TY - JOUR
T1 - Effective master’s thesis supervision – A Summative Framework for research and practice
AU - Grohnert, Therese
AU - Gromotka, Lena
AU - Gast, Inken
AU - Delnoij, Laurie
AU - Beausaert, Simon
N1 - Data availability
All studies reviewed in this study are listed and described in the paper proper
PY - 2024/2
Y1 - 2024/2
N2 - Each year, more students worldwide enter graduate school to complete their master's degree. A cornerstone of their education is the master's thesis. Respectively, master's thesis supervisors hold a key role in higher education teaching, yet no evidence-based overview currently exists of elements that make thesis supervision effective. Based on a systematic literature review, this study presents a summative framework of what is currently known about elements and their relationships that constitute effective master's thesis supervision, focusing on the interactions between individual students and supervisors. We develop an input-process-outcome framework based on 36 existing studies, identifying student and supervisor outcomes, characteristics of an effective student-supervisor relationship along with actions that students and supervisors can take to create and maintain it, along with student and supervisor characteristics that serve as critical inputs for an effective supervision process. We find that current research emphasizes the role of supervisor attitudes and actions in relation to the student-supervisor relationship, while future research is needed on student actions, supervisor learning over time, and contextual characteristics. Following our framework, we generate avenues for future research and summarize effective supervision practices in the dynamic and complex context of master's thesis supervision.
AB - Each year, more students worldwide enter graduate school to complete their master's degree. A cornerstone of their education is the master's thesis. Respectively, master's thesis supervisors hold a key role in higher education teaching, yet no evidence-based overview currently exists of elements that make thesis supervision effective. Based on a systematic literature review, this study presents a summative framework of what is currently known about elements and their relationships that constitute effective master's thesis supervision, focusing on the interactions between individual students and supervisors. We develop an input-process-outcome framework based on 36 existing studies, identifying student and supervisor outcomes, characteristics of an effective student-supervisor relationship along with actions that students and supervisors can take to create and maintain it, along with student and supervisor characteristics that serve as critical inputs for an effective supervision process. We find that current research emphasizes the role of supervisor attitudes and actions in relation to the student-supervisor relationship, while future research is needed on student actions, supervisor learning over time, and contextual characteristics. Following our framework, we generate avenues for future research and summarize effective supervision practices in the dynamic and complex context of master's thesis supervision.
KW - master's thesis supervision
KW - student-supervisor relationship
KW - student characteristics
KW - supervisor characteristics
KW - supervisor actions
KW - systematic literature review
U2 - 10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100589
DO - 10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100589
M3 - (Systematic) Review article
SN - 1747-938X
VL - 42
JO - Educational Research Review
JF - Educational Research Review
M1 - 100589
ER -