CALL FOR BOOK CHAPTERS

2025-01-10

Book Title: Artificial Intelligence and Postgraduate Supervision in Higher Education

 Editors:

Prof. Israel Kariyana
ikariyana@wsu.ac.za  
Department of Continuing Professional Teacher Development
Faculty of Education
Walter Sisulu University
Republic of South Africa

Prof. Winter Sinkala
wsinkala@wsu.ac.za
Department of Mathematical Sciences and Computing
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Walter Sisulu University
Republic of South Africa

Background

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping higher education, particularly the postgraduate supervision landscape. Traditional mentorship models, rooted in human interaction and the gradual nurturing of intellectual autonomy, are being challenged by AI technologies that promise to enhance efficiency, automate routine tasks, and generate academic outputs. AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and automated data analysis software now offer students unprecedented support in drafting proposals, analysing data, and even producing well-structured academic papers (Bond et al., 2024). While these advancements hold transformative potential, they also present existential questions regarding the role of supervisors in a technology-driven ecosystem. Supervisors must grapple with how to preserve the core values of mentorship—such as fostering critical thinking, creativity, and ethical inquiry—when students increasingly rely on AI-driven shortcuts and automated outputs. As such, the rise of AI poses both challenges and opportunities for redefining postgraduate supervision in ways that reflect the complexities of the digital age (Crompton & Burke, 2023).

Research on AI in higher education has proliferated in recent years, highlighting its capabilities and limitations. Bond et al. (2024) conducted a systematic review of AI applications in education, emphasising ethical considerations and the need for transparency in AI deployment. Similarly, Omodan and Marongwe (2024) explored the role of AI in decolonising academic writing, demonstrating how AI tools can democratise knowledge production and promote inclusivity in research practices. Other studies, such as those by Marengo and Pange (2024) and Luckin (2023), examined AI's ability to personalise learning, improve feedback mechanisms, and facilitate administrative tasks in higher education. These studies collectively underline AI's potential to revolutionise the teaching and learning process. However, much of the existing literature has focused on AI's impact on teaching and assessment, leaving the domain of postgraduate supervision relatively underexplored. As AI continues to advance, it is imperative to examine its influence on supervision dynamics, academic integrity, and the cultivation of intellectual independence.

Thus, despite these advancements, there remains a critical gap in our understanding of AI's implications for postgraduate supervision. While scholars have analysed AI's role in supporting general learning processes, little attention has been paid to how it affects the mentor-mentee relationship, particularly in contexts requiring deep critical engagement and sustained intellectual inquiry. The hierarchical mentor-apprentice model, which has long-defined postgraduate supervision, faces disruption as AI tools increasingly mediate the research process. This disruption raises questions about academic identity, authority, and the preservation of disciplinary rigour (Marengo & Pange, 2024). Moreover, concerns about AI-induced plagiarism, ethical breaches, and over-reliance on automation underscore the need for new frameworks to guide supervisors in navigating these complexities. The challenge lies in balancing AI's efficiencies with the human elements of supervision—empathy, intuition, and the capacity to inspire original thought. Addressing these questions requires a nuanced approach that recognises both the risks and the opportunities AI presents.

Based on this lacuna, scholars, educators, and practitioners are invited to contribute to this critical conversation by submitting papers that address the intersection of AI and postgraduate supervision. Submissions may include theoretical explorations, empirical studies, case analyses, and practical frameworks that advance our understanding of AI's role in reshaping supervision practices. Key areas of interest include but are not limited to:

  • AI's impact on the mentor-mentee relationship and supervision dynamics.
  • Strategies for fostering critical thinking, creativity, and intellectual curiosity in AI-enhanced environments.
  • Ethical considerations in AI-mediated postgraduate supervision.
  • Case studies illustrating effective integration of AI tools in supervision practices.
  • The implications of AI for academic identity, knowledge production, and intellectual autonomy.
  • Frameworks for balancing AI-driven efficiencies with human-centred mentoring practices.
  • Addressing power dynamics and equity issues in AI-mediated supervision.

When these themes and many more as may be proposed by the authors are addressed, the edited volume hopes to fill the current gap in the literature and provide actionable insights for supervisors navigating the challenges and opportunities of AI in postgraduate education. Contributions should seek to illuminate pathways for reimagining supervision practices that preserve the human essence of mentorship while leveraging AI's transformative capabilities. This book will serve as a vital resource for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to redefine postgraduate supervision for the digital era.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Prospective contributors are invited to submit abstracts to the book editors at ikariyana@wsu.ac.za, wsinkala@wsu.ac.za  and airkariyana1@gmail.com and copy Publisher@errcd.com using the subject line “AI and Postgraduate Supervision.”

ABSTRACTS FOR CHAPTERS SHOULD INCLUDE

  • A concise title
  • Author/s name/s
  • Author(s) institution/affiliation
  • Contact details
  • An abstract (250 words or less)
  • Should clearly outline the focus, methodology, and significance of the chapter
  • Not more than five keywords

TIMEFRAME (January 2025–August 2025) 

  • Abstract submission begins on January 9th and ends on February 28th, 2025.
  • Abstracts are accepted or rejected within 14 days after submission, and if accepted, you will be required to submit your full article via the publishers’ online submission system, which will be provided alongside the abstract acceptance letter.
  • The guidelines for the full chapters will be provided alongside the abstract acceptance letter. However, the length of the full chapter is between 4000 to 7000 words, including references. APA 7th Edition citation, formatting, and referencing style applies.
  • A similarity index of 10% or less is required for an abstract and the full chapter to be considered for review. Upon submission, all abstracts and chapters will undergo screening using Turnitin software.

PUBLICATION TIMELINES

  • Call for chapters start date: 9 January 2025
  • Abstract submission deadline: 28 February 2025
  • Abstract review and notification deadline: 14 March 2025
  • Full chapter submission deadline: 30 April 2025
  • Revised chapter deadline: 30 June 2025
  • Final publication date: 31 August 2025

PUBLICATION MODE

  • The book will be published as an open-access resource, available both in hard copy and online versions. Each chapter within the book will have its own Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and will be accessible and linkable to author’s Profiles online.

EDITORS’ PROFILES

Israel KARIYANA is an Associate Professor of Education Management at the Department of Continuing Professional Teacher Development, Faculty of Education, Walter Sisulu University (WSU), South Africa. He is an interdisciplinary researcher with research interests spanning education management, mathematics education, educational technologies, and business administration. His doctoral degree in education management navigates advancing education quality through a strategic management interface. His research delves into developing competent graduates in basic and higher education, focusing on enhancing classroom practices across the education sector and promoting competence at management levels from basic to higher education. The research also explores transitioning from traditional to contemporary practices, from teaching and learning to postgraduate supervision. He has commendable postgraduate supervision experience and a track record of article publication in accredited Journals, conference proceedings and book chapters. He is involved in joint transnational and inter-university doctoral student supervision projects. He serves in various departmental and faculty positions and is the founder and coordinator of the Mathematics Apex Academy (MAA) and the MAA Inter-School Mathematics Olympiad Competition (2016–current) at the basic education level and the Domain of Emerging Researcher Excellence (2022–current) at the higher education level. He is the Project Leader of the University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG) Activity 5, has reviewed articles for several journals, and is a member of the South African Education Research Association (SAERA), the South African Association of PhDs (SAAPhDs), and the LEAD Academic Network.

 

Winter SINKALA is an Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and Computing at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. Holding a PhD in Mathematics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he specialises in Lie Group Analysis of Differential Equations, using symmetry methods to study ordinary and partial differential equations. Prof. Sinkala has published widely in his field and has presented his research at numerous national and international conferences. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles, including Head of Department and Acting Director of Postgraduate Studies, and has supervised numerous BSc Honours, MSc, and PhD students. With a keen interest in mathematics education, he actively explores innovative approaches, including the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching and research. Prof. Sinkala has served as an external examiner for universities in Southern Africa and is an active reviewer for academic journals. He is a member of the Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA).

 

References

Bond, M., Khosravi, H., De Laat, M., Bergdahl, N., Negrea, V., Oxley, E., & Siemens, G. (2024). A meta-systematic review of artificial intelligence in higher education: A call for increased ethics, collaboration, and rigour. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21, 1-41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00436-z

Crompton, H., & Burke, D. (2023). Artificial intelligence in higher education: The state of the field. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00392-8

Luckin, R. (2024). Nurturing human intelligence in the age of AI: Rethinking education for the future. Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/DLO-04-2024-0108

Marengo, A., & Pange, P. J. (2024). Envisioning general AI in higher education: Transforming learning paradigms and pedagogies. In D. Guralnick, M. E. Auer, & A. Poce (Eds.), Creative approaches to technology-enhanced learning for the workplace and higher education (Vol. 1150). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72430-5_28

Omodan, B. I., & Marongwe, N. (2024). The role of artificial intelligence in decolonising academic writing for inclusive knowledge production. Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research, 6(s1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.38140/ijer-2024.vol6.s1.06