scholarly journals Female peer mentors early in college increase women’s positive academic experiences and retention in engineering

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (23) ◽  
pp. 5964-5969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara C. Dennehy ◽  
Nilanjana Dasgupta
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Male Peer ◽  
Transition Points ◽  
And Mathematics

Scientific and engineering innovation is vital for American competitiveness, quality of life, and national security. However, too few American students, especially women, pursue these fields. Although this problem has attracted enormous attention, rigorously tested interventions outside artificial laboratory settings are quite rare. To address this gap, we conducted a longitudinal field experiment investigating the effect of peer mentoring on women’s experiences and retention in engineering during college transition, assessing its impact for 1 y while mentoring was active, and an additional 1 y after mentoring had ended. Incoming women engineering students (n = 150) were randomly assigned to female or male peer mentors or no mentors for 1 y. Their experiences were assessed multiple times during the intervention year and 1-y postintervention. Female (but not male) mentors protected women’s belonging in engineering, self-efficacy, motivation, retention in engineering majors, and postcollege engineering aspirations. Counter to common assumptions, better engineering grades were not associated with more retention or career aspirations in engineering in the first year of college. Notably, increased belonging and self-efficacy were significantly associated with more retention and career aspirations. The benefits of peer mentoring endured long after the intervention had ended, inoculating women for the first 2 y of college—the window of greatest attrition from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Thus, same-gender peer mentoring for a short period during developmental transition points promotes women’s success and retention in engineering, yielding dividends over time.

The benefits and challenges of a blended peer mentoring program for women peer mentors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw ◽  
Jillian L. Wendt
Keyword(s):  
Historically Black ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Career Interest ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
And Mathematics

PurposeThe unequitable representation among genders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees and careers remains a persisting challenge. Peer mentoring has been cited as one method for supporting women and racial and ethnic minorities in becoming interested in, experiencing self-efficacy in and persisting in STEM. The current study was undertaken to explore how and in what ways peer mentors' participation in the program (namely, the mentoring experience) influenced their STEM self-efficacy beliefs, interests, skills and behaviors, including their intent to persist and actual persistence in STEM.Design/methodology/approachUsing a multisite case study design, the current study implemented a blended peer mentoring program at two historically black institutions.FindingsThe experience in the peer mentoring process increased mentors' self-efficacy, career interest, perceived mentoring skill development in most areas and intent to persist in STEM. Evidence from the interviews and open-ended survey questions demonstrated that the peer mentoring experience had a direct influence on the mentor's self-efficacy, career interest, leadership and professional skills and persistence. The thematic analysis of the data sources revealed that specific elements of the peer mentoring experience influenced mentors' beliefs, interests, skills and behaviors, including recognition, functioning as a mentor, developing an other's orientation, engaging in a sisterhood and developing competencies.Originality/valueFindings support the benefit of the blended peer mentoring program model among women who identify as a racial or ethnic minority across two historically black college or universities (HBCUs). Peer mentoring programs should include training to increase competencies and skills, should provide resources targeted to specific mentor needs and should include opportunities for self-reflection and components of faculty support.

scholarly journals Peer Mentoring: the Missing Piece in Graduate Professional Development

Fine Focus ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21
Author(s):  
Kateri R. Salk ◽  
LeighAnn Tomaswick ◽  
Allison R. Rober
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Faculty Professional Development ◽  
Faculty Advisors ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics

Many academic institutions offer professional development programs to prepare graduate students to meet the changing expectations of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty. Peer mentoring is not widely adopted in graduate professional development, yet incorporating this approach can better facilitate the transition from graduate student to faculty member. Using evidence from experience as peer mentors (2011-2017), we examine established characteristics of peer mentoring and evaluate their strengths in the context of a future faculty professional development program. Peer mentors coached mentees by sharing common experiences related to teaching and learning, provided a safe space for mentees to discuss their experiences, and acted as a liaison between mentees and faculty advisors. These benefits translate into increased competency for future faculty to engage in research, teaching, and mentoring.

The Relation of the Impostor Phenomenon to Future Intentions of Mathematics-Related School and Work

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Blondeau ◽  
Germine H. Awad
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Impostor Phenomenon ◽  
Future Expectations ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

Currently, the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs are expanding faster than the U.S. labor market; yet many individuals with STEM degrees choose to work in other fields. The present study uses social cognitive career theory as a framework for researching the impact of several variables on future expectations to continue in STEM. We measured math self-efficacy with the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales and impostorism from the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale. New measures of interest and future intentions were created. One hundred twenty-one undergraduates (47.1% women; median age = 21.00) enrolled in STEM majors completed an online survey. We hypothesized that math self-efficacy and interest would significantly predict future expectations and that impostorism would significantly add to this prediction. This theory was analyzed with a hierarchical multiple regression, and the hypothesis was supported by data from men. In the women’s model, only interest emerged as a significant predictor. Implications are discussed.

Predictors of Engineering Self-Efficacy Among Latino/a and White Engineering Students

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Y. Flores ◽  
Rachel L. Navarro ◽  
Hang-Shim Lee ◽  
Laura Luna
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Engineering Students

scholarly journals Effect of Peer Mentoring on Quality of Life among CKD Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Nasrollah Ghahramani ◽  
Vernon M. Chinchilli ◽  
Jennifer L. Kraschnewski ◽  
Eugene J. Lengerich ◽  
Christopher N. Sciamanna
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Online Mentoring ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Domain Scores

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> CKD is associated with decreased quality of life (QOL). Peer mentoring (PM) leads to improved QOL in various chronic diseases. The effectiveness of PM on QOL of patients with CKD has not been previously studied. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to test the effectiveness of face-to-face (FTF) and online mentoring by trained peers, compared with usual care, on CKD patients’ QOL. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We randomized 155 patients in one of 3 groups: (1) FTF PM (<i>n</i> = 52), (2) online PM (<i>n</i> = 52), and (3) textbook only (<i>n</i> = 51). Peer mentors were patients with CKD, who received formal training through 16 h of instruction. Participants in all 3 groups received a copy of an informational textbook about CKD. Participants assigned to PM received either 6 months of FTF or online PM. The outcomes included time-related changes in domain scores of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL)-36 for each of the groups over the 18-month study period. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Compared with baseline, online PM led to improved scores in domains of the KDQOL-36 at 18 months: Effects of Kidney Disease (<i>p</i> = 0.01), Burden of Kidney Disease (<i>p</i> = 0.01), Symptoms and Problems of Kidney Disease (<i>p</i> = 0.006), SF-12 Physical Composite Summary (<i>p</i> = 0.001), and SF-12 Mental Composite Summary (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). There were no statistically significant changes from baseline in domain scores of KDQOL-36 within the FTF PM and textbook-only groups. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Among patients with CKD, online PM led to increased scores in domains of the KDQOL-36 at 18 months. The study was limited to English-speaking subjects with computer literacy and internet access.

scholarly journals Engineering students’ attitudinal beliefs by gender and student division: a methodological comparison of changes over time

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Madison E. Andrews ◽  
Anita D. Patrick ◽  
Maura Borrego
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Value Engineering ◽  
Longitudinal Analyses ◽  
Utility Value ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Students’ attitudinal beliefs related to how they see themselves in STEM have been a focal point of recent research, given their well-documented links to retention and persistence. These beliefs are most often assessed cross-sectionally, and as such, we lack a thorough understanding of how they may fluctuate over time. Using matched survey responses from undergraduate engineering students (n = 278), we evaluate if, and to what extent, students’ engineering attitudinal beliefs (attainment value, utility value, self-efficacy, interest, and identity) change over a 1-year period. Further, we examine whether there are differences based on gender and student division, and then compare results between cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses to illustrate weaknesses in our current understanding of these constructs. Results Our study revealed inconsistencies between cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of the same dataset. Cross-sectional analyses indicated a significant difference by student division for engineering utility value and engineering interest, but no significant differences by gender for any variable. However, longitudinal analyses revealed statistically significant decreases in engineering utility value, engineering self-efficacy, and engineering interest for lower division students and significant decreases in engineering attainment value for upper division students over a one-year period. Further, longitudinal analyses revealed a gender gap in engineering self-efficacy for upper division students, where men reported higher means than women. Conclusions Our analyses make several contributions. First, we explore attitudinal differences by student division not previously documented. Second, by comparing across methodologies, we illustrate that different conclusions can be drawn from the same data. Since the literature around these variables is largely cross-sectional, our understanding of students’ engineering attitudes is limited. Our longitudinal analyses show variation in engineering attitudinal beliefs that are obscured when data is only examined cross-sectionally. These analyses revealed an overall downward trend within students for all beliefs that changed significantly—losses which may foreshadow attrition out of engineering. These findings provide an opportunity to introduce targeted interventions to build engineering utility value, engineering self-efficacy, and engineering interest for student groups whose means were lower than average.

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