T HE D A V INCI I NSTITUTE
T HE C ATALYST N EWSLETTER A P ERSON
THAT BRINGS ABOUT CHANGE / TRANSFORMATION
V OLUME 1, ISSUE 2
N OVEMBER 2014
We are grateful to you our faculty members as you are instrumental in supporting our students through their research journeys. We encourage you to use this newsletter as a platform to share experiences and concerns amongst us colleagues We have seen the year 2014 come and nearly gone by.… It has been a good year for research and supervision at The Da Vinci Institute as 17 Master and 16 Doctoral students graduated on 17 September 2014 in the Linder Auditorium at the Johannesburg College of Education. This means that a similar number of field supervisors contributed towards their progress while a few academic supervisors supported two or more students on their research journeys. Alexander Forbes hosted a President’s Dinner for the doctoral students and their supervisors the evening before the graduation. Prof Ben Anderson and Prof Roy Marcus are accompanying 13 of the PhD graduandi below.
Next submission deadline As you probably noticed, there was only one graduation ceremony in 2014. It is very important for supervisors to know when the deadline for submission for the September 10, 2015 Graduation, will be. The more reason to see your own students submitting their research documents by the final date of 16 March 2015 as stipulated in the Da Vinci calendar. We need a ‘notice of intent to submit’ from the Academic supervisor three months in advance. This gives us time to invite one external examiner for Master students, and two external examiners for Doctoral students.
The Da Vinci PhD Award The Da Vinci PhD Award went to Dr Ali Reza Moussavian for his thesis The Integral Telecoms: Towards a sustainable telecommunications sector. The thesis demonstrates excellence in research quality and made an exceptional contribution towards the creation of new knowledge relating to the specific domain. The research reflects a dynamic balance between the relevancy of the research problem, the appropriateness
Invitation to supervisors This year has seen another 153 students submitting their research proposals with 150 Field supervisors and 98 Academic supervisors having been invited to oversee these students. Da Vinci is committed to improving the student and supervisor communication, thereby ensuring student throughput at a better pace, and within the registered period. With more proposals to come in the new year more supervisors are required. The Research office has forwarded an information form to supervisors to update their status and details as well as their areas of interest for supervision. Please return the form to Karen Karen@davinci.ac.za as soon as possible. If you have not received such a form please let her know. ********************************************** Closed from 12 December 2014 till 5 January 2015
Dr W Goosen, Dr AR Moussavian and S Motsieloa, Chairman of the Council
of the theoretical framework, critical accounting of current scientific knowledge, application of sound methodology and implementable recommendations. Dr Moussavian made remarkable value-adding contributions to the Management of TIPSTM domain.
T HE C ATALYST N EWSLETTER
P AGE 2 Qualitative Research: The Case study We have found that often results of a completed work project are used to build a research case and create a hypothesis. Consequently, the student may find it difficult to create an epistemological research design and methodology as aftermath. For this reason the case study as a qualitative research methodology is briefly highlighted in this section. A Case study can be applied as research methodology for a holistic, in-depth investigation. For our intent a Case study is an attempt to examine a specific phenomenon (occasion, event, incident, or subject-matter) over a particular period. It is based on a specific real-world, on-the-job sample in which a problem is identified and active research and data collection is done to find a solution for the organisation’s own purpose. It refers to the collec-
Meet Prof Ola Busari Ola Busari, former Professor of Hydrology and Water Resources, is currently Executive Manager for Knowledge Management and Strategic programmes at the TransCaledon Tunnel Authority, a state owned enterprise in South Africa, mandated to finance and develop bulk water infrastructure. Previously, Ola was Divisional Executive at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, heading up the provision of specialised advisory services across all economic and social sectors. Before joining the Bank, Busari served as Director with the National Department of Water Affairs in South Africa. His publications profile includes over 150 papers and commissioned reports. A licensed civil engineer and an alumnus of The Henley MBA Programme, University of Chicago Advanced Environmental Isotopes Program, and Cambridge University Business and Environment Programme for Senior Executives, Ola holds a doctoral degree in the optimization of water use.
tion and presentation of detailed information. The Case study is designed to give details from the participant’s viewpoint by using multiple sources of data. Specific types of
Publishing
Case studies have been identified of which the most recog-
Publishing of articles and other contributions have improved
nised are Exploratory, Explanatory, Descriptive and Critical
during 2014. To advance article publishing amongst stu-
instance (cause and effect). There can be single or multi-
dents, it has become compulsory in 2013 for PhD students
modal Case study designs and applications to address the
to submit a publishable article with their thesis, preferably
research topic.
written with their supervisors. Even Master students have
Designing a Case study. First the researcher should consider
started publishing with their supervisors. More than twenty
the different sub-categories and identify a theoretical per-
contributions were received, of which 16 have been either
spective before he begins to design the study. A research
published, or are publishable.
design is basically a blueprint for getting from the beginning to the end of the study. It is a string of logic that ultimately links the data to be collected and the conclusions to be drawn to the initial questions of the study. During the problem statement it is important not to confuse
Contact Marthie de Kock at marthie@davinci.ac.za for more information on the publication of a scholarly article. *********************
Supervisor workshops
symptoms with problems, make premature evaluations, accept information at face value and apply old stereo types to
Every supervisor needs to stay informed of the latest devel-
new problems. The statement should also include any as-
opments in research. As Da Vinci is a Mode 2 tertiary insti-
sumptions to be made in the analyses.
tution with its own requirements and developments, it is
In Case studies data are collected from mainly six sources,
necessary for supervisors to attend at least one information
namely, documents, archival records, interviews, direct ob-
workshop per year. Next Supervisor workshops:
servation, participant observation and artifacts. It is advisable to use creative problem solving during data analysis and before coming to a conclusion and recommendation.
27 February 2015 and 18 August 2015
Next Curiosita
For any contributions or ideas on the
Tuesday 24 February 2015 15:00 for 15:30—18:00
newsletter, please contact Marthie de Kock
The Da Vinci Hotel & Suites – Sandton No. 2 Maude Street, Corner 5th Street
marthie@davinci.ac.za or Storm Thomas storm@davinci.ac.za