Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are indications that the emergence of global trends in the production and
dissemination of knowledge is influencing science policies worldwide, and compelling
universities and technikons in South Africa to become more market oriented, competitive
and entrepreneurial. Some of these trends include new modes of knowledge production,
increased financial and academic accountability and distance education. The changing
higher education landscape worldwide has implications for South African tertiary
institutions. In addition, one of the objectives of the democratic government that took
power in 1994 was to transform higher education. The publication of the White Paper on
Education in 1997, the establishment of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the
Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), and the National Plan for Higher Education
in 2001 heralded the beginning of change. Consequently, it became necessary for higher
education institutions to deliberate on the future course of their undergraduate and
postgraduate teaching and training programmes. In this context, it is important for
universities 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 (now
the Durban Institute of Technology) postgraduate students on their research experiences
with regard to supervision, communication, the Technikon generally, availability of
resources, finance, time, departments, faculties, research, research methodology,
statistics, library and expertise. The particular focus was on postgraduate students
registered at the Technikon Natal in 2001, whether or not they had submitted their
research proposals. A postal survey was carried out to determine the students' perceptions
of their research postgraduate experiences at the then Technikon Natal.
The results of the survey indicate that the majority of postgraduate students have a
negative perception of the Technikon. Students feel that there are insufficient experienced
supervisors available for consultation, leading to unacceptable delays. With regard to
communication, students feel that the Technikon does not disseminate enough information
on processes and procedures about postgraduate issues. Overall, students in the Health
Sciences are more dissatisfied than students in the other faculties. In fact, the postal
survey reveals that students in these other faculties are more positive than negative about
their 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 to
note that the open-ended comments section at the end of the questionnaire reveals far
more negative perceptions than the closed questions. Students are dissatisfied about the
lack of modern computer facilities and available funds. They also feel strongly that it takes
too long to get a research proposal approved. The majority feels that a postgraduate
information kit would assist greatly. Comments about Research Methodology as a subject
are particularly negative with regard to statistics, and the course, which they feel is too
general. 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 and
manage the students' needs. Combined with the impact of the merger of the former
Technikon Natal and M.L. Sultan Technikon, the effects of which are not yet fully
understood, the new Durban Institute of Technology should give serious consideration to
the needs of its postgraduate population, especially in the Faculty of Health. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globale tendense in die produksie en disseminasie van kennis blyk wereldwyd 'n invloed
op wetenskapsbeleid te he en noodsaak universiteite (en ook technikons in Suid-Afrika)
om 'n groter markgerigtheid, mededingendheid en ondernemingsgees te openbaar.
Hierdie globale tendense behels, onder andere, 'n verskuiwing na nuwe modi van
kennisproduksie, sowel as 'n toename in finansiele en akademiese verantwoordbaarheid,
en afstandsonderrig. Suid-Afrikaanse tersiere instellings kan hierdie wereldwye
veranderinge in die landskap van hoar onderwys moeilik ontsnap. Daarbenewens het die
demokratiese regering, wat in 1994 aan bewind gekom het, dit ten doel gestel om hoar
onderwys in die land te transformeer. In 1997 het die eerste veranderinge ingetree met die
publikasie van die Witskrif op Onderwys, en dit is in 2001 opgevolg met die
totstandkoming van die Raad op Hoar Onderwys (CHE), die Hoar
Onderwyskwaliteitskomitee (HEQC), en die Nasionale Plan vir Hoar Onderwys. Gevolglik
het dit nodig geword dat hoar onderwysinstellings oorleg pleeg rakende die toekomstige
verloop van voorgraadse en nagraadse onderrig- en opleidingsprogramme. Binne hierdie
konteks is dit nodig vir universiteite en technikons om begrip te he vir die behoeftes van
hul nagraadse studente.
Die oorhoofse doel van hierdie studie was om die persepsies te identifiseer van nagraadse
studente aan die eertydse Technikon Natal (nou deel van die Durban Instituut vir
Tegnologie). Die fokus was op studente se navorsingservarings met betrekking tot
supervisie, kommunikasie, die technikon in die algemeen, die beskikbaarheid van
hulpbronne, finansies, tyd, departemente, fakulteite, navorsingsmetodologie, statistiek,
biblioteekfasiliteite en kundigheid. Studente wat in 2001 aan die Technikon Natal
geregistreer was, is by die ondersoek betrek, ongeag of die student 'n navorsingsvoorstel
ingedien het of nie. 'n Posvraelys-opname is gebruik.
Die resultate van die opname toon die meerderheid nagraadse studente het 'n negatiewe
persepsie van die Technikon. Die studente voel daar is nie genoeg ervare studieleiers om
te raadpleeg nie, en dit lei tot onnodige vertragings. Wat kommunikasie betref, voel die
studente dat die Technikon nie genoeg inligting omtrent nagraadse prosesse en
prosedures versprei nie. In geheel gesien, het studente in die Gesondheidswetenskappe
'n veel groter ontevredenheid uitgespreek as studente in ander fakulteite. In die ander fakulteite was 'n geringe persentasie studente meer positief as negatief omtrent hul
nagraadse ervaring. 'n Redelike persentasie studente in die Natuur- en
Ingenieurswetenskappe (38%) was egter besluiteloos in hul opinie. Verder het die oop
vrae aan die einde van die vraelys, wat kommentaar versoek, veel meer negatiewe as
positiewe persepsies ontlok. Die studente is ontevrede met die gebrek aan moderne
rekenaarfasiliteite en beskikbare fondse. Hul voel dat dit te lank neem om 'n
navorsingsvoorstel goedgekeur te kry. Die meerderheid is van mening dat 'n nagraadse
informasiepakket van groot waarde sou wees. Die kommentaar omtrent
Navorsingsmetodologie as 'n vak is besonder negatief, veral wat statistiek bet ref, en hulle
voel die kursus is te algemeen. Die studente blyk nie ernstige probleme met
biblioteekdienste te he nie.
Die technikon moet derhalwe strukture in plek stel ten einde die negatiewe persepsies van
die studente aan te spreek en hul behoeftes doeltreffend te bestuur. Tesame met die
impak van die samesmelting (waarvan die effek nog nie ten volle begryp word nie), moet
die instelling ook ernstige oorweging skenk aan die behoeftes van die nagraadse
populasie, veral in die Fakulteit van Gesondheid.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49815 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | McLean-Anderson, Gloria |
| Contributors | Mouton, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xvi, 166 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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