Electronic peer mentoring:

1
Electronic peer mentoring a scheme to enhance
support and guidance and the student learning
experience Hazel Dewart, Della Drees, Paula
Hixenbaugh and David Williams University of
Westminster, London, UK e-mail
dewarth_at_wmin.ac.uk
2
The e-mentoring project

• An innovative scheme offering free mentoring (via
  e-mail) to all first year Psychology students by
  their peers in third year.

3
Why now in the UK?

• Government target of 50 of 18-30 year olds in HE
  by 2010.
• Widening participation agenda.
• Retention is a priority keeping students on
  board.

4
The student experience

• Being in first year can be stressful and
  bewildering, especially so for some.
• It may be easier to raise worries with another
  student rather than with a member of staff.
• Students have found face-to-face mentoring
  useful, but some may be at a disadvantage in a
  face-to- face context.

5
Objectives

• To offer first year students an effective support
  system from people who understand their
  perspective.
• To provide third year students with training and
  experience of mentoring, and to enable them to
  use the University experience for the benefit of
  others.

6
What is mentoring?

• Mentoring is a deliberate pairing of a more
  skilled or experienced person with a lesser
  skilled or experienced one, with the agreed-upon
  goal of having the lesser skilled person grow and
  develop specific competencies Murray, M.
  (1991). Beyond the Myths and Magic of Mentoring
  How to Facilitate an Effective Mentoring
  Program. New York Wiley

7
Mentoring is not a new concept

• Those who seek mentoring will rule the great
  expanse under heaven
• Se Cheng, Chinese Book of History, 6th
  Century BC.

8
Benefits for mentors

• Professional mentoring training
• Enhancement of CV
• Sharpened leadership and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of University support systems
• Utilisation of University experiences
• Being an integral part of the research team
• Certificate of participation

9
Benefits for mentees

• Study assistance and one-to-one help
• A way of increasing academic confidence
• First hand knowledge of what is to come
• A chance to maximise learning potential
• Access to sources of information

10
Why e-mail?

• Inherent characteristics suited to mentoring
• Virtual 24-hour access.
• Substantial time/financial advantage.
• High frequency of communication makes for
  effective mentoring. Clawson (1980)
• Ease of use.
• The facility to store, refer, quote or review.
• The communication style is non-intimidating.(McCo
  rmick Leonard, 1996).
• Relevance to the student environment.

11
Innovative aspects

• Combining the positive features of both
• E-mail useful in counselling or mentoring type
  situations (King et al, 1998), school
  psychologist peer support (Kruger Struzziero,
  1997) and as a therapy tool (Shapiro Schulman,
  1996).
• Mentoring valuable in academic settings, peer
  mentoring is effective (Kagee et al, 1997), helps
  to prevent school drop out (Einolf, 1995),
  encourages academic growth (Blum Jones, 1993).
• E-mail use in mentoring has not been fully
  investigated.

12
Flow of e-mail based information
The University Counselling and Advice Service
supporting all participants in the research
Department
Master Mentor
Mentors
Researchers
Bulletin Board
Mentees
13
Training

• Two group sessions
• what mentoring IS and IS NOT.
• own experience as first year students.
• communication skills including attending,
  understanding and basic empathy.
• not to feel rejected if communication diminishes.
  
• awareness of possible danger signals and ethical
  issues that may arise.

14
Allocating mentees

• Mentor/mentee pairings were anonymous.
• Each mentor had 4 to 6 mentees.
• Mentors and mentees both signed the same contract.

15
Evaluation

• Measures taken from three groups
• Baseline (from first level students the year
  before the scheme started)
• Mentees
• Mentors

16
Quantitative measurement

• Mentees and baseline
• Self-esteem
• Self-efficacy
• Confidence/anxiety
• Financial concerns
• Social integration
• Academic ambition (drive)
• Satisfaction (with the University)
• How useful was the scheme for them?

17
Qualitative open ended questions

• Mentors and mentees
• What they thought of the project?
• How the scheme could be improved?
• What was the most useful aspect of the scheme?
• What they thought of the Bulletin Board?

18
Interim results

• Final measures being taken May 2003.
• Informal feedback from mentors and mentees has
  been positive.
• All mentors reported that they had been able to
  answer questions and felt effective in their
  role.
• However Self esteem and social integration
  increased from 1st to 2nd measures in both
  mentored and baseline groups.
• Need now to extend to other subject areas/student
  groups

19
Overt signs of success

• Regardless of any limitations of the
  quantitative results, the qualitative rating from
  the participants on the success or usefulness of
  this e-mentoring scheme should be the overriding
  indicator of achievement.

20
More information

• The e-mentoring site http//regent.wmin.ac.uk/p
  sychology/e-mentoring.html