This article analyzes the research of 205 doctoral dissertations and masters' theses in the domain of blended learning. A summary of trends regarding the growth and context of blended learning ...research is presented. Methodological trends are described in terms of qualitative, inferential statistics, descriptive statistics, and combined approaches to data analysis. Research topics are divided into nine topics (learner outcomes, dispositions, instructional design, interaction, comparison, demographics, technology, professional development, and other), each containing several sub-topics. Patterns in these topics are analyzed to identify gaps in research and to highlight opportunities for future research as the field of blended learning continues to grow.
► More graduate research was conducted on blended learning (BL) each year. ► We see an area wide open for K-12 BL research. ► Most BL research took place at the course level in higher educational settings. ► We see a significant need for more theoretical contributions unique to BL contexts. ► Other gaps in BL research are addressed.
Student research is an important pedagogical feature across the higher education lifecycle. Postgraduate taught (PGT) student research has received limited attention in the context of the diverse ...nature of the PGT cohort. Using Activity Theory, PGT student research is explored from the perspectives of differently motivated Master's students: students studying to progress to doctoral study and students studying a professional Master's to progress in their current career path. Similarities, differences, tensions and contradictions are analysed, revealing new conceptualisations of Master's research. The outcome of student research, the Dissertation, emerges as a recurring tension within the analysis. A call for a new dialogue on the applicability of the Dissertation for a diverse PGT cohort is made, as the traditional Dissertation may not best meet the needs of professional Master's students. The need to find better ways to disseminate PGT research is identified, given the potential for contribution to knowledge and practice.
A growing body of research has investigated student perceptions of written feedback in higher education coursework, but few studies have considered feedback perceptions in one-on-one and face-to-face ...contexts such as master's thesis projects. In this article, student perceptions of feedback are explored in the context of the supervision of master's thesis projects, using review studies with respect to effective feedback in coursework situations. Online questionnaires were administered to collect data from three cohorts of master's students who were either working on their thesis or had recently finished it (N = 1016). The results of the study indicate that students perceive the focus of feedback in terms of a focus on task and self-regulation; they perceive the goal-relatedness of feedback in terms of feed up (goal-setting) and feed back-forward (how am I going and where to next?); and elaboration of feedback is perceived in terms of positive and negative feedback. Furthermore, students that perceive the feedback to be positive, and to provide information on how they are going and what next steps to take, are the most satisfied with their supervision and perceive they are learning most from their supervisor. The findings are discussed in relation to findings in coursework settings, and are explained using goal orientation theories.
The Theory section of the applied master thesis is not easy to write. Research that has investigated the writing efforts and strategies for these parts is also not found. Therefore, this article ...presents a theoretical part writing model in a genre-based applied master thesis. This model is the result of research conducted with a development research approach. The result is (i) the main needs that need to be written in this section are to describe the theory so that this section needs to be written on the basis of text and report descriptions, (ii) description is the type of text that explains something as it really is; the structure of the description text is (a) something that is explained, (b) part of something described, (iii) report is a type of text that classifies something in its class; Report text structure is (a) things that must be reported, (b) classes / subclasses, (iv) description texts and report texts have linguistic characteristics that are used that need to be referenced so that the author is able to write the theory section correctly and quickly
The expansionist nature of the higher education sector has led to an increase in the provision of online Masters programmes. Many of these programmes are offered part-time attracting working ...professionals. The dissertation component that can be the culmination of many of these degrees is largely unexplored. A constructivist grounded theory investigation of the relationship between online Masters dissertation students and their supervisors was undertaken. Five supervisors identified a recent graduate and each were interviewed independently; interviews were undertaken online and audio-recorded. Transcripts were analysed and resultant themes considered in terms of establishing, and then maintaining, the relationship. A model of participatory alignment is proposed to describe the relationship that developed online in this group of supervisors and graduates, based on aligned expectations and behaviours, building on the idea of supervision as a partnership. We propose there is a zone of participatory alignment with both under and over-alignment becoming potentially problematic.
Research supervision can be investigated from social-emotional and cognitive perspectives, but most studies include only one perspective. This study aims to understand the interplay between a ...social-emotional (supervisor-student relationship) and cognitive (feedback) perspective on the outcomes of master's thesis supervision in specific, by investigating student perceptions of both perspectives. Questionnaire data (N = 1016) were collected and analysed using regression analyses. For student satisfaction (SS) and students' perceived supervisor contribution to learning (PSCL), affiliation by far is most important, followed by control for SS and feedback-forward for PSCL. Also, interaction effects between feedback and interpersonal perceptions were found, indicating that the role of feedback perceptions is most important in situations in which no optimal supervisor-student relationship could be established. Findings imply the importance for master's thesis supervisors of creating friendly and helping relationships with students and if this is problematic, extra care should be taken with giving feedback.
The purpose of this study was to reveal the bibliometric and contextual features and problems of postgraduate theses (master's and doctoral theses) made in the field of classroom teaching in Turkey ...between 2010-2019. The study was carried out with content analysis method, which is one of the synthesis research methods. The scope of the study included 1083 postgraduate theses related to classroom teaching in the database of the Higher Education Council (HEC) National Thesis Center (NTC). In determining the theses to be included in the scope of the study, the following criteria were taken into account: the theses would be related to classroom teaching, and the publication date of the theses would be between 2010-2019. Data analysis in content analysis research is different from qualitative data analysis. In this study, which was carried out with content analysis, firstly, the theses were handled as the analysis unit. The basic features of the theses were digitized, and codes and categories were determined to examine the theses in depth. Out of 1083 postgraduate theses examined, 956 of them were master's theses, and 127 were doctoral theses. With 181 theses, the year with the most theses was 2019. The year with the fewest theses was 2017. In the theses examined, it was seen that the course of "Turkish Language" was studied most, and the course of "Free Time Activities" was studied least. In addition, it was revealed that there were mistakes in method, sampling, data collection tool and content in some of the theses examined.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse 12 assessment tools of sustainability in universities and develop the structure and the contents of these tools to be more intelligible. The ...configuration of the tools reviewed highlight indicators that clearly communicate only the essential information. This paper explores how the theoretical concept of a sustainable university is translated into more measurable variables to support practitioners and academics in assessing sustainability in universities.
Design/methodology/approach
The main method for this paper was a desk study approach, which incorporated reviewing research papers, graduate theses, academic books, network platforms and websites.
Findings
The tools reviewed share similar traits in terms of criteria, sub-criteria and indicators. Five benchmarks are essential for a holistic framework: management; academia; environment; engagement and innovation.
Practical implications
This research can not only be used to improve existing assessment tools but also as a means to develop new tools tailored for universities that face a variety of challenges and lack the ability to measure their sustainability policies.
Social implications
Making higher education more sustainable through all the criteria mentioned influences students, as well as staff, to maintain a culture of sustainability.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by simplifying and detailing the structure and contents of the tools in a way which indicators are shown, giving a full picture of these tools to enable universities to be more aware of the sustainability issues that affect them.
This case study shows how three Master's students engage affectively, behaviourally and cognitively with supervisor feedback on thesis drafts. The data sources are students' drafts, supervisor's oral ...and written feedback, and student interviews. Six themes of student engagement are identified in the data, namely (1) gaining reassurance from the supervisor's compliments, (2) trusting the supervisor's feedback due to his position of authority, (3) following the supervisor's advice selectively, (4) engaging with academia by incorporating more citations, (5) not fully understanding the feedback and (6) 'letting it go and moving on'.
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