The Role of Supervisors in Asynchronous Learning Models for Dissertation Teaching.
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| Title: | The Role of Supervisors in Asynchronous Learning Models for Dissertation Teaching. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Specht, Doug1 d.specht@westminster.ac.uk, Lowe, Harriet |
| Source: | Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning. Dec2025, Vol. 25 Issue 4, p44-58. 15p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Asynchronous learning, *Academic dissertations, *Online education, *COVID-19 pandemic, *Educational outcomes, *Student engagement, *Graduate students, *Distance education |
| Abstract: | This study examines the extent to which the timing of supervisor allocation, module commencement date, and mode of delivery impact MA dissertation students' final outcomes within asynchronous learning environments. While the importance of dissertation supervision is widely acknowledged, the relative effect of supervisory support compared to structured online learning resources remains understudied, particularly in traditional universities adopting pandemic-era remote teaching models. The research addresses this gap by analysing data from 240 master students at a post-92 university who undertook fully remote dissertations without campus access or in-person tutorials during COVID-19 restrictions. Through quantitative analysis of academic outcomes and qualitative surveys, the study reveals how varied supervision patterns (including early vs delayed allocation), course timelines, and prior campus access influenced engagement with asynchronous materials and final dissertation grades. Results demonstrate that supervisor allocation timing emerged as the most critical factor, with cohorts receiving supervisors in Term 1 achieving significantly higher dissertation scores and deeper engagement with online resources than those allocated supervisors later. These findings highlight the enduring centrality of human mentorship even within structured asynchronous learning systems while challenging assumptions about the sufficiency of self-directed digital resources alone for complex research projects. The study contributes new empirical evidence about balancing technological and interpersonal supports in postgraduate research education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning is the property of Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192499274 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192499274 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.14434/josotl.v25i4.37528 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 44 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Asynchronous learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic dissertations Type: general – SubjectFull: Online education Type: general – SubjectFull: COVID-19 pandemic Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational outcomes Type: general – SubjectFull: Student engagement Type: general – SubjectFull: Graduate students Type: general – SubjectFull: Distance education Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Role of Supervisors in Asynchronous Learning Models for Dissertation Teaching. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Specht, Doug – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lowe, Harriet IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 15279316 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 25 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Type: main |
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