Voluntary external supervisors were critical to sustaining the program, requiring ethical and career incentives when economic resources are scarce¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? External supervisors committed without financial compensation kept student numbers high, especially during 2016–2020; programs relying on volunteers must consider motivating incentives. → Jarkko Suhonen · Erkki Sutinen 2022

Evidence¶

Jarkko Suhonen · Erkki Sutinen 2022¶

Jarkko Suhonen · Erkki Sutinen. (2022). Critical events and pivotal factors as tools for analyzing the sustainability of online study programs. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10133-9

q2 · i? · qualitative · r1

Authors' guideline derived from the sustainability analysis of the IMPDET program. They report two incentives for external supervisors: ethical motivation to offer fee-free flexible doctoral training, and co-authored papers and supervised dissertations supporting the supervisors' careers. No effect sizes are reported.

"If a study program needs to find a voluntary work force, such as when economic resources are scarce, it is crucial to consider incentives that can motivate those volunteers."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Resilience and shared commitment of the learning community were crucial for the program's sustainability during economic and environmental challenges — a broader claim this one bears on
• A good economic situation can lead to insufficient use of resources, while declining funding can force focus on core aspects — related
• Departure of a key person together with the end of external funding posed a genuine threat to the continuation of the online doctoral program — related
• Positive pivotal factors in one sustainability pillar can compensate for negative pivotal factors in other pillars of an online study program — a broader claim this one bears on
• Extrinsic incentives have mixed results on effort and achievement, working better when immediate and larger — related
• Financial and economic constraints shape first-generation chemists' career decisions, sometimes deterring advanced training altogether — related