Research project supervision (TPI) as a special case of tutoring with identified organizational and process elements¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 4 claims (4 for) · 1 study (1 design), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article presents a model for online research project tutoring (TPI) in which supervision is treated as "a special case of tutoring that offers the student guidance and orientation in aspects linked to the acquisition of research skills, motivation and personal orientation, administrative advice, and technological as well as professional issues." The model is represented as a conceptual map identifying TPI elements: the tutor (skills, supervision styles, functions), the trainee researcher and his/her needs, and the support and interaction between them and other partners, plus elements influencing project success and virtual-environment requirements. It was built iteratively through literature review, collaborative work groups, discussion groups, consultations, and implementation.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Iterative design and development stages including consultation with tutors and trainee researchers and implementation with a tutor-trainee pair

Constraints¶

• Developed within the context of education sciences; the authors note adaptations may be needed for other fields of knowledge

Target Learners¶

• trainee researchers in online post-graduate programs

Target Learning Objectives¶

• research skills acquisition
• research project completion
• supervisor-trainee relationship quality

Claims¶

• Research project supervision styles can be differentiated by degree of supervisory control and degree of support, yielding five distinct styles [+W]
• Tutors and trainee researchers most value supportive attitude, mastery of the research field, and accessibility in a research project supervisor [+W]
• Implementation of the TPI procedure reached only one tutor-trainee pair out of nine potential tutors, though participants assessed it positively [+W]
• The student-tutor relationship alone is judged insufficient: peer mixing and virtual communities are needed to counter isolation in online research supervision [+W]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• Student follow-up instruments: initial card, follow-up card, and work diary
• Highly structured, sequenced progression of research stages guiding online trainee researchers
• TPI conceptual map with associated resources, published online for navigation

Key Sources¶

• Darder, A.; Pérez Garcias, A. (2015). Online tutoring procedure for research project supervision: management, organization and key elements. New Approaches in Educational Research 4(2). https://doi.org/10.7821/naer.2015.4.110