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 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.

Self-reflective mentoring: perspectives of peer mentors in an education doctoral program

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kat McConnell ◽  
Rachel Louise Geesa ◽  
Kendra Lowery
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discover peer mentors’ perspectives of an education doctoral (Doctorate of Education) peer mentoring program implemented in a mid-sized public institution. Design/methodology/approach Data from one focus group and an interview collected from peer mentors as part of a larger case study of mentors and mentees in a peer mentoring program for education doctoral students are presented. Four (n=4) peer mentors participated in a focus group (n=3) and an interview (n=1). Participants were asked about their perceptions of the program and their experiences as mentors. Findings Four themes were discovered within the data: mentors relate to social, emotional and academic life balances of mentees, mentors provide support and reassurance to mentees, mentors guide mentees to focus on the future, and mentors gain personal and professional growth from the peer mentoring program. Results indicated that mentors believed that the program was helpful for their mentees and beneficial to their own personal and professional development. Research limitations/implications Limitations of this study include the small sample size (n=4) and the short period of time in which participants were asked to be a part of the mentoring program and reflect in focus groups and interview (one academic year). Implications of this study include the benefits of peer mentoring for both mentors and mentees alike. Originality/value In contrast to many other studies of peer mentoring programs, this peer mentoring program targeted scholar-practitioner students who were balancing full-time careers with their coursework and family lives. Thus, peer mentors focused more on career and work-life balance with mentees than mentors may in other programs, as well as finding benefit to their own professional development.

scholarly journals American Indian College Student Mentoring: A Study to Measure Changes in Self-Efficacy

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelli Chelberg ◽  
Lisa Bosman
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
American Indian ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
College Success ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Tribal College ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Educational Career ◽  
And Mathematics

The underrepresentation of American Indian (AI) students pursuing higher education opportunities continues to persist. This study sought to measure the perceived changes in participants’ self-efficacy and confidence in navigating the college environment as a result of their participation in a mentoring program and addressed the research question “How does mentoring contribute to changes in tribal college students reported self-efficacy?” Nineteen participants who had participated in a semester-long mentoring program were given a retrospective pre- then post-program survey to measure changes in participants’ perceived confidence in navigational and informational skills related to college success. Participants reported a significantly higher level of awareness in the post-program survey than they did in the pre-program survey across all of the mentoring program goals with the exception of one goal. In addition, there were no reported differences in AI and non-AI participants’ and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)/non-STEM responses on the five scaled variables for the mentoring survey. Providing support early on in a student’s educational career allows for the establishment of student connections with peers, support personnel, and resources that they can turn to for help in academics or setting goals. Additionally, early support provides encouragement and a sense of belief in themselves, which is critical to student success.

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.

Fast fashion and the future

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom P. Abeles
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Tipping Point ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Current Effort ◽  
Fast Fashion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest that all of the systems, education, economic and social, are caught in an ever-increasing pace, tied in large part to a set of beliefs, largely economic, that resemble a religion and for which there appears to not be a rational option to escape. Design/methodology/approach – A study of systems. Findings – It is argued that we are at a tipping point where there are too many holes in the intellectual dike, that a shift in many dimensions may not be preventable. Practical implications – While “techno-futurists” are promoting this increasing evolution pace towards a transformational singularity, there appears to be no serious consideration that humanity may get its “wish” as did King Midas. Social implications – There is a serious question as to whether there can be, and should be, alternatives not cast into the frame of the Neo-Luddites. Originality/value – This is a contrarian view of the current effort to promote the educational focus on STEM, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, almost as a pre-cursor to being able to participate in a technology-driven societal model of the future.

The Experiences and Perceptions of College Peer Mentors Interacting with Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 271-287
Author(s):  
Lindsay S. Athamanah ◽  
Marisa H. Fisher ◽  
Connie Sung ◽  
Jinny E. Han
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
The Impact

Peer mentoring programs provide an opportunity for individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to learn, socialize, and work together in supportive and inclusive environments. In this study, we used a phenomenological research design to explore the impact of a college campus-based peer mentoring program on the experiences and perceptions of participating college peer mentors ( n = 13) toward high school students with IDD who were enrolled in a school-to-work transition program housed on campus. Using thematic analysis across four different data sources, we identified three main themes that peer mentors discussed based on their experiences in the program: (a) mentors’ personal development: constructing meaning of self, (b) mentee growth: perceived work and social impact, and (c) campus community benefits: normalizing disability. Peer mentors reported their own attitudes toward individuals with IDD were changed based on participating in the peer mentoring program and they observed improvements in their mentees’ personal and work-related social relationships. We discuss how these outcomes have impacted the peer mentors’ attitudes, career choices, and lives in general. We also provide implications for future research and practice regarding development and implementation of peer mentoring programs in the community.

Peer mentoring in entrepreneurship education: towards a role typology

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 1026-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elin Kubberød ◽  
Siw M. Fosstenløkken ◽  
Per Olav Erstad
Keyword(s):  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Learning Support ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the contributions of peer mentoring as a learning support for mentee students in higher entrepreneurship education.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a single embedded case study focussing on mentee students’ perceptions of peer mentors’ support of their entrepreneurial learning during an experiential master’s course. Employing an abductive approach, the researchers conducted cross-sectional, thematic analyses of individual mentee interviews complemented by data from joint reflection sessions, reflection reports and observations during the course timeline.FindingsThe peer mentors contributed to the mentee students’ learning through various forms of support, which were categorised into mentor roles, mentor functions and intervention styles. The analysis found that peer mentors fulfil three coexisting roles: learning facilitator, supportive coach and familiar role model. These roles constitute the pillars of a typology of entrepreneurial peer mentoring.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes theoretical and empirical insights on peer mentoring in entrepreneurship education. It represents a first benchmark of best practices for future studies.Practical implicationsThe case study suggests that adding peer mentoring represents more efficient support for entrepreneurial learning than a teacher alone is able to provide. The typology can also be used for training peer mentors.Originality/valueThe researchers construct a new typology for entrepreneurial learning support, which contributes to theory development within the field of entrepreneurship education.

scholarly journals Bioinformatics Education in High School: Implications for Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina N. Kovarik ◽  
Davis G. Patterson ◽  
Carolyn Cohen ◽  
Elizabeth A. Sanders ◽  
Karen A. Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Stem Careers ◽  
Career Information ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
And Mathematics

We investigated the effects of our Bio-ITEST teacher professional development model and bioinformatics curricula on cognitive traits (awareness, engagement, self-efficacy, and relevance) in high school teachers and students that are known to accompany a developing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The program included best practices in adult education and diverse resources to empower teachers to integrate STEM career information into their classrooms. The introductory unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, uses bioinformatics to teach basic concepts in genetics and molecular biology, and the advanced unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, utilizes bioinformatics to study evolution and support student research with DNA barcoding. Pre–post surveys demonstrated significant growth (n = 24) among teachers in their preparation to teach the curricula and infuse career awareness into their classes, and these gains were sustained through the end of the academic year. Introductory unit students (n = 289) showed significant gains in awareness, relevance, and self-efficacy. While these students did not show significant gains in engagement, advanced unit students (n = 41) showed gains in all four cognitive areas. Lessons learned during Bio-ITEST are explored in the context of recommendations for other programs that wish to increase student interest in STEM careers.

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