In the bachelor’s degree programme successfully completing the research project under supervision is of the important aspects (Askew et al., 2016). The manner in which research programmes are being delivered at the university level have, in recent years, resulted in significant changes to research supervision (McCallin & Nayar, 2012). Especially, the global pandemic COVID 19 has forced academics to be engaged to find out the alternative strategic to supervise their students (Wisker, et al. 2021). In other hand, Covid-19 pandemic had negative effects on the process of research of the programmes (Boufenchoucha & Chandra, 2021). Aim of this study to innovate the Alternative Supervision Practices for Completion of the Action Research Projects of BEDSNE programme offered by OUSL during the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation. A fully qualitative approach and the multiple case study design was utilized to conduct the study. The target population was 86 students, and 12 students were allocated to three supervisor which was selected by using convenience sampling method. Data collected using reflective journal and seme-structured in-depth interview. Thematic analysis technique was utilized to analyses the data. The findings: all four students had lack of knowledge and no skill on action research. Online supervision support to get regular support from the supervisor, to time management, to manage unnecessary cost, to get supports from peers, and family members. The ZOOM Platform is considered good for meeting with the supervisor, email too was good for sharing the documents with supervisor and getting immediate feedback from the supervisor, social media support to communicate with the supervisor and get support from the peers. The online supervision has more advantages than onsite supervision. Conclusion: the online supervision is more appropriate to supervise the action research of bachelor students in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode. Recommendation: supervisors can use the online supervision strategies to supervise student in the prevailing situations such as COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis of Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Online supervision. Pandemic situation. Action research.