Exploring Computer Science PhD students’ opinions and attitudes toward academic supervision in a private Higher Educational Institution in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Development of Higher Education Institution (HEI) system plays one of the main roles in diversifying a country’s economy and directly impacts the national innovation system (OECD, 2017). The highest university degree is considered Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which is achieved by candidates with the help of academic supervision, that plays a significant role in timely completion of the study (Bair, 2004; Lee 2008, Anna, 2016). In Kazakhstan, 66% of all PhD student’s dropout the study (OECD, 2017), many reasons contribute to that. Required seven scientific publications with one that have to be published in international journal with impact factor above zero. The research explores 50 PhD students’ and 22 supervisors’ attitudes toward academic supervision in Computer Sciences specialty at a private Almaty university, investigate their opinions regarding attributes of effective supervision, compare and find how attitudes and opinions differ based on the following variables: participants type, students’ and supervisors’ age, gender and supervisors’ academic degree. A quantitative research design with descriptive frequency analysis is used to explore attitudes toward supervision and investigate elements of effective supervision. Cross tabulation, and One-Way ANOVA analyses were used to find significant differences between the above variables with attitudes toward supervision and attributes of effective supervision. The findings of the study show that both category participants’ attitude toward supervision and students’ opinion on effective supervision attributes mostly related to supervisors’ knowledge and skills in publishing in local and international journals. Additionally, students preferred to have supervisors who have common research interests with them. It was found that for supervisors, elements of good supervision are critical thinking, facilitating students work independently, and presence of common interest with supervisee. The study mentions 16 significant differences between variables listed above and attributes toward supervision and elements of good supervision.