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.

Thank you!

Edward Cumella, PhD Professor of Graduate PsychologyKaplan University

ecumella@Kaplan.edu