Introducing Post-Graduate Students

1) Graduate Attribute: Broad Knowledge

2) Graduate Attribute: Specialised Knowledge

3) Graduate Attribute: Insights into Related Fields

4) Graduate Attribute: Ethical Awareness

5) Graduate Attribute: Original Contributions

6) Graduate Attribute: Appropriate Methodologies

7) Graduate Attribute: Reflection and Autonomy

8) Graduate Attribute: Communication and Digital Literacy Skills

9) Graduate Attribute: Critical Thinking for Problem Solving

10) Advice for postgraduate students from postgraduate students

The post What attributes should a postgraduate candidate have once they graduate? appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi, Sioux McKenna, and Shiloh Marsh

Here’s a few questions that might guide your viewing:

1. Grant Cyster points out that trusting someone doesn’t mean you trust them to always get everything right, rather it means trusting them to try with integrity. What does the relationship between trust and creating space to make mistakes mean for postgraduate supervision?
2. Chrissie Boughey distinguishes between leading the academic project and managing the university. How does this distinction pertain to postgraduate education?
3. Anthea Adams makes a connection between trust and being seen and valued. How does this play out in higher education?
4. A few speakers indicate how trust is significant because education is a relationship. What are the implications of this for postgraduate supervision?
5. Masixole Booi indicates that trust is needed if universities are to decolonise. How can we be open to diverse forms of knowledge and making knowledge while maintaining a strong critical perspective?
6. Patrick Onyango points out that the university is an eco-system. What aspects of the university inspire trust in you, and which foster mistrust?

Video 2: Why do we need trust in higher education?

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi, Sioux McKenna, and Shiloh Marsh

Here’s a few questions that might guide your viewing:

1. Abongile Sonkosi suggests that students need to be careful in placing trust in the university. What are your views on this?
2. Jan McArthur suggests that students are often deliberately mistrusted and asks how they then learn to be trustworthy. How can we explicitly build trust in supervisory relationships to ensure that trustworthiness is a graduate attribute?
3. Olebogeng Mokgantshang suggests that universities do not inspire or instil trust and calls for us to reflect on how to address this. What examples can you think of where universities undermine trust in our postgraduate students?
4. Marike Kluyts suggests that our focus on the knowledge content is sometimes at the cost of building trust in the university as a social good. Do you agree?
5. Disa Mogashana calls for universities to shape an inner person who is trustworthy. Is this part of our role?
6. Yanela Ndabula suggests that sometimes mistrust emerges because we do not make our expectations and peculiar ‘ways of doing’ explicit to students. How can we build trust through more transparency about the postgraduate journey?

Thanks to all who attended the Higher Education Close Up conference and provided their inputs into this video. Visit the conference website to learn more about the theme of Trust: https://tinyurl.com/hecu11

The post Trust in Postgraduate Education appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi. Thanks to all who provided their inputs into this video.

The post Challenges in Postgraduate Education appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

In this video, the focus is on how we develop a postgraduate curriculum. The reliance on postgraduate students simply finding their own way through their studies as a ‘lonely scholar’ reliant entirely on their supervisor for guidance is challenged.

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi. Thanks to all who provided their inputs into this video.

• Briefly Speaking 25 – Models of Postgraduate Supervision – this short piece outlines the international move to more collaborative and structured postgraduate models.

Who might find this useful?

This might be a useful video to include in a supervision development course, along with the ‘Briefly Speaking’ above.

The post Postgraduate Curriculum appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

In this video, the focus is on how the disposition of the postgraduate student. Professor Notyatyambo Pearl Dastile from Walter Sisulu University shares her views on the student dispositions needed for success.

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi. Thanks to Professor Notyatyambo Pearl Dastile

Who might find this useful?

This might be a useful video for a supervision development course.

The post The ‘being’ of the postgraduate student appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

In this video, the focus is on the oral exam or viva voce. The oral exam is only used in some universities in South Africa though the report from the national review of the doctorate by the Council on Higher Education now recommends it for all. This video looks at some of the key issues.

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi. Thanks to all who provided their inputs into this video.

Who might find this useful?

This might be a useful video for a supervision development course.

The post The Viva (Oral Defence) appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

In this video, the focus is on how the purpose of postgraduate education. There are a number of private and public goods associated with postgraduate study: the individual becomes more knowledgeable and more employable, they are able to contribute their knowledge to society, the knowledge created can benefit people and the planet. But these purposes of postgraduate education are often in tension with the commodification of knowledge and the enormous pressures on candidates to complete in regulation time.

This video was produced by Sinethemba Oz Konzaphi. Thanks to all who provided their inputs into this video.

Explore these additional resources

• Briefly Speaking 25 – Models of Postgraduate Supervision – this short piece outlines the international move to more collaborative and structured postgraduate models.

Who might find this useful?

This might be a useful video to include in a supervision development course, along with the ‘Briefly Speaking’ above.

The post Purpose of Postgraduate Education appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

Explore these additional resources

• Gee on Discourses
• Wheelehan on powerful knowledge
  A review of this book can be found here.

Who might find this useful?

This material is mainly for supervisors.

The post Working towards social inclusion: A humanising pedagogy appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

Who might find this useful?

This material is directed at postgraduate students who are completing, or have completed their Master’s degree/s, and are seeking guidance on how to proceed to a doctoral degree level.

Explore these additional resources

• Are you thinking of doing a doctoral degree? www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/are-you-thinking-of-doing-a-phd
• Greenspon, A. 2013. 9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD – the ideal research program you envision is not what it appears to be: www.elsevier.com/connect/9-things-you-should-consider-before-embarking-on-a-phd
• Is a Ph.D the right option for you? Guardian careers, at www.theguardian.com/careers/phd-right-career-option
• How to choose the right graduate school: www.nextscientist.com/choose-graduate-school-program/
• Bagaka’s, J. G., Badillo, N., Bransteter, I., & Rispinto, S. (2015). Exploring student success in a doctoral program: The power of mentorship and research engagement. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 10, 323-342, from http://ijds.org/Volume10/IJDSv10p323-342Bagaka1713.pdf
• Why do a Ph.D? www.findaphd.com/advice/finding/why-do-phd.aspx

The post Deciding to do a Doctoral degree? appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

Who might find this useful?

This material is intended for students who are completing, or have completed their final year of undergraduate study, and are seeking guidance on how to proceed to the next level in their academic career.

Explore these additional resources

• AllaboutCareers, online. What is a PG Degree?, at:
  www.allaboutcareers.com/careers-advice/postgraduate-study/what-is-a-postgraduate-degree
• Advice for undergraduate considering graduate school, at:
  http://dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre/grad-school.pdf
• Considering further study? The facts – at:
  www.qut.edu.au/study/postgraduate-study/considering-further-study-the-facts
• Why do Post Graduate study?
  https://gradireland.com/further-study/advice-and-funding/advice/why-do-postgraduate-study
• Should you study for a postgraduate degree or join the workforce?
  www.timeshighereducation.com/student/blogs/should-you-study-postgraduate-degree-or-join-workforce

The post Understanding the PG journey & process appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.