Tutkielmapolku and Thesis Path – a Shared ThingLink Resource to Support Thesis Supervision
Tutkielmapolku and Thesis Path are Finnish and English support materials that bring together the key stages, instructions, and resources of the thesis process on the ThingLink platform. The materials present the thesis workflow in a visual and easy-to-comprehend format, helping students advance their work. The materials are also supporting the supervision of theses.
Why Was the Material Developed?
Each year, hundreds of theses are completed in teacher education at the University of Eastern Finland, and supervision plays a significant role in this process. Previous student feedback has highlighted differences in supervision practices between different degree programmes and thesis supervisors. In response to this feedback, the School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education established a working group for developing the thesis supervision in 2022. The working group involved supervisors from various degree programmes.
During the development work, a need was identified for shared, clear, and easily accessible material that could be used both in supervision and in students’ independent work. To standardise supervision practices, the group initiated the development of a ThingLink-based resource. The goal of the development work was to promote self-guided and individualised thesis processes and to create thesis supervision material for shared use and distribution in both Finnish and English.
The first version of Tutkielmapolku was built during 2023, after which it has been regularly modified and expanded. In 2025, funding was granted to develop the Thinglink material further. The contents of Tutkielmapolku were updated and expanded to better address current thesis-related questions. Attention was paid, among other things, to the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the thesis process. Also, up-to-date references to the University of Eastern Finland’s guidelines were added to the pathway.
Alongside the Finnish-language Tutkielmapolku, there was a desire to create material suitable for use in international master’s programmes, which led to the creation of the English-language Thesis Path in autumn 2025.
Tutkielmapolku and Thesis Path are built as visual learning paths on the ThingLink platform. On the front page, a pathway is displayed bringing together the key stages of the thesis process. The material structures the thesis process step by step, from idea generation and the research plan to data collection, analysis, and publication of results. By clicking on each stage, a dedicated view opens, containing instructions, tips, links, and tools related to that particular phase of the thesis process.
Who Is the Material for and How Can It Be Used?
The material is intended for bachelor’s and master’s degree students working on their theses, as well as for thesis supervisors. From the student’s perspective, the material supports independent progress and helps to better understand the thesis process and related practices.
In supervision, Tutkielmapolku has been used in various ways. Some supervisors use the material in thesis seminars, where it serves as a shared framework for the thesis process. Others apply a flipped learning approach, where students familiarise themselves with the content independently before seminars or supervision meetings.
Although the material has been compiled and designed from the perspective of the School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, it is freely available for use by students and supervisors outside the department, across different faculties and even at other universities.
The English-language version will be introduced gradually from spring 2026 onwards, while the Finnish-language material has been widely used since its publication. To date, the front page view of Tutkielmapolku has been opened over 20,000 times.
Feedback collected from students using the Finnish-language material indicates that it has been particularly helpful in the early stages of the process, when understanding the overall structure and completing the first tasks often feel challenging. The visual format of the pathway provides a concrete sense of progress and clarifies what is expected at each stage. Tutkielmapolku functions as a map for thesis progress, to which students can return at different stages of their work.
According to the feedback, the strengths of the material lie in its clarity, visuality, and overall comprehensibility. In particular, the opportunity to search for and find answers independently has been highly appreciated.
Use the Materials on website!
Developers
Tutkielmapolku has been developed by the thesis supervision development working group at the UEF School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education. Group includes Sirpa Kokko (chair), Riikka Hirvonen, Johanna Hokkanen, Annu Kaivosaari, Iiris Kangasniemi, Sini Kontkanen, Minna Mäkinen, Sanna Nenonen, Markku Niemivirta, Anne Nupponen, Päivi Pihlaja, and Kari Sormunen.
The technical implementation, visual design, and updating of the material have been the responsibility of Iiris Kangasniemi.
The production of the English-language Thesis Path material involved Yali Hu, Ritva Kantelinen, and Jenni Alisaari.
The material is intended to be kept up to date and further developed.
