A critical evaluation of the research experiences of master and doctoral students at Technikon Natal

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:There are indications that the emergence of global trends in the production anddissemination of knowledge is influencing science policies worldwide, and compellinguniversities and technikons in South Africa to become more market oriented, competitiveand entrepreneurial. Some of these trends include new modes of knowledge production,increased financial and academic accountability and distance education. The changinghigher education landscape worldwide has implications for South African tertiaryinstitutions. In addition, one of the objectives of the democratic government that tookpower in 1994 was to transform higher education. The publication of the White Paper onEducation in 1997, the establishment of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and theHigher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), and the National Plan for Higher Educationin 2001 heralded the beginning of change. Consequently, it became necessary for highereducation institutions to deliberate on the future course of their undergraduate andpostgraduate teaching and training programmes. In this context, it is important foruniversities and technikons to understand the needs of their postgraduate students.The overall aim of this study was to identify the perceptions of ex-Technikon Natal (nowthe Durban Institute of Technology) postgraduate students on their research experienceswith regard to supervision, communication, the Technikon generally, availability ofresources, finance, time, departments, faculties, research, research methodology,statistics, library and expertise. The particular focus was on postgraduate studentsregistered at the Technikon Natal in 2001, whether or not they had submitted theirresearch proposals. A postal survey was carried out to determine the students' perceptionsof their research postgraduate experiences at the then Technikon Natal.The results of the survey indicate that the majority of postgraduate students have anegative perception of the Technikon. Students feel that there are insufficient experiencedsupervisors available for consultation, leading to unacceptable delays. With regard tocommunication, students feel that the Technikon does not disseminate enough informationon processes and procedures about postgraduate issues. Overall, students in the HealthSciences are more dissatisfied than students in the other faculties. In fact, the postalsurvey reveals that students in these other faculties are more positive than negative abouttheir postgraduate experiences. However, it is worth pointing out that a large proportion of Science and Engineering students (38%) are undecided on this matter. It is interesting tonote that the open-ended comments section at the end of the questionnaire reveals farmore negative perceptions than the closed questions. Students are dissatisfied about thelack of modern computer facilities and available funds. They also feel strongly that it takestoo long to get a research proposal approved. The majority feels that a postgraduateinformation kit would assist greatly. Comments about Research Methodology as a subjectare particularly negative with regard to statistics, and the course, which they feel is toogeneral. Students do not seem to have any major difficulties with the library services.The Technikon has to put structures in place to improve these negative perceptions andmanage the students' needs. Combined with the impact of the merger of the formerTechnikon Natal and M.L. Sultan Technikon, the effects of which are not yet fullyunderstood, the new Durban Institute of Technology should give serious consideration tothe needs of its postgraduate population, especially in the Faculty of Health.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University