Studying the phenomenon of "virtual research supervision" in higher education

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Bu-Ali Sina University

2 Bu-Ali Sina university

10.22084/jmtlehe.2025.30681.1005

Abstract

This research used phenomenological methods to study virtual research supervision in higher education. The research participants included master's students in the field of educational sciences at Bu Ali Sina University and their supervisors who had experience in virtual research supervision. Criterion-based sampling was used to select the research samples, and 11 students and 7 supervisors participated. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect research data. Coding and extraction of themes were used to analyze the data obtained from the interviews. Three strategies of re-reviewing the coding process, reviewing the data from the analysis with the subjects, and reviewing it with a qualitative coder outside the research team were used to validate the findings. The results showed that when selecting a supervisor, the methods used do not create a proper understanding for the professor and the student. During the thesis writing stage, the duration of research supervision increases, and due to students' lack of self-regulation, the supervisor program's supervision strength is significant. Also, the interactions in virtual research publications have become more frequent but with lower quality, and virtual research supervision cannot create a research mindset. In the defense phase, students' anxiety decreases on the one hand and increases due to infrastructure problems. Although the material cost is less in virtual defense, its seriousness is also reduced. Virtual research supervision creates many challenges in the two stages of selecting a supervisor and the defense session. Still, the capabilities of virtual space can be better used in preparing proposals and dissertations.

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