A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19

This article concentrates on how the migration to digital research supervisory mode affected students in Higher Education (HE) because of COVID-19 globally. Literature on COVID-19 and HE reveals that there have been a lot of hiccups because many students inhabit under-resourced difficult geo-histori...

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Main Authors: Maserole C. Kgari-Masondo, Bernard Chingwanangwana, Aboshioke L. Umejei, Silindile P. Zulu, Balungile C. Zondi, Gabriel G. Darong, Monica Out
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Editura Sitech 2024-12-01
Series:Social Sciences and Education Research Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://sserr.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sserr-11-2-304-311.pdf
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author Maserole C. Kgari-Masondo
Bernard Chingwanangwana
Aboshioke L. Umejei
Silindile P. Zulu
Balungile C. Zondi
Gabriel G. Darong
Monica Out
author_facet Maserole C. Kgari-Masondo
Bernard Chingwanangwana
Aboshioke L. Umejei
Silindile P. Zulu
Balungile C. Zondi
Gabriel G. Darong
Monica Out
author_sort Maserole C. Kgari-Masondo
collection DOAJ
description This article concentrates on how the migration to digital research supervisory mode affected students in Higher Education (HE) because of COVID-19 globally. Literature on COVID-19 and HE reveals that there have been a lot of hiccups because many students inhabit under-resourced difficult geo-historical and social contexts. These ramifications produce some 'difficult' students who become unproductive in their research as such supervisors required during and beyond the pandemic period are the ones who adopt a humanizing supervision style. The paper tries to close the gaps in the literature on supervisory styles that ignore the role of the geo-historical and social contexts of developing countries by drawing from the qualitative reflections of four supervisors' experiences in HE on how they navigated the context of the 'difficult' students to ensure a success story. The paper's findings are that during COVID-19 and other “challenging times", it is important to use styles of supervision that focus on humanism to make sure that no student is left behind in his/her research. Hence this study proposes the Umuntu Akalahlwa (a person cannot be disposed) supervision style because it emphasizes respect, love, care, hospitality, social justice, and participation as a means of success in research output.
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spelling doaj-art-ef130eae43b247ad8b5e23408c13bac52025-08-20T03:18:26ZengEditura SitechSocial Sciences and Education Research Review2392-98632024-12-0111230431110.5281/zenodo.15258323A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19Maserole C. Kgari-Masondo0Bernard Chingwanangwana1Aboshioke L. Umejei2Silindile P. Zulu3Balungile C. Zondi4Gabriel G. Darong5Monica Out6Associate Professor, Department of Human Sciences, University of VendaResearch Fellow, Department of Human Sciences, University of VendaDepartment of Culture, Heritage and TourismLecturer, Department of AnthropologyLecturer, Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, University of Kwa Zulu NatalLecturer Département of Anthropology, Rhodes UniversityResearcher, Academic Services and Research, Workers College of South AfricaThis article concentrates on how the migration to digital research supervisory mode affected students in Higher Education (HE) because of COVID-19 globally. Literature on COVID-19 and HE reveals that there have been a lot of hiccups because many students inhabit under-resourced difficult geo-historical and social contexts. These ramifications produce some 'difficult' students who become unproductive in their research as such supervisors required during and beyond the pandemic period are the ones who adopt a humanizing supervision style. The paper tries to close the gaps in the literature on supervisory styles that ignore the role of the geo-historical and social contexts of developing countries by drawing from the qualitative reflections of four supervisors' experiences in HE on how they navigated the context of the 'difficult' students to ensure a success story. The paper's findings are that during COVID-19 and other “challenging times", it is important to use styles of supervision that focus on humanism to make sure that no student is left behind in his/her research. Hence this study proposes the Umuntu Akalahlwa (a person cannot be disposed) supervision style because it emphasizes respect, love, care, hospitality, social justice, and participation as a means of success in research output.https://sserr.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sserr-11-2-304-311.pdfeducators 'difficult' student covid-19 higher education honours supervision autoethnography umuntu akalahlwa
spellingShingle Maserole C. Kgari-Masondo
Bernard Chingwanangwana
Aboshioke L. Umejei
Silindile P. Zulu
Balungile C. Zondi
Gabriel G. Darong
Monica Out
A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19
Social Sciences and Education Research Review
educators
'difficult' student
covid-19
higher education
honours supervision
autoethnography
umuntu akalahlwa
title A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19
title_full A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19
title_fullStr A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19
title_full_unstemmed A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19
title_short A reflective study of supervisors in Higher Education on humanistic strategies of working with 'difficult' students during COVID-19
title_sort reflective study of supervisors in higher education on humanistic strategies of working with difficult students during covid 19
topic educators
'difficult' student
covid-19
higher education
honours supervision
autoethnography
umuntu akalahlwa
url https://sserr.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sserr-11-2-304-311.pdf
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