to deal with the work pressures of fitting a transformation and diversity agendas. Although there are numerous funding opportunities in South Africa that are geared towards supporting young black female academics, the country still has a long way to go in terms of decreasing the academic and funding gap in this regard. All these become obstacles that delay often result in many postgrad students dropping out or taking longer than the required time to complete their studies.

[Washika Okonda Michael]

#5321

Thank you so much for the slides. They are too insightful. A lot of assumptions are made about postgraduates on what they are expected to know. It reminded me of my first year at both masters and doctoral level. I was fretful and needed help just as much as our postgraduates do. Those settling in their jobs and marriage have difficulty balancing with academics. This can be made worse when their funding is individual based.

[Gideon Rotich]

#5328

Thank you so much for the eye-catching presentation. Many expectations are placed on the P/G students starting because of the assumptions of their supervisors. The presentation clearly shows that we come from different origins which affects our ways of being, thinking and knowing shaped by various factors. Language, lack of funding, and previous education experiences can make a P/G student starting feel excluded. Young mothers and those working while studying for P/G studies normally struggle.

[Mary Onyango Atieno]

#5334

Many thanks, the powerpoint has given great insight on the issue of social exclusion. The need to see the students from the human lens and to strive to induct them in the world of knowledge with due consideration is key.

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