A Systematic Literature Review on Improving Quality of Master Programs through (re)Designing Teacher Training

Abstract

Master’s education is dynamically evolving worldwide. As M-level programs play a crucial role in improving job prospects for university graduates, our review focused on how a well-designed master's program could train candidates to become proactive and goal-oriented learners as well as practitioner-teachers. The methodology employed in this study was a systematic literature review (SLR) of academic articles that centered on M-level programs. The literature search process involved several stages, including identifying relevant studies for thematic analysis, evaluating their quality, pinpointing patterns and significant results, and discussing the extent of consensus across the research questions posed. The total sample of this SLR comprised 81 studies. Three main typologies were prevalent: theoretical and qualitative studies (n=45), case studies or comparative case studies (n=18), empirical studies (n=14), and a mixed-method approach (n=4). The majority of articles suggested innovative perspectives on M-level program development and delivery (60.94%). Another significant portion of the studies (22.22%) presented experiences or comparative analyses of best practices in M-level programs. A smaller number (17.28%) involved presenting empirical data on the impact of master’s training on students’ satisfaction or their motivation to pursue a master’s program. Thematic analysis confirmed recurring themes on innovative approaches to (re)designing M-level programs and providing comprehensive data systematically, emphasizing the urgent need for universities to (re)design improved programs (also at the master's level) and services to meet the demands of the current and future labor market.