Blended Supervision of Theses:

Lessons and Future Directions from COVID-19 and Post-Pandemic Situation

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the education sector in Bangladesh. Consequently, completing a successful thesis has become a great challenge for university students. As a result, the supervisors in Bangladesh are incorporating both online and face-to-face supervision sessions to help the supervisees conduct successful research. This study aims to determine the challenges, prospects, and effectiveness of blended supervision for students pursuing Master's degrees in English. We conducted this qualitative research using the narrative method and a purposive sampling technique. We collected the blended thesis supervision experiences of six supervisees who completed their theses during the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic situation as the primary data. The results indicated their optimism about blended supervision, as it enabled them to complete their graduation on time, save money and energy, and ensure research quality through immediate feedback. Moreover, students who hold jobs and are mothers of toddlers can benefit from blended supervision, as it alleviates their tension and passivity. However, the supervisees pointed out that internet issues, electricity issues, financial problems, controlled access to the internet, and time management issues can create challenges in conducting successful research. This research can be helpful for policymakers and educational bodies.