Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the past number of years, the pressure on universities worldwide, including universities in South Africa, has increased to bridge the gap between higher education and society. This includes becoming active partners with its communities. Therefore, the importance of community engagement as one of the three pillars of higher education, alongside teaching and learning, and research, has gained considerable momentum. Higher education institutions in South Africa are also increasingly challenged to elevate the status of their teaching and to raise their levels of community engagement. This also pertains to the area of postgraduate education, which points to the need for a close relationship between teaching, learning and research. The aim of this study was to develop a contextualised and integrated curriculum framework for community-engaged teaching, learning and research in a postgraduate Play Therapy programme. This was done using a contextualised perspective on higher education with reference to current higher education legislation in South Africa as well as curriculum development in general. A literature review of community engagement provided a perspective on the current state of community engagement - nationally, as well as internationally. The study used a qualitative single case study design and an interpretive paradigm to generate empirical data. The first phase of the empirical part of the study focused on determining the current state of community engagement within the postgraduate Play Therapy programme. Data was generated using questionnaires completed by current students and lecturers. In the second phase of the empirical study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with lecturers from 13 national as well as international higher education institutions to review curriculum frameworks and content from other higher education community engagement models. The last empirical phase included two focus groups, one with current students and one with current lecturers in the postgraduate Play Therapy programme under investigation. From the findings of the study, a curriculum framework emerged which outlines community engagement within the postgraduate programme. The emerging framework points to the need for a stronger integration of teaching and learning with community engagement (service component) through service learning. In the South African context and within the programme that was investigated, service learning provides for engaged learning which includes experiential learning and opportunities for students to engage in interactive and experiential processes. The study has also pointed out that research within the postgraduate programme should reflect, in a much stronger way, links to community-based research. Such links may benefit a scholarship of engagement. Also, the research component of the programme needs to be linked more closely to teaching and learning in order to better inform the curriculum in terms of trends, needs and priorities. These activities need to take place within community partnerships with a reciprocal benefit to both the programme and the communities involved. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Universiteite wêreldwyd, asook in Suid-Afrika, het gedurende die afgelope paar jaar druk ervaar om die gaping tussen hoër onderwys en die gemeenskap te verminder. Dit sluit in om aktiewe vennote van gemeenskappe te word. Die belangrikheid van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid as een van die drie pilare van hoër onderwys, saam met leer, onderrig en navorsing, het dus aansienlik toegeneem. Hoëronderwysinstansies in Suid-Afrika word ook uitgedaag om die stand van hul leer en onderrig te verhoog en die vlakke van hul gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid te versterk. Dit geld ook vir nagraadse opleiding, wat neerkom op 'n hegter verband tussen leer, onderrig en navorsing. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om 'n gekontekstualiseerde en geïntegreerde kurrikulumraamwerk vir gemeenskapsgerigte leer, onderrig en navorsing binne 'n nagraadse program in Spelterapie te ontwikkel. Dit is gedoen deur 'n kontekstuele oorsig van hoër onderwys te gee met verwysing na die huidige hoëronderwys-wetgewing in Suid-Afrika asook 'n oorsig oor kurrikulumontwikkeling. 'n Literatuuroorsig van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid het perspektief op die huidige stand van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid landwyd én wêreldwyd verskaf. Hierdie studie berus op 'n kwalitatiewe enkelgevallestudie-ontwerp en benut 'n interpretatiewe paradigma om die empiriese data te genereer. Die eerste fase van die empiriese gedeelte van die studie was gerig op die bepaling van die huidige stand van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid in die meestersprogram in Spelterapie. Data is gegenereer deur die gebruik van vraelyste wat deur huidige studente en dosente ingevul is. In die tweede fase van die empiriese studie is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met dosente van 13 nasionale asook internasionele hoëronderwysinstansies gevoer om die kurrikulumraamwerke en inhoud van ander hoër instansies se gemeenskaps-betrokkenheidsmodelle te verken. Die laaste empiriese fase sluit twee fokusgroepe in - een met huidige studente en een met huidige dosente in die meestersprogram in Spelterapie, wat die onderwerp van hierdie studie uitmaak. 'n Kurrikulumraamwerk het vanuit die bevindinge van die studie ontstaan wat 'n uiteensetting van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid in die meestersprogram in Spelterapie verskaf. Die opkomende raamwerk dui op die behoefte aan sterker integrasie van leer en onderrig met gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid (dienskomponent) deur middel van diensleer. In die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks en in die program wat ondersoek is, bied diensleer die geleentheid vir betrokke leer wat die volgende insluit: ervaringsleer en geleenthede vir studente om betrokke te raak by interaktiewe ervaringsprosesse. Die studie het ook uitgewys dat navorsing in die meestersprogram op 'n baie sterker wyse die verband met gemeenskapsgerigte navorsing moet reflekteer. Hierdie konneksies kan ook die vakkundigheid van betrokkenheid versterk. Daarby moet die navorsingskomponent van die program nader aan leer en onderrig beweeg sodat die kurrikulum altyd die jongste tendense, behoeftes en prioriteite weerspieël. Hierdie aktiwiteite moet in gemeenskapsvennootskappe plaasvind om voordele vir die program sowel as die betrokke gemeenskappe te bied.

Transformation of the higher education system has come under the spotlight recently. At the core of this debate are issues pertaining to access and throughput rates at universities. Although access has improved significantly, throughput rates remain relatively low especially amongst black students (Council on Higher Education, 2017). The current study aims to explore the learning experiences and academic performance of postgraduate black students at the university of South Africa. Through a qualitative approach that included interviews, a phenomenological research design and critical race theory to gain an insiders perspective. This approach is chosen for its ability to generate rich descriptive and interpretive accounts of events based on the participant’s narratives. The findings revealed that the variation in learning experiences and academic performance was accounted for by background factors rather than student’s own intellectual or academic competencies. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology with specialisation in Research Consultation)

Submitted on completed of Master’s Degree of Technology: Quality, Department of Operations and Quality Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Similar to a production line, the development of a dissertation is a process within a research dyad that is affected by many factors. On completion, the customer / student is either satisfied or dissatisfied with the outcome of the research process. However, errors in the dissertation detract from its quality and this may leave students dissatisfied with the overall outcome of the marking and review process. To improve the product, it is critical that factors contributing to the production of a quality dissertation are understood. The aim of this study was to determine which components of the SERVQUAL model (namely, Responsiveness, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy and Reliability) contributed to a lower quality dissertation, thereby gaining an understanding of, and implementing factors which enable the production of a good quality dissertation which meets all stakeholders’ expectations. This was achieved through a prospective, mixed-methods study which analyzed the quality of 30 dissertations by means of a Checklist, denoting the quality of the dissertations. Thereafter, the 30 students and 30 supervisors involved in these dyads were asked to each complete separate questionnaires. The questions covered their respective demographics, research knowledge, expectations and perceptions of the research process. The data was then descriptively analysed and presented by way of tables to demonstrate the quality of the dissertation, and the characteristics of the students and the supervisors. The Chi-Squared statistics and Fisher’s Exact tests were then computed to determine relationships between these characteristics. It was revealed that significant differences between the students and the supervisors existed regarding: the length of time to completion of their Master’s; the roles of facilitators in the research process; student and supervisor role ambiguity; the reason for and need to complete research and specific knowledge of the research process. It was noted that a lack of communication resulted in a significant impact on reliability of the university service, moderate impact on assurance and responsiveness, with the least impact on empathy. In contrast, both the student and the supervisor perceived the tangibles provided by the university as satisfactory. Then, through the process of triangulation, it was shown that the relationship within the dyad lacked clear communication and common understanding of the research processes which was likely to result in a lower quality dissertation. It is, therefore, recommended that all students and supervisors that enter into a dyadic relationship need to find mechanisms (for example: learning contract, weekly meetings) to ensure a consistent and common understanding of the research process throughout its development to allow for the effective production of a good quality dissertation.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to establish a theoretical and practical framework for supervision to social work students at training institutions that are based on the outcomes of developmental social work in South Africa, as contained in the White Paper for Welfare (1997). The motivation for this study is the contribution that it can make to the reality that the paradigm shift of the developmental perspective on supervision to students contains. This research was done based on an extensive literature study, which focused on the conceptualisation of supervision to social work students from a social developmental perspective. The systemic nature of supervision to students was examined, after which the models for supervision to students were analysed. The functions of supervision by means of the management, educational and support functions are also broadly defined. The empirical investigation of the study dealt with the current state of supervision to social work students at training institutions in South Africa. From the empirical investigation a social developmental perspective was developed, which indicates that supervision to social work students in South Africa can be defined as a process of education, support and management so as to develop students' competencies according to the outcomes of the training institution's field practice education programme, so that students can integrate the theory and practice of social work. Supervision also involves interactive guidance, based on educational needs, academic development and empowerment of students. The abovementioned perspective was evaluated by supervisors of students at tratrung institutions in South Africa, the majority of whom supported the perspective. From the social developmental perspective that was formulated, conclusions and recommendations were made that can serve as a framework for supervision of social work students. The framework for situation-relevant supervision, which is accounted for eco-systemically, is based on a competency model and is empowering in its nature. This is the contribution that this study makes to field practice education to social work students. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n teoretiese en praktiese raamwerk daar te stel vir supervisie van maatskaplikewerkstudente by opleidingsinstansies wat op die uitkomste van ontwikkelingsgerigte maatskaplike werk in Suid-Afrika, soos vervat in die Witskrif vir Welsyn (1997), gebaseer is. Hierdie studie is gemotiveer deur die bydrae wat dit kan Iewer tot die realiteit wat die paradigmaskuif van die ontwikkelingsgerigte perspektief in maatskaplike werk vir supervisie van studente inhou. Die ondersoek is gedoen aan die hand van 'n uitgebreide literatuurstudie, wat op die konseptualisering van supervisie aan maatskaplikewerkstudente vanuit 'n maatskaplike ontwikkelingsgerigte perspektief gefokus het. Die sistemiese aard van supervisie aan studente is ondersoek, waarna die aard van die modelle vir supervisie aan studente ontleed is. Die funksies van supervisie deur middel van die bestuurs-, onderrig- en ondersteuningsfunksie word ook breedvoerig omskryf. Die empiriese ondersoek van die studie het oor die huidige stand van supervisie aan maatskaplikewerkstudente by opleidingsinstansies in Suid-Afrika gehandel. Vanuit die empiriese ondersoek is 'n maatskaplike ontwikkelingsgerigte perspektief ontwerp wat daarop dui dat supervisie aan maatskaplikewerkstudente in Suid-Afrika omskryf kan word as 'n proses van onderrig, ondersteuning en bestuur om studente se bekwaamhede volgens die uitkomste van die opleidingsinstansie se praktykonderrigprogram te ontwikkel, sodat studente die teorie en praktyk van maatskaplike werk kan integreer. Supervisie behels ook interaktiewe Ieiding, gebaseer op onderrigbehoeftes, akademiese ontwikkeling en bemagtiging van studente. Die bogenoemde perspektief is deur supervisors van studente by opleidingsinstansies in Suid-Afrika oorwegend ondersteunend geevalueer. Vanuit die maatskaplike ontwikkelingsgerigte perspektief wat geformuleer is, is gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak, wat as raamwerk vir supervisie van maatskaplikewerkstudente kan dien. Die raamwerk vir situasie-relevante supervisie, wat ekosistemies verantwoord word, gegrond is op 'n kompetensiemodel en bemagtigend van aard is, is dus die bydrae wat hierdie studie tot praktykonderrig aan maatskaplikewerkstudente bied.

This research paper seeks to explore whether the University of KwaZulu-Natal (U.K.Z.N) Humanities Social Science Faculty (HSF) can provide utility (economic) value to the eThekwini region and the South African developmental state. Utility value within this paper is defined as being, „The welfare a given investor assigns to an investment with a particular expected return and risk.‟ (duke.edu). A developmental state according to Professor Ziya Onis is a “…state where the government is intimately involved in the macro and micro-economic planning in order to grow the economy.” (Onis 1991). Each existing developmental state has approached its development in a unique and contextually relevant manner. Yet all developmental states have one key variable prominent: Human Capital Development through investment in the Science Engineering and Management streams of study. This research project uses a qualitative research approach comprising of semi-structured interviews with selected personnel from the University‟s Humanities Social Science Faculty, private sector organisations, the local municipality, a representative from the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Reference group set up by the Ministry to investigate the state of the HSF in South Africa. Six key questions will inform this research. Firstly, what is the content and curriculum make-up of a Humanities Social Science of the University of KwaZulu-Natal degree and what factors inform its make-up? Secondly, what is utility value expressed in employment terms does an HS degree provide? Thirdly, how are HSF Degrees structured to offer both knowledge and utility value to their students - and in turn - the South African job market? Fourthly, where do HSF graduates get employed i.e. in which Government Departments or industries do they find employment? Fifthly, what meaningful role does an HSF degree offer in the context of the developmental State in South Africa? And finally, does the UKZN HSF and its degrees need an overhaul? And if it is concluded that it does not need it, why does it not? This research project found that the Humanities Social Science Faculty and its products, the graduates , do provide utility value - needed for leading people and organisations - in the form of management skills, deductive reasoning, critical and lateral thinking. However, if the current state of the HS-Faculty continues, namely; the large number of students enrolled, the non-enterprising curriculum, the non-collaborative relationship between the faculty and local business and governmental structures, the HSF will have no “active role” in the developmental state and will in “fact” become a problem. And subsequently, a problem that contributes to the phenomena of unemployable graduates in a major way. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:20:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudia Barrozo de Queiroz e Ataides.pdf: 1059626 bytes, checksum: 97c902d985004b5a0f60e820d0305532 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-12-12 / This research investigates the post-graduation, presenting it as a social scenario that constitutes subjectivities. Through the means of indicators produced in monthly meetings with nine post-graduate students, carried out between March 2004 and May 2005, social subjectivity, a category developed by González Rey (2003), and specially sociometry, a category proposed by Moreno (1992), are explored aiming to broaden the reflection about the subjective social processes that structure the actions and inter-relations in the academy, constitute the post-graduates, and mold their writing. Social subjectivity refers to the existence of a social context of subjectivization that constitutes the subject and is constituted by it in a dynamic and reciprocal process. Sociometric analysis helps the investigation of complex processes related to choices, acceptances, rejections, mutual or not, which configure a social reality that is not apparent and many times is in dissonance with the official truth about the relations. Throughout the period of this research, three scenarios for analyses were designed: the post-graduation classroom, the dyad advisor-postgraduate student, and the post-graduate students private life. The results of the present research point to the need of reflection about the non-official forms of how the theoretical-methodological diversity is experienced in the post-graduation. In the analysis, the subject whom the academic society is committed with is questioned: on the one hand there is the autonomous subject, who is reflexive and able to live with and dialogue with diversity; on the other hand, there is the adherent subject, who is passive and involved in situations of subordination and commited with the dialogue between peers, in a self-confirmation exercise. The results here obtained also emphazise the need of rethinking the parameters that regulate the practice of advising in the post-graduation. / Esta pesquisa investiga a pós-graduação apresentando-a como cenário social de constituição de subjetividades. A partir de indicadores produzidos em encontros mensais com nove mestrandos, realizados entre os meses de março de 2004 e maio de 2005, a subjetividade social, categoria criada por González Rey (2003) e as forças sociopsicológicas, em especial a sociometria, categoria proposta por Moreno (1992), são exploradas com o intuito de ampliar a reflexão sobre os processos sociais subjetivos que estruturam as ações e inter-relações na academia, constituem os mestrandos e moldam suas escritas. A subjetividade social refere-se à existência de um contexto social de subjetivação que constitui o sujeito e é constituído por ele em processo dinâmico e recíproco. A análise sociométrica auxilia na investigação de processos complexos relacionados a escolhas, aceitações, rejeições, mútuas ou não, que configuram uma realidade social não aparente e muitas vezes em dissonância com a verdade oficial sobre as relações. No decorrer desta pesquisa delinearam-se três cenários de análise: a sala de aula de mestrado, a dupla de orientação e a vida privada dos mestrandos. Os resultados da presente pesquisa apontam para a necessidade de reflexão sobre as formas não-oficiais de como a diversidade teórico-metodológica é vivenciada na pós-graduação. Na análise questiona-se com qual sujeito se compromete a sociedade acadêmica: de um lado está o sujeito autônomo, reflexivo e capaz de conviver e dialogar com a diversidade; de outro, está o sujeito aderente , passivo, envolvido em situações de subordinação e comprometido com o diálogo entre iguais, num exercício de auto-confirmação. Os resultados obtidos também enfatizam a necessidade de se repensar os parâmetros que regulamentam a prática da orientação na pós-graduação.

Mentoring is an effective tool for the professional development of novice teachers (Eby & Lockwood 2005; Kram, 1985; Stanulis & Ames, 2009). Mentors to preservice teachers have conveyed that they receive benefits and face barriers when mentoring (Ambrosetti, 2014; Burk & Eby, 2010; Hobson, Ashby, Malderez, & Tomlinson, 2009; Iancu-Haddad & Oplatka, 2009). Graduate students who serve as mentors to undergraduates have also reported advantages and drawbacks to being a mentor (Conway, Eros, Pellegrino, Kras, Gale, & Campbell, 2009; Reddick, Griffin, & Cherwitz, 2011). This study examined the perceived benefits and barriers for graduate students serving as mentors to undergraduate, preservice teachers. It also considered the affect that graduate school had on a teacher’s decision to engage in a mentoring relationship. The participants were all PK-12 teachers who were also graduate students in the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) at the University of North Florida (UNF). The data for this qualitative case study was collected through semi-structured interviews. Findings yielded three themes (helps me, helps others, helps profession) which summarized the perceived benefits and barriers for graduate students mentoring preservice teachers. The results were connected to the Social Exchange Theory and it was determined that some graduate students will weigh rewards and costs before deciding to mentor, while others will lean more towards rewards or costs regardless. This study may have implications for undergraduate and graduate curriculum, mentor matching, and for mentor training.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Title from PDF of title page (viewed July 10, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 76-81).

The research describes the theoretical and practical learnings about evaluation offered in the process of formation, assimilated by the students and used in the practices developed by graduates of the course of pedagogy at the Federal University of Alagoas, with specificity for the Campus of the backwoods, to answer the following question: between the theoretical and practical references on learning evaluation offered in the course of pedagogy of UFAL/Campus Sertão, which were assimilated by students in conclusion of course and how are worked by graduates? In this sense, were questioned fourteen graduatings in the 8th period of 2016.2, five graduates who work in basic education and the Coordinator of the course of pedagogy. The methodology is the descriptive study with a qualitative approach, whose investigative instruments consisted in the application of questionnaires to undergraduates and interviews with graduates and Coordinator. The interpretation of the data is based on content analysis proposed by Bardin. The theoretical reference discusses the main ideas of the authors who define the line of thought on the subject of teacher training and Learning evaluation, including Hoffmann, Furlan, Balzan and Sobrinho, Libâneo, Berger, Charlot among others. As a contribution, we analyzed the law of Guidelines and Bases for National Education nº 9394/96, the National Curriculum Guidelines for the course of pedagogy and the PPC of the course of Pedagogy of UFAL/Campus Sertão. The results of this investigation have made it possible to draw apicture of the current evaluation practices in the course of pedagogy and meet the conditions offered for teacher education from the perspective of the participants. The collected data evidenced that the students in conclusion of course and the graduates in professorial exercise were evaluated mainly by tests, seminars and micro classes, revealing the presence of an evaluative conception aligned to the old traditional verification of the learning, in which the critical perspective is not considered in the voices of the subjects. The research made it possible to explain an important knowledge built on evaluation of learning in the course of Pedagogy, also revealing that there is a criticism to the directions of the course, which appears as positive fact, since it was observed in the interviewees reports that they experience a slow and difficult process of changing evaluative practices, due to experiences in the university. It was verified, according to the graduating students, the contradiction between the theoretical reference worked in the discipline and the way of evaluation of some teachers. It was revealed that the graduates are formed with good knowledge, tending not to reproduce in the practical life the criticized method of evaluation in the university. Finally, the research provided important elements for reflection and possible transformations in teaching and evaluation practice for the good formation of pedagogues in general. / A pesquisa descreve as aprendizagens sobre avaliação ofertadas no processo de formação, construídas pelos graduandos e utilizadas nas práticas desenvolvidas pelos egressos do curso de Pedagogia da Universidade Federal de Alagoas – Campus do Sertão, para responder à seguinte questão: entre os referenciais teóricos e práticos sobre avaliação da aprendizagem trabalhados no curso de Pedagogia da UFAL/Campus Sertão, quais foram construídos pelos concluintes e como são trabalhados pelos egressos? Nesse sentido, foram questionados quinze concluintes do 8º período do semestre 2016.2, cinco egressos que atuam na Educação Básica e o Coordenador do curso de Pedagogia. A metodologia adotada é o estudo descritivo com a abordagem qualitativa, cujos instrumentos investigativos consistiram na aplicação de questionários aos graduandos e entrevistas com os egressos e o coordenador. A interpretação dos dados está alicerçada na análise de conteúdo proposta por Bardin. O referencial teórico discute as principais ideias dos estudiosos que definem a linha de pensamento sobre a temática da Formação Docente e Avaliação da Aprendizagem, destacando-se Hoffmann, Furlan, Balzan, Sobrinho, Libâneo, Berger, Charlot, entre outros. Como aporte documental, analisou-se a Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional nº 9394/96, as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para o curso de Pedagogia/Resolução CNE/CP nº1/2006 e o PPC do curso de Pedagogia da UFAL/Campus Sertão. Os resultados desta investigação permitiram traçar um quadro das práticas avaliativas vigentes no curso de Pedagogia e conhecer as condições ofertadas para a formação docente a partir da ótica dos participantes. Os dados coletados evidenciaram que os concluintes e egressos foram avaliados principalmente por provas, seminários e microaulas, revelando a presença de uma concepção avaliativa alinhada à verificação da aprendizagem, em que a perspectiva crítica pouco aparece nas vozes dos sujeitos. A pesquisa possibilitou explicitar um importante conhecimento construído sobre avaliação da aprendizagem no curso de Pedagogia, revelando também que há uma crítica aos direcionamentos do curso, o que surge como positivo, visto que se observou nos relatos dos entrevistados, que estes experimentam um lento e dificultoso processo de mudança das práticas avaliativas em razão das vivências na universidade. Verificou-se, segundo os concluintes e egressos, a contradição entre o referencial teórico trabalhado na disciplina e o modo de avaliação de alguns professores. Desvelou-se que os egressos formam-se com amplo aporte de conhecimento, tendendo a não reproduzirem na vida prática o método criticado de avaliação na universidade. Por fim, a pesquisa proporcionou importantes elementos para reflexão e possíveis transformações das práticas de avaliação e de formação de pedagogos de modo geral. / São Cristóvão, SE

The environment in which higher education institutions operate is changing, and these changes are impacting on all aspects of higher education, including postgraduate levels. Changes wrought by globalisation, heralded by rapid advances in technology have inaugurated a new era in which there are long term consequences for higher education. The shift towards more quantitative and measurable "outputs" signifies a fundamental change in the educational ethos in institutions. Effectiveness is now judged primarily on numbers of graduates and publications rather than on other aspects. The drive is to produce a highly educated population, especially through increasing postgraduates who can drive national innovation and improve national economies. This affects academics in a range of ways, not least in the ways in which they engage in teaching, what they are willing to do and how they do it. Such changes influence the kinds of research done, the structures and funding which support research, and thus naturally shapes the kinds of postgraduate programmes and teaching that occurs. This study, situated in the field of Higher Education Studies, adopting a critical realist stance and drawing on the social theory of Margaret Archer and the concepts of expert and novice, explores the experiences of postgraduate supervisors from one South African institution across a range of disciplines. Individual experiences at the level of the Empirical and embodied in practice at the level of the Actual allow for the identification of possible mechanisms at the level of the Real which structure the sector. The research design then allows for an exploration across mezzo, macro and micro levels. Individuals outline their own particular situations, identifying a number of elements which enabled or constrained them and how, in exercising their agency, they develop their strategies for supervision drawing on a range of different resources that they identify and that may be available to them. Student characteristics, discipline status and placement, funding, and the emergent policy environment are all identified as influencing their practice. In some instances supervisors recognise the broader influences on the system that involve them in their undertaking, noting the international trends. Through their narratives and the discourses they engage a number of contradictions that have developed in the system with growing neo-liberal trends and vocationalism highlighting tensions between academic freedom and autonomy, and demands for productivity, efficiency and compliance, and between an educational focus and a training bias in particular along with others. Especially notable is how this contributes to the current ideologies surrounding knowledge and knowledge production. Their individual interests and concerns, and emergent academic identities as they take shape over time, also modifies the process and how individual supervisors influence their own environments in agentic moves becomes apparent. Whilst often individuals highlight the lack of support especially in the early phases of supervision, the emergent policy-constrained environment is also seen as curtailing possibilities and especially in limiting the possibilities for the exercise of agency. Whilst the study has some limitations in the range and number of respondents nevertheless the data provided rich evidence of how individual supervisors are affected, and how they respond in varied conditions. What is highlighted through these experiences are ways pressures are increasing for both supervisors and students and changing how they engage. Concerns in particular are raised about the growing functional and instrumental nature of the process with an emphasis on the effects on the kinds of researchers being developed and the knowledge that is therefore being produced. As costs increase for academics through the environments developed and with the varied roles they take on so they become more selective and reluctant to expand the role. This research has provided insights into ideas, beliefs and values relating to the postgraduate sector and to the process of postgraduate supervision and how it occurs. This includes the structures and cultural conditions that enable or constrain practitioners as they develop in the role in this particular institution. It has explored some of the ways that mechanisms at international, national and institutional levels shape the role and practices of supervisors. The effects of mechanisms are in no way a given or simply understood. In this way the research may contribute to more emancipatory knowledge which could be used in planning and deciding on emergent policies and practices which might create a more supportive and creative postgraduate environment.