Mentoring Students Electronically: Theses & Dissertations in an Online Graduate Psychology Program Edward Cumella, PhD, Professor of Graduate Psychology Kaplan University Presentation slides available now at:
Jan 19, 2018
Mentoring Students Electronically:
Theses & Dissertations in an Online Graduate
Psychology ProgramEdward Cumella, PhD,
Professor of Graduate PsychologyKaplan University
Presentation slides available now at:kappsych.wordpress.com
The Big Picture
•Online higher education grows > 10%/yr past decade•7 million students have taken online coursework•Each year, between 4,000-5,000 individuals earn masters degrees in psychology through an exclusively online university
• 1,000 earn a psychology doctorate online•These new psychological professionals are primarily becoming licensed to practice clinically
• Only 10% enter teaching or research•~666,000 counselors & psychologists in the USA now
• 10% have earned degrees online already
Online Education Serves Underserved Populations: Kaplan’s Demography
• 3/4 Women• 2/3 Over Age 30• 20% Military, Military Spouses, or Veterans• 40% Racial/Ethnic Minorities
• 22% African-American• 1/3 Live in Rural Areas• Many With Special Needs
Mentoring ResearchMentoring research is not simply an
offshoot of being a researcher. It is an area of professional practice in itself with
an evidence basis and best practices.
7 Steps
Confidence Building
Accompanying
Sowing
Catalyzing
SHOWING
HARVESTING
Professional Identity formation
1. Build ConfidenceAssessing student’s confidence level, building
realistic confidence
Challenge: Newness of research to the studentResolutions
Assess Excited, confused, overwhelmed,
overconfidentConnectAssureValueStructure
2. AccompanyMaking a commitment to each other
Challenge: Roles/Boundaries
Resolution: Mentor controls the boundaries
3. Sow SeedsPreparing the learner before s/he is
ready to change
Challenge: No context for understanding
Resolution: Repetition with increasing detail
4. CatalyzeChange reaches critical level of
pressure, learning escalates
Challenge: Unexpected obstacles
Solution: Outreach & problem solving
Example Correlation Matrix – “It’s 162
pages!”
5. ShowMaking understandable by visual or
verbal example
Challenge: Teaching statistics & APA tablesSolution: Adobe Connect
6. Harvest
Creating awareness of what was learned
Challenge: Lack of context
Resolution: Professional connections
7. Form Professional IdentitySubtle transition from teacher to
colleague
Challenge: Lack of face to face contact
Solution: Shifting language & interaction style
ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE RESEARCH MENTORING
The world is our apple! Research relevant to local communities but
still generalizable Hearing the voices of people who don’t often get
to share their views Inspirational to local groups
Leveraging free resources and energy around the nation
ResourcesAbdallah, F., Hillerich, K., Romero, V., Topp, E. A., & Wnuk, K. (2010). Supervision
of a master’s thesis:Analysis and guidelines. Retrieved from www.lth.se/fileadmin/lth/genombrottet/konferens2010/42_Abdallah_etal.pdf Brew, A., & Peseta, T. (2004). Changing postgraduate supervision practice.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 41, 5-22.Murray, R. (2002). How to write a thesis. Buckingham, England: Open University
Press.Scarborough, J. L., Bernard, J. M., Morse, R. E. (2006). Boundary considerations
between doctoral students and master's students. Counseling and Values, 51, 53-65.
Trafford, V. N. & Leshem, S. (2002). Starting at the end to undertake doctoral research: Predictable questions as stepping stones. Higher Education Review, 35, 31-49.
Wisker, G. (2012). The good supervisor: Supervising postgraduate and undergraduate research for doctoral theses and dissertations. New York: NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2002). Supervising postgraduate students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Buckingham, England: Open University Press.