Online research group supervision: Structure, support and community

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on online research group supervision in an online doctoral programme. The analysis of interviews with 10 graduates supervised online in research groups of 4–6 students during the dissertation process highlighted how supervisors structured and supported individual and group research development and progress, leading to perceived sense of online community. The strategies that supervisors and students used within the groups, challenges faced, and implications for online supervision are presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Remote supervision
• online supervision
• distance supervision
• group supervision
• online doctoral programme

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Swapna Kumar

Swapna Kumar is a Clinical Professor of Educational Technology at the School of Teaching and Learning, University of Florida, USA. Her research focuses on online mentoring in graduate education, online pedagogy, and quality assurance in online programs.

Rhiannon Pollard

Rhiannon Pollard is Associate Director of Academic Strategies for UF Online at the University of Florida, USA. Her PhD research is focused on online teaching/learning and mentoring, and instructional designers in higher education.

Melissa Johnson

Melissa Johnson is Senior Associate Director of the Honors Program at the University of Florida, USA. A leading expert on honours advising, she has published, presented and facilitated national institutes on all aspects of the Honors experience.

Nihan Ağaçlı-Doğan

Nihan Ağaçlı-Doğan is an instructor at the College of Education, Georgia Southern University, USA. She teaches courses in Instructional Technology and Design, Principles of E-learning, and Tech-Enabled Learning.