DOCTORAL AND MASTER'S SUPERVISION: DOES PREFERENCE FOR RESEARCH VERSUS TEACHING REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
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| Title: | DOCTORAL AND MASTER'S SUPERVISION: DOES PREFERENCE FOR RESEARCH VERSUS TEACHING REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE? |
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| Authors: | Callaghan, C. W.1 chris.callaghan@wits.ac.za |
| Source: | South African Journal of Higher Education. 2018, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p43-64. 22p. 8 Charts. |
| Subject Terms: | *Teaching, *Scholars, *Graduate students, Structural equation modeling, Supervisors |
| Abstract: | Longstanding debates exist across the literature as to potential consequences of a preference for teaching versus research for a host of academic work outcomes. Seemingly absent from the literature, however, is evidence of the effect of such a preference on academic outputs, such as master's and doctoral supervisions, and the extent such a preference and its effects are different for men or women. Applying a comprehensive purposive sampling strategy, a large South African higher institution was sampled. Structural equation models were used, with tests of path invariance to test for gender moderation, as well as further tests of such preferences as mediators of relationships between certain academic productivity variables. This study therefore seeks to investigate: (i) the potential influence of an intrinsic oppositional preference for research versus teaching on numbers of successful masters and doctoral supervisions of individual academic staff; (ii) the mediating influence of intrinsic role orientations on the relationships between successful masters and doctoral supervisions and certain of their key determinants, such as (a) years of experience as s researcher, (b) research output, (c) methodological differences (quantitative versus qualitative research preferences), and (d) work-life-balance effects; and (iii) the extent these determinants of successful postgraduate supervision are moderated by gender. Findings suggest that men with an oppositional preference for teaching report significantly higher numbers of successful master's supervisions, and those with a preference for research report significantly lower numbers of master's supervisions. At the heart of these tests of theory is the question: does a preference for research (which has been found to be associated with higher research productivity) confer an advantage in postgraduate supervision? No difference in master's supervisions was found by gender, but male supervisors were found to have significantly higher numbers of doctoral supervisions. Dependent children are found to be associated with more master's degree supervisions, but only for male academics. However, total publications output is more strongly associated with master's supervision for female academics. Academic experience is significantly associated with numbers of doctoral supervisions only for male academics. Implications of these findings are discussed, and recommendations are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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