Thesis supervision in face to face model and distance instruction model

1
Thesis supervision in face to face model and
distance instruction model

• --- A comparative perspective
• By Gui Ying
• Shanghai University of Finance and Economics

2
Thesis Supervision in distance instruction
model

• Thesis supervision in distance education has a
  very promising future because of its flexibility
  and convenience. It saves students time, energy
  and money.
• Due to the lack of face-to-face communication,
  it is easy for students to get confused or lost
  in the cyberspace. Instruction of thesis writing
  is especially difficult in distance education due
  to the physical separation of the teachers and
  students.

• Writing is the most challenging in all the
• teaching activities of English.

3
Different instruction models demonstrate
different philosophies

• Campus instruction ---teacher dominating , care
  taking , parent like
• Distance instruction- whole person education.
  Independent. Students take initiative.

4
The supply of resources and reference materials

• Campus thesis instruction hardcopy
• Distance thesis instruction- e-version on the
  platform, easy to add and update
• E.g. thesis writing manual,
• VOC and VOB lectures,etc.

5
The difference in interaction style

• Interaction in campus thesis instruction
• Face to face , telephone, email, text message
• Interaction in distance instruction
• Telephone, email, text message, MSN. Platform.

6
Thesis evaluation and quality control

• Campus instruction the tutor gives a tentative
  grade , then the defense committee reevaluates
  the thesis based on the students oral defense
  performance and a final grade is given.
• Distance instruction the tutor gives a
  tentative grade, the reevaluation group
  reexamines the paper and gives a grade. And the
  student gets a grade for his performance in oral
  defense. The lower of the two grades will be the
  final result of the student s thesis.

7
Discussion and findings

• The comparison of these two models of thesis
  supervision is not meant to belittle either of
  them. We try to find the advantages and
  disadvantages of each in order to make up their
  deficiencies.

8
Discussion and findings

• In campus thesis supervision, we should learn
  from distance education and encourage the
  students to be more independent.
• In providing resources and reference materials
  for thesis writing , we should learn from Beiwai
  Online to make the reference materials into
  e-version and upload them on the internet.
• For thesis supervision in distance model, the
  tutor should provide more face to face
  communication opportunities to the students in
  order to establish a close rapport with the
  students like on campus.

9
Conclusion

• We should understand the special features of each
  instruction model and explore better means and
  measures in instructing students' writing in
  either context. It is our mission to effectively
  supervise thesis writing both in traditional face
  to face education and modern distance education.

10

• Thank you !