Zooming into Success: Collaborative Virtual Spaces for Dissertation Research and Pedagogy in Higher Education

Dissertation students face numerous challenges, including narrowing down research topics, managing scholarly writing, and overcoming writer’s block. This article explores the creation and piloting of collaborative virtual spaces designed to support dissertation mentees in their academic journey. Through this project, three distinct virtual spaces emerged, each addressing specific student needs: emotional support, academic writing, and research alignment. The development of these spaces was influenced by theory as well as workplace cultural initiatives in an online program for dissertation mentoring. Creating these collaborative virtual spaces based on student needs led to transformative best practices in virtual learning environments. This method provides structured environments tailored to different aspects of the dissertation process. The emotional support space mitigates feelings of isolation and offers vital emotional support, fostering a supportive community for sharing experiences and building resilience. The writer's room enhances academic writing skills and helps mentees write in an academically honest fashion. The researcher's room focuses on the development and refinement of research methodologies, promoting the scientific merit of the study, and aiding in research alignment. By utilizing these virtual learning spaces, higher education institutions can address the multifaceted challenges faced by dissertation students. This pilot project highlights the potential benefits for both students and faculty, advocating for the implementation of these spaces as a best practice in higher education to promote a growth mindset. Recommendations for setting up these spaces and identifying outcomes and indicators of student success are presented.