Strategies to Assist Distance Doctoral Students in Completing Their Dissertations

Abstract

Completing doctoral dissertations is difficult work and may be harder for distance students physically separated from institutional and collegial supports. Inability to complete independent research contributes to doctoral student attrition. Factors impacting completion include institutional factors, student characteristics, and supervisory arrangements (Manathunga, 2005). This paper shares proactive strategies used by a Midwestern university in the United States to support distance doctoral students. Strategies and technology tools are described that (a) cultivate a shared culture of responsibility and commitment, (b) increase effective communication between researchers, and (c) grow departmental and institutional services and technologies for faculty and students. This paper suggests the use of a specific framework to help students develop a shared culture of responsibility. This framework encourages students to discuss their social network, as well as teaches students how to manage their split life by using a tool which evaluates a student's readiness for the dissertation process and maps out where dissertation skills and knowledge are developed throughout the program. Strategies for effective communication include availability, effective feedback, trust, and humor. Services and technologies provided to build capacity include the use of online and library resources, campus-wide use of research software, writing and research services, and department supports and processes to promote student research. These mechanisms for accountability, mentoring, training, and trust increase the likelihood of success.

Filling the gaps: how the non-faculty mentor role contributes to the doctoral program support structure

“…Literature review Achieving a doctoral education is a challenge for most students for reasons beyond academics. Many students feel isolated by the doctoral process, especially when they are in a distance or online program (Lim et al, 2019). Students with families or other responsibilities may struggle to balance course-load with their personal lives.…”

“…Terry and Ghosh (2015) asserted that having multiple support persons and mentors in a student's life can enhance the doctoral experience and help students avoid dropping out. Every support role in a student's life serves a specific purpose, from faculty advisors' guidance to classmates' new perspectives, and even the support and encouragement of family members and social networks (Lim et al, 2019;Terry and Ghosh, 2015).…”

Supervisory feedback to postgraduate research students: a literature review

“…As part of these negotiations, students should be exposed to strategies of how to manage their supervisor(s) (Siltanen et al 2019) while also becoming aware that they need to be open to feedback, including criticism (Nethsinghe and Southcott 2015). It is a good strategy for supervisors to view the relationship as a community of shared responsibility, in which student and supervisor(s) willingly learn from one another and in which both parties understand that the supervision is a two-way street (Heyns et al 2019;Lim et al 2019). In the case of international students, supervisors should acculturate together with their students (Ding and Devine 2018).…”

Forward Momentum: Providing Supportive Space for EdD Students’ Dissertation Progression through Weekly Online Writing Sessions

“…EdD scholarly practitioners also bring significant professional experience from the workforce and tend to work full time in educational, government, not-for-profit, and other organizational settings while pursuing their degree (Perry & Abruzzo, 2020). Establishing a social network is crucial to completing a dissertation (Lim et al, 2019).…”

“…Students in such programs are referred to as scholarly practitioners and often complete a practice-based research dissertation termed dissertation in practice (Perry & Abruzzo, 2020). There is a growing body of work on writing groups at the doctoral level (Aitchison, 2009(Aitchison, , 2010Ferguson, 2009;Inouye & McAlpine, 2019, Lassig et al, 2013Lim et al, 2019;Maher et al, 2013;Wegener et al, 2016). While the majority of this work has focused on doctoral students enrolled in doctor of philosophy (PhD) programs, there is some work on writingrelated services or programs for EdD students (Capello, 2020;Lassig et al, 2013;Murphy et al, 2014).…”