A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management Business Executive Coaching (MMBEC).
Wits Business School
February, 2017 / This study determined the supervision experience of PhD students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Witwatersrand. The extent of coaching behaviours was assessed. Other supervision behaviours that were determined and aligned with coaching were: research academic support, personal and autonomy support, behaviours to support self-efficacy and satisfaction with the supervisor. Supervision of PhD students is important to the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand as it aligns to the universities strategic goals. A review of the literature revealed a dearth of literature on coaching and supervision. There are a few articles emerging that assess the impact of coaching within supervision. Autonomy of PhD students is linked to facilitation and the mentoring role and the supervisors‟ ability to adapt and be flexible. These skills are linked to coaching and coaching may be a key part of the supervisors‟ style. Coaching and supervision are recognised as potentially important elements in PhD post graduate supervision and success.
To determine the extent of coaching, a cross sectional, correlational survey using a structured questionnaire was used. Data collection was undertaken using an online web-based platform that allows for the design, capture and analysis of data (REDCAP). The questionnaire comprised validated statements per phenomena in the areas supervisor availability and satisfaction, academic, personal, coaching and autonomy support and student self-efficacy. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the extent to which each phenomenon was experienced. Each section was tested for internal reliability and correlations established across all measures.
All students registered for a PhD for more than six months in the Faculty of Health Sciences were invited to participate in the study. There was a thirty-two percent return rate. Low to moderate levels by participants in coaching behaviours, personal support, supervisor availability and research academic support were experienced. Satisfaction with the supervisor showed low to moderate levels while self-efficacy and autonomy support had high scores. All components of supervision correlated with each other with the exception of autonomy support and self-efficacy. This lack of relationship may point to students finding their own forms of support outside the
supervisor. Specific relationships were apparent between supervisor behaviours and coaching and satisfaction with supervision.
This study is the first to establish supervisory behaviours including coaching in the Faculty of Health sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. Given the low to moderate levels of supervision behaviors experienced in this study, all supervision behaviors need to be enhanced. The results show linkage to coaching approaches in providing satisfaction with supervision received. Provision of personal support through coaching may lead to gaining autonomy, self-efficacy and student growth. / MT2017
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/23372 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Myezwa, Hellen |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | Online resource (xi, 106 pages), application/pdf |
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