Technologies, Strategies, and Supports Helpful to Faculty in the e-Mentoring of Dissertations

Abstract

Prior research has established the importance of the supervisor-doctoral candidate relationship and highlighted the importance of mentoring practices for the successful completion of doctoral theses/dissertations in the online environment. This article presents the findings of a survey with faculty members who work as supervisors in online and blended doctoral programs, and e-mentor students working on dissertations, or did so at a distance as a result of COVID-19. The survey was designed around the five sections of technology use in e-mentoring, strategies related to communications and expectations, strategies related to research processes, strategies related to emotional and social support for students, and institutional support, with a focus on which technologies and strategies faculty found most helpful. The results of the e-mentoring survey are presented and discussed in the context of prior literature and future research.

Keywords

• E-mentoring
• online supervision
• online mentoring
• virtual mentoring
• faculty strategies
• dissertation supervision