Research Newsletter issue 2 April 2018

WOMEN IN SUPERVISION
Earlier this year, two women attended
several supervision courses in the
attempts to gain and improve their
skills in the world of supervision.
From the Queenstown campus is Dr
Wendy Mashologu who is a lecturer
and the Head of Department in the
Department of Education. Mashologu
has been in the world of supervision
for five years.
“The world of supervising is very
exciting because students come to
me raw and I have the privilege of
watching the grow,” she said.
Mashologu started supervising in
2013 and is currently supervising one
Masters student and one PhD students
from the NMD campus.
“I supervise out of my heart, I like
it because I know I am developing
another human being. It’s part of the
betterment of mankind,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nondwe Mtshatsha from
the Butterworth campus joins the
supervision world for the first time
this year. Mtshatsha was most excited
about students being interested in
contributing to existing Knowledge
while she will be helping them reach
their destinations.
“I am the first time supervisor and I
am looking forward to be competent
in effective supervision practices that
will develop the student/s research
ability,” she said.
Even though she is a woman and a first
time supervisor, Mtshatsha said she
is entering this field with confidence
and dedication as she would like to
support students and support them in
their academic journey.
“I see myself as an academic, not as
a woman. An academic who has a
responsibility to guide students who
want to rise to higher echelons in
education,” she said.
Mtshatsha together with Mashologu
and other respected academics,
attended a Supervision workshop in
July this year, which was conducted by
Rhodes University where existing and
new supervisors were introduced to
new tactics to tackle supervising.
“Attending the supervision workshop
in East London was a great insightful
experience that capacitated me with
knowledge and skills to manage the
research process well,” said Mtshatsha.
Professor Grace George from the
Health Sciences in NMD site describes
the world of supervision as a plot to
support and develop young minds,
guiding them into perusing knowledge.
“Particularly in research you are
guiding and grooming students to
pursue the creation of new knowledge.
It is through them you develop your
ideas and form a team around your
ideas,” said George.
Meanwhile, Mtshatsha said that
supervising is a great opportunity for
teaching and learning for both the
student and the academic.
“Research supervision will contribute
to the development of both the
research supervisor and the research
student and to the university research
output,” she said.
-Ongezwa Sigodi
18