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Many Bachelor of Education (BEd) students encounter difficulties in understanding research concepts, particularly in formulating problem statements which hampers their ability to articulate and develop their research effectively. This paper aims to propose strategies to enhance research skills among the BEd students at a University of Technology, focusing on research skill development and exploring the effectiveness of integrating practical research skills through face-to-face interaction. The paper is rooted in connectivism, which argues for the use of technology and life-long learning to enhance research skills. The research study was qualitative involved 30 participants. A discussion group was established on WhatsApp in order to gather qualitative data. WhatsApp is commended for being quick and easy to use, enabling participants to interact from the comfort of their own spaces. Purposive sampling was employed in this paper with 30 final year students from different specialisations. The data was analysed using themes and sub-themes. The findings indicates that many students struggle with formulating the problem statement, establishing the background of the study, and providing a rationale for their research, which negatively impacts their research development. The study proposes targeted interventions such as structured research mentorship programs, integration of research workshops into the curriculum and the use of technology-enhanced learning tools to scaffold research learning. Further propose a strategy to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical research application, ultimately fostering a culture of inquiry and academic rigor among future teachers. Based on these findings, restructuring the research component within the B Ed program is essential.  This includes integrating research components in Teaching Practice training to promote reflective practice and facilitate research skill development among BEd students.

This study reflects on the researchers’ experiences who conducted research in an open distance and eLearning (ODeL) institution with external supervisors of mathematics education pre-service teachers teaching practice. Despite the value placed on research in an open distance and eLearning environment, some researchers still have trouble accessing data when using the online web-based survey approach to conduct research, especially among supervisors of Mathematics education pre-service teachers' teaching practice (TP) exercise at a typical ODeL institution in South Africa. This insider research is born out of the fact that there is less research conducted in South Africa, that ascertains the experiences of researchers themselves on a project. In light of the foregoing, this study attempts to reflect on the experiences and challenges faced by researchers at the University of South Africa while working on a project that was centered on the supervision of pre-service teachers' teaching practice in a mathematics classroom context titled ODL-RSP Project. The study used a reflective method involving the observations and experiences kept by researchers to record detailed notes during initiation, data collection (interview process) and workshop attendance by the researchers. The reflection involved research team members focusing on the Quality of Mathematics Teaching Practice Supervision in the ODeL Environment. The analysis of the data was derived from the reflections. The study used a reflective method involving the observations and experiences kept by researchers to record detailed notes during initiation, data collection (interview process) and workshop attendance by the researchers. The reflection involved research team members focusing on the Quality of Mathematics Teaching Practice Supervision in the ODeL Environment. The analysis of the data was derived from the reflections.