Structured Mentoring for Dissertation Proposal Development

A Community Service Model for Strengthening Research Capacity among Educators and Government Professionals

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56741/IISTR.jscd.002115


Keywords:

Community Service, Doctoral Education Mentoring, Professional Development, Research Capacity Building

Abstract

Research competence is a critical requirement for doctoral students and professionals pursuing advanced academic qualifications. However, many doctoral candidates from diverse professional backgrounds experience challenges in developing structured dissertation proposals due to limited research experience, methodological understanding, and academic writing skills. This community service program aimed to strengthen participants’ research capacity through a structured mentoring intervention conducted over two days on February 21–22, 2026. The participants included teachers, lecturers, and government professionals with diverse academic and professional backgrounds. The program utilized structured mentoring, guided practice, collaborative discussion, and iterative feedback. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach using observation, proposal document analysis, and participant reflections. The conceptual framework was based on adult learning theory, experiential learning, and research capacity development models. The findings demonstrate significant improvements in research problem formulation, conceptual framework development, proposal structure, and research confidence. Participant diversity was identified as both a challenge and an opportunity for collaborative learning. Structured mentoring proved effective in strengthening research competence across heterogeneous participant groups. This community service model provides a scalable and effective framework for research capacity development and can be implemented by higher education institutions to support doctoral students and professional researchers.

Author Biographies

Dwi Sulisworo, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

is a Professor and expert in Educational Technology at Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD), specializing in transformative learning, digital learning innovation, and educational leadership. He leads the Doctoral Program in Education and serves as Chair of the Indonesian Educational Technology Professionals Association (IPTPI) in the Yogyakarta region, advocating technology integration in education systems. He has published widely on mobile and online learning, cooperative blended learning, and immersive technologies in teaching and learning. His research emphasizes adaptive, technology-enhanced pedagogies for 21st-century education reform. (email: dwi.sulisworo@uad.ac.id).

Ika Maryani, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

is an Associate Professor at the Department of Doctoral Program in Education,  Faculty of  Teacher  Training and  Education,  Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD), Yogyakarta, Indonesia. In 2022, she obtained her doctoral degree in educational studies, focusing on science education.  Her research interests lie in teacher education, science education, higher education,  and learning innovation.  Her works have been published in books,  articles,  and proceedings at national and international levels. (email: ika.maryani@pgsd.uad.ac.id).

Asyraf Suryadin, Universitas Muhammadiyah Bangka Belitung

is senior academic in Indonesian language education, research methodology, and educational evaluation. He teaches Indonesian Language, Learning Evaluation, Research Methodology, Classroom Action Research, and Scientific Writing. His publications include Bahasa Indonesia, Membaca dan Menulis (2007) and Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (2012). His academic interests focus on literacy development and research capacity. (email: asyraf.suryadin@stkipmbb.ac.id).

 

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Published

2026-03-27

How to Cite

Sulisworo, D., Maryani, I., & Suryadin, A. (2026). Structured Mentoring for Dissertation Proposal Development: A Community Service Model for Strengthening Research Capacity among Educators and Government Professionals. Journal of Social and Community Development, 3(01), 82–89. https://doi.org/10.56741/IISTR.jscd.002115

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Vol. 3 No. 01 (2026): Journal of Social and Community Development

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Dwi Sulisworo, Ika Maryani, Asyraf Suryadin

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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