Peer mentoring for first year
students via e-mail:
implementation and evaluation of an
eMentoring scheme
Hazel Dewart*, Paula Hixenbaugh,
Lisa Thorn and Della Drees
*Contact [email protected] for an information pack
The setting:
Metropolitan University
Many commute from home
Diverse student group
In 2005-6
22,480 students
59% full-time
• 75% UG
 86% ‘Home’
• 56% female
• 54% ethnic minority
The first year experience & eMentoring
• Being a first year student in H.E. can be stressful
and bewildering, especially first semester:
“The greater the investment in this period the
less likely a student is to leave, as they feel
more supported” Higher Education Funding
Council for England (2001)
•Our scheme offers all first year psychology students
(mentees) mentoring by third years (mentors)
•Communication is by e-mail: eMentoring
•Third year students volunteer and are trained
•Offered for last 5 years.
Flow of electronic information
Department
eMentoring team
Discussion board
& web site
eMentors
eMentees
The University
Counselling and
Advice Service
supporting all
participants in
the research
Researchers
Evaluation findings:
Reasons mentees contacted their mentor
Most queries were about
academic/university
procedure: referencing,
10%
useful books, plagiarism,
module choices,
handing-in coursework,
and extenuating
16%
circumstances. General
advice: housing, student
union.
6%
4%
academic/ university
procedure
general advice
38%
establishing
communication
needed extra support
considered dropping
out
future career
26%
Dropping out
One year, 3 mentees said they had contacted their mentor
specifically because they had been thinking of leaving the
course. These students went on to complete the year.
Evaluation findings:
Mentee and mentor feedback
Mentee feedback has been consistently positive:
•95% thought that the scheme was a good idea, whether they used it or not
•70% who used it found it useful and 81% found their mentor helpful
•Mentee use has increased from 22% in 2002-3 to 70% in 2006-7.
Mentor feedback has also been positive. They reported:
• They had gained from being a mentor
• That it benefited their mentees
• They felt effective in their role
• It did not interfere with their own studies
• Mentor volunteering increased from 19 in 2002-3 to 38 in 2006-7.
Measures at beginning and end of year
&Comparison with control cohort (no eMentoring)
Consistent significant findings (p<0.05)
For mentored and non-mentored groups over three years
Nonmentored
control vs
mentored
intakes
Mentor
contact vs
no mentor
contact
(mentored
years)
intakes
Mentored intakes reported greater social integration into the
university across the year
Mentored intakes reported a higher satisfaction with the university
across the year
Students who used the scheme reported greater self-efficacy across
the year than those who did not use the scheme
Students who use the scheme reported higher satisfaction with the
university across the year than those who did not use the scheme
Those who contacted their mentor had overall greater academic
ambition than those who did not contact their mentor
Other findings, although not consistent, were all in a positive direction for mentored groups:
increase in self-esteem
increase in academic confidence
Mentee quotes:
Mentor quotes:
“I felt overwhelmed at the beginning and
wanted to quit!”
“I enjoyed getting to know new people and
allaying worries I probably had as a first year”
“Desperation – lack of confidence”
“I was happy to be able to help first years and
felt I could relate well to the types of questions
they were asking. I felt it was a positive
experience for myself and the mentees I had
contact with”
“Was concerned about doing assignments –
mentor said not to worry as 1st year is about
learning and improving those skills”
“I had problems with research methods +
needed reassuring”
“Panic, get encouragement, put things into
perspective”
“Difficulties with time management, getting
it all done!”
“For advice on how to survive through a
difficult time”
“Being a mentor has enabled me to reflect on my
time at Westminster and to offer information and
support to those who were new to university life”
“I had a mentor in my first year at university, and
I found them very helpful. I wanted to help
others in the same situation. I wanted to give
something back to the students and the
university. I have great comfort knowing that I
have helped others”
Conclusions
• Peer eMentoring works in an academic setting
• It provides additional support in First Year
• Both mentees and mentors benefit
• On-line communication works well for a diverse
and widely dispersed first year student group