Undergraduate Research Supervision in Social Studies and Religious Education: The Case of Primary Colleges of Education in Botswana

Yıl 2013, , 37 - 50, 15.01.2013

Keene Boikhutso Baamphatlha Dinama Santudu Kebabope

https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.2.1.37

Öz

This paper explored the myriad problems associated with undergraduate research supervision in social studies and religious education using one of the primary Colleges of Education near Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana as a case study. The study applied qualitative research involving interviews and focus group interviews to solicit information from eight college lecturers and ten final year stu- dents doing research in Religious Education and Social Studies. The respondents were purposively se- lected on the basis that they would provide rich data on the supervision of research projects. Additional information was generated through document and content analysis. The findings revealed that supervi- sors and student teachers at undergraduate level experience a large array of problems related to re- search capacity. The students, for example lacked presentation skills which has resulted in failure to present original work. There is also evidence of a relatively inadequate supervisory skills by college lecturers in terms of executing their supervision duties. The study concludes by calling for both super- visors and their supervisees to consider undergraduate research as a two-way process which requires expertise and adequate skills.

Anahtar Kelimeler

undergraduate, research, supervision, religious education, social studies, curriculum, supervisor, supervisee, knowledge, skills

Kaynakça

• Acker, S. & Hammick, M. (1998). Undergraduate Research Supervision: A Gender Analysis. Studies in Higher Education, 23 (3), 335-347.
• Adeyemi, M.B. & Hopkin, A.G. (1997). University affiliation and the role of the university in the moderation of teaching practice in Botswana. Higher Education 33 (415-431), 417-418.
• Armstrong, M. & Shanker, V. (1983). The Supervision of Undergraduate Research: Student perceptions of the supervisory role. Studies in Higher Education. 8 (2), 177-183.
• Bell, J. (2005). Doing Your Research Project. Buckingham: Open University Press.
• Berg, (2007). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Botswana, Republic of (1994). The Revised National Policy on Education. Gaborone: Government Printer.
• Brandford, J.D., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn. Washington DC: National Academy Press.
• Davies, H., Evans, T. & Hicky, C. (2006). A knowledge-based economy landscape: Implications for tertiary education and research training in Australia. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 28 (3), 231-234
• Davies, P. (2000) Approaches to evidence-based teaching, Medical Teacher, 22 (1), 14-21.
• Demircioglu, I.H. (2008). Learning How to Conduct Research in Teacher Education: A Turkish
• Perspective. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 33 (1)
• Dewey, J. (1988). Experience and Education. New York: Library of Congress in Publication Data.
• Diezmann, C. M. (2005). Growing scholarly teachers and educational researchers: A curriculum for a research pathway in pre-service teacher education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 33(2), 181-193.
• Grant, B. (2003). Mapping the pleasures and risks of supervision. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 24(2), 175-190.
• Hammick, M. & Acker, S. (1998). Undergraduate research supervision: a gender analysis, Studies in Higher Education, 23 (3), 335-347.
• Hmelo-Silver, E. C., Duncan, G. R., & Chinn, A. C. (2007). Scaffolding and achievement in problem-based and inquiry learning: a response to Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark (2006), Educational Psychologist, 42 (2), 99-107.
• Hodson, D., & Hodson, J. (1998). ‘Science Education as Enculturation: Some Implications for Practice’, School Science Review, 80 (290), 17-24.
• Jarolimek, J. (1986). Social studies in Elementary Education. New York: Pearson Education Inc.
• Johnston, S.(2000). Research supervision-setting the scene. In A. Holbrook & S. Johnston (Eds.), Supervision of postgraduate research in education. Victoria: AARE (pp. 17-31).
• Kincheloe, J. L. (2003). Getting Beyond the Facts: Teaching Social Studies/Social Sciences in the Twenty-first Century. New York: Peter Lang.
• Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. E. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work. An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experimental, and inquiry-based teaching, Educational Psychologist, 41, 75-86.
• Lumadi, M.W. (2008). The Pedagogy of Postgraduate Research and Its Complexities. College Teaching Methods & Styles Journal, 4 (11), 25-32.
• Moses, S. M. & Howe, R. K., (1999). Ethics in educational research, Review of Research in Education, 24, 21-60
• Mutula, S.M. (2009). Challenges of Postgraduate Research: Global Context, African Perspectives. Proceedings of DLIS 10th Conference Held on 25th November 2009 at Tuzi Gazi Conference Centre, Richards Bay, South Africa.
• Pearson, M. & Kayrooz, C. (2004). Enabling Critical Reflection on Research Supervision Practice. International Journal of Academic Development, 9 (1), 99-116
• Penslar, R.L. (1995). Research Ethics: Cases and Materials. Indiana University Press.
• Remenyi, D. & Money, A. (2004). Research Supervision: For Supervisors and Their Students. London: Academic Conferences Limited.
• Richardson-Koehler, V. (1988). Barriers to the effective supervision of student teaching: a field study, Journal of Teacher Education, 39 (2), 28-34.
• Republic of Botswana (1991). Primary Education Improvement Project:, The tenth and Final Report. Gaborone: Ministry of Education Republic of Botswana, (1994). Revised Policy on Education, Gaborone: Government Printers
• Republic of Botswana, (1997). Presidential Task Group for a Long Term Vision for Botswana: Vision 2016. A Summary. Gaborone: Government Printer.
• Republic of Botswana, (1985). National Development Plan 10.. Gaborone: Government Printer.
• Salia-Bao, K. (2000). African Social Studies Programme. Ibadan: Evans Brothers.
• Schaffner, C. (2004). Formalizing supervision-A step towards better quality? Birmingham: Aston University. (Report from Lisbon Congress round table on supervision). http://www.est_translationstudies.org/Research%20issues/Formalising%20supervision.htm. Retrieved 10 May, 2010
• Serowe College of Education (2009-2010). Serowe College of Education prospectus.
• Shannon, A.G. (1995). Research Degree Supervision: ‘more mentor than master’. Australian University Review. 2: 12-15
• Social Studies Tutor’s Guide for The Primary Teacher Training Colleges in Botswana (1990). Gaborone:Ministry of Education. Government Printers.
• Tabulawa, R.T. (2009). Education Reform in Botswana: reflections on policy contradictions and paradoxes. Comparative Education, 45 (1), 87-107.
• University of Botswana (2009-2010). Graduate Student’s Handbook. Gaborone: University of Botswana.
• Unniversity of Botswana (2008). Social studies Moderation Report, Gaborone: Centre for Academic Development – University of Botswana.
• University of Botswana (2009). Report of the Task Group on the ‘Future of Graduate Research Supervision at University of Botswana. Gaborone: School of Graduate Studies- University of Botswana.
• Wiersma, W. (1991). Research Methods in Education: An Introduction. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
• Wisker, (2005). The Good Supervisor: Supervising Postgraduate and Undergraduate Research For Doctoral Theses and Dissertations. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Young, M.F. (1993). Instructional design for situated learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 41(11), 43-58.
• Zhao, F. (2003). Enhancing the Effectiveness of Research and Research Supervision Through Reflective Practice. http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/Articles/July03/zhao.pdf Retrieved 19 April, 2010.