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International Masters students face daunting challenges in adjusting to a startlingly different UK academic discourse within a short time. Little research has been conducted into these challenges and successful transition strategies. A review of learning development literature identified a set of three models, which has not been related theoretically to international Masters students. The latest, critical model, Academic Literacies, especially offers important insights into these students’ difficulties and potential for integration. This research design explored these learning journeys in depth through interviews in a longitudinal study of MBA and MSc students during the 2009-10 academic year. The rich data were investigated through the qualitative methodology of narrative analysis, with twin aims of recognising similarities but also important differences across the students’ learning experiences. A majority experienced strongly emotional learning journeys. These followed an affective pattern with a downturn early in the academic year influenced by the degree of unfamiliarity in the new culture and academic discourse, mirrored by a corresponding improvement in emotional state during Semester 2 or 3 as these external issues became more familiar and comfortable. Self-efficacy emerged as an especially important factor in achieving academic success, and students’ progression was mapped against this variable using an established, U-shaped transition curve model. The study identifies practical learning development interventions, but also highlights the importance of educational practitioners becoming pedagogically self-reflective to empathise more genuinely with international students’ struggles, and to learn from their diverse experiences in ways that can enrich the process of internationalising western education.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Research training is attracting more inspection as research itself is viewed as having greater importance in the global knowledge economy. Students in the social sciences particularly struggle with the research component of their degrees. The development of an identity as a researcher has been under-researched whilst the development of other professional identities and competencies, e.g. as clinical practitioners, was prioritized. Research looked at students’ understanding of and attitudes towards research however, the extent to which students in professional programmes identify as researchers has not been explored. The extent to which students and graduates develop an identity as researchers that enables them to engage in psychological research and to become productive in a knowledge economy has not been examined systematically.

International Masters students face daunting challenges in adjusting to a startlingly different UK academic discourse within a short time. Little research has been conducted into these challenges and successful transition strategies. A review of learning development literature identified a set of three models, which has not been related theoretically to international Masters students. The latest, critical model, Academic Literacies, especially offers important insights into these students’ difficulties and potential for integration. This research design explored these learning journeys in depth through interviews in a longitudinal study of MBA and MSc students during the 2009-10 academic year. The rich data were investigated through the qualitative methodology of narrative analysis, with twin aims of recognising similarities but also important differences across the students’ learning experiences. A majority experienced strongly emotional learning journeys. These followed an affective pattern with a downturn early in the academic year influenced by the degree of unfamiliarity in the new culture and academic discourse, mirrored by a corresponding improvement in emotional state during Semester 2 or 3 as these external issues became more familiar and comfortable. Self-efficacy emerged as an especially important factor in achieving academic success, and students’ progression was mapped against this variable using an established, U-shaped transition curve model. The study identifies practical learning development interventions, but also highlights the importance of educational practitioners becoming pedagogically self-reflective to empathise more genuinely with international students’ struggles, and to learn from their diverse experiences in ways that can enrich the process of internationalising western education.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Community and Continuing Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study reports on the exploration of masters students’ experiences of research supervision at the University of Limpopo. The key research question was what are master students’ experiences of research supervision at the University of Limpopo? The study is aligned with an interpretive paradigm to interact with the participants directly in their natural setting. A qualitative research approach was deemed appropriate, using case study design. Participants were purposively sampled from the Faculties of Humanities, and Management and Law. The study sample was composed of twelve master students and twelve supervisors from the three schools in each faculty. The preferred techniques of collecting data were document analysis, semi-structured interviews and observations. The study has revealed that both master students and supervisors are experiencing challenges with regard to research supervision. Most of the schools apply the traditional research supervision model; there is insufficient printers for supervisors in different schools; supervisors are overloaded with teaching and supervision work and as such students get feedback on their research work after a long time; some supervisors do not sign a memorandum of understanding with students; students’ research proposals undergo many levels before they are approved. However, the university supports students financially; workshops and seminars for master students are conducted for knowledge enrichment and skills development and infrastructure for research supervision that includes a library, computer laboratory, a Centre for Academic Excellence and a postgraduate Centre is available. It is recommended that the university introduce a co-supervision model in schools where the traditional model of supervision is still predominant. This will be invaluable in allowing supervisors to share research supervision experiences. Supervisors should be provided with enough printers in their offices. Turfloop Research Ethics Committee should hold regular meetings to approve students’ proposals on time. Approval of research proposals should be at school, faculty and Turfloop Research Ethics Committee levels. Master students should sign a Memorandum of Understanding in the early stages of their studies to enhance students’ commitment. Supervisors should also be allocated less teaching work to allow them enough time to focus on research supervision.

Master of Science / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Candice A. Shoemaker / To investigate factors of academic and social integration as predictors of intention to persist for graduate students and differences in student’s academic and social integration between campus based and online programs College of Agriculture Master’s students in U.S. campus and online degree programs were surveyed. To investigate potential influences of differences, graduate College of Agriculture program directors were surveyed. Data was gathered using online questionnaires. The student questionnaire included demographics, as well as three scales, academic integration, social integration and intention to persist. Academic integration was measured with the subscales of advisor relationship and academic interaction. Social integration was measured with the subscales of peer group support, faculty interactions and involvement in social interactions. The subscales for each scale were combined to create academic integration, social integration and socialization scores. The director questionnaire included five questions designed to measure attitudes and design of online programs. Mean scores were formulated from descriptive statistics. Correlation and regression analysis were used to identify scale relationships. ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U and Tukey’s HSD were conducted to identify program differences and to identify attitude and program format differences. A significant positive relationship between academic integration and social integration was identified as well as a significant positive relationship between academic and social integration and intention to persist. Significant differences were found between online and campus students, with campus students being higher on academic and social integration scales, but not on the intention to persist scale. Significant differences were also found on graduate director attitudes and types of communication used in the graduate online programs. This study indicates that socialization as explained through academic and social integration is an important factor of persistence in Masters Students, and that there are differences in integration of campus and online students. Strategies to improve socialization and completion include faculty/graduate student interactions and active graduate student clubs and for online students; communication components designed to increase meaningful interactions.

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In the period following the pandemic, we observed that poor student behaviour was increasingly becoming a problem in our library. We decided to take a novel approach to try and discover new ways of encouraging positive use of the university library using existing resources and ensuring the inclusion of student voices to gather rich critically evaluated feedback to inform our service improvements.

Training in psychotherapy needs to involve more than merely skills and techniques. The field of psychotherapy needs to involve more than the application of formulas in a modernistic framework. This study proposes an approach to training in psychotherapy where the emphasis is on the client and the therapeutic relationship. Psychotherapy training should be an ongoing process and this study aims to facilitate and enhance that process for students. The study combines basic therapeutic skills and interpersonal psychotherapy to form a training programme referred to as the Basic Relational Skills Training (BRST) programme. The first part of the study provides a historical perspective of basic therapeutic skills, followed by a review of the relevant literature. The second part of the study constitutes a possible format for a training manual for the proposed BRST programme. The researcher hopes that the proposed BRST programme be utilised by trainers to assess the programme's efficacy. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Training in psychotherapy needs to involve more than merely skills and techniques. The field of psychotherapy needs to involve more than the application of formulas in a modernistic framework. This study proposes an approach to training in psychotherapy where the emphasis is on the client and the therapeutic relationship. Psychotherapy training should be an ongoing process and this study aims to facilitate and enhance that process for students. The study combines basic therapeutic skills and interpersonal psychotherapy to form a training programme referred to as the Basic Relational Skills Training (BRST) programme. The first part of the study provides a historical perspective of basic therapeutic skills, followed by a review of the relevant literature. The second part of the study constitutes a possible format for a training manual for the proposed BRST programme. The researcher hopes that the proposed BRST programme be utilised by trainers to assess the programme's efficacy. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)