The praxis of cohort supervision in a comprehensive open distance e-learning university: A conceptual framework

Abstract

The challenges posed by underprepared doctoral students and low throughput rates within the South African higher education context have led to the need for alternative supervision approaches. Due to the nature of the only comprehensive open distance e-learning university (CODeL) in South Africa, students more easily experience feelings of isolation, lack of motivation, and time management issues that affect the successful completion of their studies. A possible solution to advance the completion of doctoral qualifications is the use of cohort supervision. Due to its structured nature and its potential to promote student participation in the research process, the use of cohort supervision is explored in this article. The proposal is based on an analysis of existing literature to propose a heuristic cohort supervision framework focussed on assisting and motivating students through the stages of proposal completion, data generation, data analysis, and composition of the expected research product. The framework emphasises the creation of opportunities for collaboration, communities of practice, dialogue, reflection, scaffolding, sequential cumulative development, and enculturation. The proposed framework for cohort supervision is a starting point for further research that may link supervision theory and practice in meaningful ways in a CODeL university and a broader higher education context.