Perceived weaknesses of post-graduates in a group supervision setup: lived experiences of a small sample of South African students.

Although research supervision presents various challenges, it is crucial for student success, particularly at the post-graduate level. The aim of this study was twofold. First, we identified the weaknesses of group supervision from the contemporary literature through the lens of SWOT analysis, Tuckman’s stages of group development, and Proctor’s supervision model. Second, we used insight into these weaknesses to devise improved strategies for instructors to supervise post-graduate computer science students. We followed an integrated methodological approach where data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews, supplemented by informal observations made during supervision activities. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the collected data and 10 key weaknesses of group supervision were identified. The study makes two key contributions. The first contribution is methodological in nature ─ sharing and discussing the supervision intervention that was implemented during this study. The second contribution relates to the weaknesses of group supervision that are relevant not only in generic research supervision but also in supervising technical research projects.