ISSN 3025-0757
Indonesian Educational Research Journal, 3.
, 229-240 Indonesian Educational Research Journal Journal homepage: https://journal.
id-sre.
org/index.
php/ierj/index https://doi.
org/10.
56773/ierj.
Gender-Based Perceptions of Postgraduate Defense Sessions and Seminar Feedback at the University of Zambia - A Quantitative Perspective Kenneth Kapalu Muzata Department of Educational Psychology.
Sociology and Special Education.
University of Zambia.
Zambia.
*muzatakenneth@gmail.
Received September 20, 2025 Revised February 04, 2026 Accepted February 22, 2026 Published April 30, 2026 Abstract This quantitative study investigates postgraduate studentsAo perceptions of feedback received during seminar presentations and defense sessions at the University of Zambia.
Drawing on a self-selection sample of 75 master's and doctoral candidates across various faculties, the research examined the quality, tone, and impact of feedback on studentsAo academic development.
Quantitative analysis revealed generally high levels of satisfaction with feedback across key research components, including proposal writing, literature review, methodology, and data analysis.
Notably, feedback on methodology approached statistical significance as a concern, and perceptions of external examiners varied significantly by gender.
While lecturers and examiners were identified as the most helpful sources of feedback, lecturers were also cited as the most frequent source of demeaning comments, highlighting a tension between authority and emotional safety in academic critique.
Anchored in a social constructivist framework, the study emphasizes the relational nature of feedback and its role in shaping academic identity.
The findings underscore the need for more empathetic, structured, and inclusive feedback practices to enhance postgraduate research quality and student well-being.
Keywords: Academic supervision.
gender perceptions.
postgraduate feedback.
social constructivism.
INTRODUCTION
The University of Zambia (UNZA) is the oldest and highest leading university in Zambia.
Opened in 1966, the University offers a wide range of postgraduate programmes across its various schools, including Postgraduate Diplomas.
Master's Degrees, and Doctoral Degrees.
Programmes are designed to foster research, innovation, and professional development in Zambia and beyond.
The table 1 shows some of the masters and doctoral programs offered in the University.
Postgraduate education culminates in rigorous academic activities such as defense sessions and seminars.
These platforms are designed to foster scholarly dialogue, provide constructive feedback, and assess students' research competencies.
Open Access.
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.
0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author.
and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-sa/4.
Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A Table 1.
Table of sample postgraduate programs at UNZA School/Faculty Agricultural Sciences Masters Programmes PhD Programmes - MSc in Agricultural Economics.
- PhD in Animal Nutrition.
Animal Agronomy (Plant Science / Crop.
Breeding.
Animal Genetics.
Reproductive Animal Genetics.
Animal Nutrition.
Physiology.
Aquaculture.
Entomology.
Integrated Soil Fertility Management.
Food Science & Technology.
Human Sustainable Land & Environmental Nutrition.
Soil Science.
Plant Science and.
Management and Plant Breeding & in Soil Microbiology Seed Systems Education - M.
Ed.
in Adult Education.
Civic - PhD in Adult Education.
Applied Education.
Curriculum Studies.
Linguistics.
Civic Education.
Curriculum Educational Psychology.
Studies.
Educational Psychology.
Administration & Management.
Administration & Management.
Environmental Education.
Guidance & Environmental Education.
Guidance & Counselling.
Literacy & Linguistics.
Counselling.
Language & Literacy.
Mathematics Education (Taught & Library & Information Science.
Researc.
Primary.
Religious.
Science.
Mathematics.
Primary.
Religious.
Science.
Special.
Sociology of Education and in Special, and in Sociology of Education Library & Information Science Humanities & - MA in History.
Philosophy, - PhD in History.
Philosophy.
Literature.
Social Sci.
Literature.
Linguistics.
Psychology.
Linguistics.
Psychology.
Sociology.
Sociology.
Development Studies and in Development Studies and in Gender Gender Studies Studies Law -LLM in Commercial Law.
Human - PhD in Law Rights Law, and in Environmental Law Health Sciences - MSc in Public Health.
Clinical - PhD in Public Health.
Biomedical Sciences and in Biomedical Sciences Sciences Medicine - Master of Medicine .
arious - Medical Sciences specialtie.
and in Clinical Pharmacology Natural - MSc in Chemistry.
Physics.
Biology - PhD in Chemistry.
Physics.
Biology.
Sciences and in Mathematics Mathematics Nursing - MSc in Nursing Education in Nursing Sciences - MSc in Midwifery Public Health - Master of Public Health (MPH) - PhD in Public Health Veterinary - MSc in Veterinary Public Health - PhD in Veterinary Sciences Medicine and in Animal Health Graduate MSc in Accounting & Finance.
Project - PhD in Business Administration School of Management and in Finance Business and in Marketing Note: The list is not exhaustive because there are programs at masters and PhD level aswell in the faculty of Engineering.
The importance of feedback in postgraduate education cannot be overemphasized.
The significance of feedback in postgraduate education has been documented in research works such as those of Brookfield and Hounsell (Brookfield, 2017.
Hounsell, 2.
ItAos possible that gender can affect the way we perceive feedback especially in academic and different cultural settings.
Gender dynamics in Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A academic settings have also been widely studied, with findings suggesting that women may experience feedback differently due to implicit biases (Boring, 2.
However, few studies have examined these dynamics in the context of postgraduate defense sessions and seminars in African universities.
Feedback plays a pivotal role in postgraduate education, particularly in shaping research quality, academic writing, and student development.
The manner in which feedback is provided also matters and influences student satisfaction and their participation in research works.
Chugh et al.
emphasize that feedback is a socio-cultural construct that evolves throughout a studentAos research journey.
Their review of 43 global studies highlights that effective feedback enhances both student and supervisor capabilities, while poor feedback leads to negative supervisory experiences.
Cekiso et al.
and others found that inadequate, untimely, and non-critical feedback is a recurring issue, often hindering student progress and satisfaction.
Although this study concentrated on the nature and quality of immediate feedback when students are presenting their work for comments that lead to building up quality research works, feedback should be used as a building tool to the student rather than as a demotivating instrument.
Seminars and defense sessions are critical junctures for feedback delivery, offering students opportunities to engage with critiques and refine their work.
Lovat et al.
explore the role of oral defense in doctoral development.
Their study across 11 Australian universities found that many supervisors and graduate directors preferred pre-completion seminars over post-submission vivas.
These seminars allow students to reflect on feedback and integrate it into their final thesis, promoting learner agency and formative assessment.
Uthman & Oduselu .
analyze feedback from post-field defense sessions, identifying common themes such as structural, methodological, and presentation critiques.
Their findings underscore the importance of clarity, precision, and adherence to academic standards, suggesting that feedback at this stage is crucial for thesis refinement and publication readiness.
However, some studies in Zambia have revealed challenges among postgraduate students as they undertake their studies.
A study by Manchishi et al.
on challenges faced by postgraduate distance students in research proposal writing did not address gender related perceptions or challenges but uncovered challenges faced by postgraduate distance education students at the University of Zambia (UNZA) including, lack of research skills and knowledge where students were reported to have difficulties with proposal writing, often choosing topics that are too broad or unclear, and failing to identify gaps in existing literature.
Although the study was specifically on challenges, some of the variables such as proposal writing, help in writing literature have been covered as areas student perceptions were assessed in this study.
Other challenges the paper revealed included time and resource constraints and insufficient supervision.
On insufficient supervision, the study reported students having limited and infrequent engagement with their supervisors, leading to feelings of isolation and long waits for feedback.
The other study by Manchishi et al.
focused on Common Mistakes Committed and Challenges Faced in Research Proposal Writing by University of Zambia Postgraduate Students.
Through this study, we can read between lines and derive possible perceptions, although not by gender since this study was qualitative.
According to Manchishi et al.
, students frequently made errors in Proposal writing where they failed to clearly state the problem, do not identify a gap in the literature, use the wrong methodology, misunderstand research terminology, and use incorrect referencing styles.
Plagiarism is also mentioned as a common mistake.
Further, supervision challenges were noted where the supervisor-student relationship was not good leading to a lack of adequate support from lecturers, contributing to the students' difficulties.
With the paucity of studies directly on perceptions, a gap worth exploring was identified so that studentsAo perceptions and how they vary by gender can be understood especially in the Zambian academic contexts.
The study was placed within a theoretical lens guided by Social Constructivism theory, positing that learning and knowledge are inherently and socially constructed through interaction (Vygotsky, 1.
Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A Postgraduate students tend to benefit from dialogue, feedback, and collaborative critique in shaping student understanding and research competence.
Using the theory, this paper contends that feedback should understood as Dialogue.
In this sense, defense sessions and seminars are not just evaluative-they are interactive spaces where students negotiate meaning and refine ideas through social engagement.
Further, feedback should be conducted with considered within gendered experiences where social constructivism allows for the exploration of how gender influences these interactions, acknowledging that perceptions are shaped by cultural norms and interpersonal dynamics.
It is also important to consider feedback within the roles of supervisor and examiner.
Thus, the theory highlights the importance of more knowledgeable others .
ecturers, examiner.
in scaffolding student learning, making it ideal for analyzing feedback quality and delivery.
Finally, feedback is related to emotional and cognitive Development.
It accommodates the affective dimension of learning, including how demeaning comments or supportive feedback influence student motivation and identity.
By applying social constructivism, the study can move beyond surface-level satisfaction metrics to explore how feedback practices shape the academic journey of postgraduate students in nuanced and culturally embedded ways.
Postgraduate seminars and defense sessions are intended to support academic anecdotal evidence suggests that students may experience them differently based on gender.
However, there may be differences in perceptions based on gender differences that have not been explored, yet understanding these differences is crucial for promoting equity and improving postgraduate support systems.
This study was conducted to assess gender differences in perception towards feedback received during postgraduate seminar and defense sessions.
The study answered two key questions namely.
What are postgraduate studentsAo perceptions of defense sessions and seminar feedback? .
Is there significant gender-based differences in perceptions between male and female postgraduate students? METHODS The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 75 postgraduate students.
male, 34 femal.
selected by self-selection strategy where a link was distributed through google forms.
The aim was to obtain a general overview of the perceptions students have on the quality of feedback received during seminars and defense sessions.
A structured questionnaire with Likert-scale and categorical items was prepared and administered via google forms distributed to student e-learning platforms and emails.
Although students were encouraged to participate, they had a choice not to and hence, a voluntary or selection strategy was appropriate until the desired sample for generalization was arrived at upon decline in responses.
The aim in quantitative research is representativeness for generalization purposes (Mwansa, et al.
, 2.
The sample of 75 respondents used in this study only met a generalizable principle but did not entail that the results are generalizable to all postgraduate students who have completed and are still in the university from 10 years ago.
The questionnaire included items on demographic information such as gender, level of postgraduate studies pursued, age, status of studies whether completed or ongoing, mode of study, faculty the students belonged to, and the position they held at work while studying.
Each of the demographic information was critical for analysis in the manner that they were treated during their studies.
Other information accessed included assessing their satisfaction levels during presentations with regard to time, and comments received from audience, lecturers and examiners.
Questions were asked to assess their satisfaction levels rated as agree, strongly agree, disagree, strongly disagree or neutral of various components of the research process.
Responses were coded in SPSS and correlated against selected variables specifically against gender to obtain the study mission of whether gender had a bearing on the Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A perceptions postgraduate students had towards how they are supported during seminars, and defense Data were coded in SPSS version 19 and descriptives and cross tabulations obtained and analysed using the Chi-square tests for independence, whose significance threshold set at p < 0.
In this study, the Chi square test was appropriate between both variables measured were categorical (Pallant, 2.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Postgraduate StudentsAo Perceptions of Defense Sessions and Seminar Feedback analysed by Gender Perceptions of Presentations by Gender The study results revealed a positive outlook of perceptions of the presentations and time allocated for presentations in seminars and defense sessions.
The results did not show significant differences in gender on presentation .
= .
and on time adequacy .
= .
an indication of satisfaction for both genders that the presentations were helpful and conducted within required time given.
Tables 1 and 2 show the results.
Table 2.
Whether presentations were helpful or not I found presentations very helpful Gender P= .
Total Male Female Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Total Table 2 shows that most postgraduate students were generally satisfied that the presentations were very helpful in their postgraduate studies.
The results agree with Sudarsana, & Luwih .
who found the level of satisfaction about postgraduate services to be satisfactory.
However, the difference is that Sudarsana, & Luwih .
focused on general postgraduate services as opposed to what this study specifically focused on research seminars and defense feedback.
The result presents a positive perception for healthy postgraduate support.
Table 3.
Whether time for presentations was adequate or not Time for presentations was adequate Adequate Short Not inclusive Total Gender Male P=.
810 Female Total The study revealed that postgraduate students at the University of Zambia generally perceive seminar presentations and defense sessions positively, with no significant gender differences in satisfaction levels.
Similarly, a study by Joseph, & Natarajan .
showed student satisfaction in terms of time and engagement when presenting using powerpoint.
This aligns with the literature by Brookfield .
and Hounsell .
, who emphasize the importance of feedback in fostering academic growth Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A and reflective learning.
The lack of gender disparity in presentation perceptions suggests that, at least in terms of structure and time allocation, the university has achieved a degree of equity in academic However, the literature also cautions that feedback is not merely procedural-it is deeply sociocultural (Chugh et al.
, 2.
While students reported satisfaction, the nuances of how feedback is internalized may still differ subtly across gender lines, especially in contexts where implicit biases are present (Boring, 2.
The absence of significant differences in most feedback categories may reflect a shared academic culture, but it does not rule out the possibility of deeper, qualitative differences in emotional or cognitive responses to feedback.
There is however a specific point to note though not supported by adequacy of data that the presentation time was not inclusive.
It is worth noting that students with disabilities also enroll in the postgraduate programmes and the need to be flexible in terms of time and the nature of feedback becomes cardinal for an inclusive education system.
Muzata .
emphasises the need for institutions to adhere to positive and practicable inclusive practices at all levels of education.
Though not supported by adequate quantitative data, as noted by Muzata .
, qualitative researchers should take keen interest into how postgraduate seminars and defense sessions benefit students with disabilities.
Perceptions on Feedback on Proposal.
Title.
Problem Statement.
Framework.
Literature Review.
Methodology.
Instruments.
Analysis.
Findings, and References by Gender Student perceptions on specific portions of the research process were assessed to determine whether there were parts they found feedback poor as opposed to others that may have had quality feedback, thereby informing student strengths in some portions while others may need help.
The results showed that all the specific parts had p- values above .
05 demonstrating no significant differences in gender perceptions and generally showing satisfaction with feedback received on the various parts.
Table four shows the different aspects of the research process assessed and the results:
Table 4.
Student perceptions on help received on different sections of the methodology Characteristic Gender I am happy with help I received on proposal P= .
Male Strongly Disagree Female Totals Male I am happy with help I received on coming up with title P = .
I am happy with help I received on statement of the problem P = .
Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Female Totals Male Female Totals Total Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A I am happy with help I received on theory or conceptual framework I am happy with help I received on literature P = .
I am happy with help I received on I am happy with help I received on instruments P =.
Happy with help on Happy with help on writing findings chapter P= .
10 Happy with help on writing references P = .
Male Female Totals Male Female Totals Male Female Totals Male Female Totals Male Female Totals Male Female Totals Male Female Totals Students expressed general satisfaction with feedback across various research componentsAi proposal writing, title formulation, problem statement, literature review, methodology, instruments, analysis, findings, and references.
These findings contrast with earlier studies by Manchishi et al.
, which highlighted widespread challenges in proposal writing and supervision.
The discrepancy may be due to improvements in supervisory practices or the structured nature of seminar feedback, which offers more immediate and diverse input compared to one-on-one supervision.
Interestingly, feedback on methodology approached statistical significance .
= .
, suggesting that this area may still be a pain point for students.
This echoes Cekiso et al.
, who found that methodological guidance is often inadequate, leading to confusion and poor research design.
The relatively high satisfaction in other areas may reflect institutional efforts to standardize feedback practices during seminars and defenses.
Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A Source of Helpful Comments according to Gender Respondents were further asked to state what they considered the best sources of feedback during seminars and defense sessions.
They were required to choose from fellow students, lecturers, examiners, and the audience in general.
Results showed no significant differences .
= .
, greater than .
Lecturers and examiners were most frequently cited sources of quality feedback when students made Table 5 shows the results.
Table 5.
What students considered as helpful sources of feedback I received more helping comments from Gender p = .
Total Male Female Fellow Lecturers Examiners Audience in general All Total Lecturers and examiners were cited as the most helpful sources of feedback, yet paradoxically, lecturers were also the most frequently cited source of demeaning comments.
That lecturers are considered helpful, reinforces their pivotal role in shaping postgraduate learning.
They are naturally mentors and have a role to shape the future of the students, a responsibility bestowed by their Like in other studies such as the study by Hadjieconomou & Tombs .
, postgraduate students value feedback that is specific, actionable, and tied to assessment criteria, particularly when delivered by authoritative figures.
Lecturers own the academic authority to guide and provide feedback to students.
Their expertise lends credibility, making their comments more impactful than those from peers or general audiences.
This duality underscores the complex nature of academic authorityAiwhile lecturers are central to knowledge dissemination, their feedback style may sometimes lack sensitivity.
This finding resonates with Uthman & Oduselu .
, who emphasize the importance of clarity and constructive critique in post-field defenses.
However, the once the authority is abused, lecturers feedback to students becomes meaningless.
This happens when feedback is poorly delivered.
Williams .
notes that feedback in higher education often oscillates between constructive critique and discouraging commentary, depending on the lecturerAos communication style.
Darwent & Musgrove .
further argue that feedback reflects power dynamics yet students may feel disempowered when feedback emphasizes deficiencies without guidance for improvement, a finding that appears to resonate with this study where some students, felt the feedback was not satisfactory or demeaning.
From the results, it is clear that students who felt demeaned became demotivated in their studies, although further in-depth research is required to fill this gap in knowledge.
The absence of significant gender differences .
= .
suggests that both male and female students perceive lecturers and examiners in the same way, similar with Clifton & Simpson .
study, which observed that perceptions of feedback quality are more strongly influenced by feedback style and clarity than by student demographics.
Thus, institutional emphasis should be placed on improving delivery rather than tailoring feedback differently by gender.
Demeaning Comments compared by Gender Apparently when asked whether there were demeaning comments on students work during seminar and defense sessions, while students felt there were no demeaning comments generally, lecturers were the Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A most cited source of demeaning comments.
There were no significant differences by gender .
= .
The table 6 below shows the results.
Table 6.
What students considered as sources of demeaning feedback I received demeaning comments from Gender Male Female Total Fellow Lecturers Examiners Audience in general None Total The literature suggests that feedback should be formative and empowering (Lovat et al.
, 2.
, yet the presence of demeaning comments indicates a need for training in feedback delivery.
Gender did not significantly influence perceptions of demeaning comments, but the emotional impact of such feedback may still vary by gender, as suggested by Boring .
The paradox underscores the need for training lecturers and examiners in feedback literacy.
Effective feedback should balance rigor with sensitivity, ensuring that critique fosters growth rather than discouragement.
BrookhartAos review .
emphasizes that high-quality feedback must be timely, specific, and framed constructively, avoiding language that undermines student confidence.
Comparing male and Female studentsAo perceptions on internal and external examiners Respondents were asked on how they perceive feedback from internal examiners compared with external examiners.
The results showed significant gender differences at P=.
007 < .
Table 7.
Student perceptions on help received from internal and external examiners Gender P=.
Total Male Female Strongly Disagree During my study I found external examiners more helpful than internal examiners Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Agree Total The only statistically significant gender difference emerged in perceptions of external examiners .
= .
, with male students finding them more helpful than internal examiners, while female students leaned more neutral.
This could reflect differences in perceived authority, objectivity, or communication External examiners may be viewed as more impartial, which could influence how their feedback is received across gender lines.
This finding opens a new avenue for exploring examiner-student dynamics and their impact on academic development.
Students need to enjoy positive relationships with their mentors in order to appreciate their role in their studies positively.
Young & Petrescu .
observed that students valued the relationships they had with supervisors and were highly satisfied.
Although this study did not focus on supervisory feedback, a link exists that student satisfaction is crucial to their success especially when they enjoy cordial relationships and receive timely feedback.
Beyond this, with respect to the Zambian culture where men and women are treated differently during their development, the need for respectful feedback is crucial to avoid misunderstanding that gender is being Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A used to disadvantage some students of a certain gender, especially female, during their postgraduate This is not to say a certain should be treated in a special way compared to the other, but that feedback comments given to students should respectful and building rather than demeaning and belittling, aspects that are against the Zambian culture.
CONCLUSION
This study explored the perceptions of postgraduate students regarding feedback received during seminar presentations and defense sessions.
The findings reveal a generally positive outlook among students, with high levels of satisfaction across most research components.
Notably, feedback on methodology emerged as a potential area of concern, and external examiners were perceived differently across gender lines.
The dual role of lecturers-as both helpful and occasionally demeaning-highlights the complexity of academic feedback dynamics.
While students value constructive critique, the emotional tone and delivery of feedback significantly influence their academic confidence and engagement.
These insights affirm the importance of fostering a feedback culture that is not only rigorous but also empathetic and While gender differences are a focus of this study, other differences need to be considered when students are given the opportunity for presentation during seminars and defense sessions.
The low numbers that considered presentation time not adequate as well as the other variables demonstrate individual differences which should be considered as students are mentored.
Variations in student individualities include being natural slow speakers, disability, timidity resulting from lack of public speaking skills and internet connection challenges and ICT skill inadequacy.
It is imperative that seminars and defense sessions become as inclusive as possible to allow for quality satisfactory feedback.
By situating the findings within a social constructivist framework, the study underscores the relational and dialogic nature of learning.
Feedback is not merely a transmission of information.
it is a co-constructed process that shapes studentsAo academic identities and research In the light of the results, the following recommendations would help address the concerns from this study.
First, there is need for the University to enhance feedback training for academic staff by conducting workshops on effective feedback delivery, emphasizing clarity, empathy, and constructive critique and including modules on unconscious bias and gender-sensitive communication to reduce instances of demeaning comments.
Second, the Institution can consider working on standardized feedback protocols where institutional guidelines for feedback can be developed for and during seminars and defenses to ensure consistency and fairness.
It would further be useful to encourage use of structured rubrics that cover all research components, especially methodology.
Third, there is need for the institution to strengthen methodological support through offering targeted seminars or clinics focused on research design and methodology, especially for early-stage postgraduate students and pairing students with methodological mentors or peer reviewers to provide additional layers of support.
The results also show the need to leverage External Examiners strategically.
The institution should continue involving external examiners to provide diverse perspectives, but ensure their feedback is contextualized and communicated effectively.
The need to explore student perceptions further to understand gendered responses to external feedback and adjust practices accordingly would be helpful to the practice of feedback provision.
Muzata.
Gender-based perceptions of postgraduate defense sessions and seminar feedback at the University A Lastly, itAos prudent to create safe feedback spaces via establishing post-defense debrief sessions where students can reflect on feedback and seek clarification in a non-threatening environment.
It would also be cardinal to introduce anonymous feedback channels for students to report concerns about feedback tone or delivery.
This study is one revelation of feedback giving readers studentsAo feelings about how they molded.
In all, further research, especially qualitative follow-up studies would help to explore emotional and cognitive responses to feedback across gender and academic disciplines and to investigate long-term impacts of feedback on thesis quality, completion rates, and academic self-efficacy.
REFERENCES