Mentors in an Undergraduate Psychology Course: A Comparison of Student Experience and Engagement
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Curricular peer mentoring is a specific course-based form of peer mentoring that is intended as academic support for students (Smith, 2013, Chapter 1). This study focussed on a curricular peer mentoring program being used specifically in an undergraduate child psychology course. This study aimed to discover differences in student experience, engagement, and achievement in three courses as impacted by having mentors or not having mentors. Students from all three sections of the course participated in the study. It was found that those in the mentored group (M = 7.73 ±2.45) reported significantly higher levels of Group Engagement as compared to those in the non-mentored groups (M = 5.83 ±1.93), yielding t(120) = 3.88, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.71. Similarly, those in the mentored group (M = 9.02 ±2.20) reported significantly higher levels of Social Engagement as compared to those in the non-mentored groups (M = 7.55 ±2.56), yielding t(120) = 3.31, p < 0.001, Cohen's d= 0.60. Further, with regard to achievement There were significant main effects found for evaluation type and group membership; however, these differences were qualified by an interaction between evaluation type (midterm, final) and mentorship group (non-mentored-2011, non-mentored-2013, mentored-2012), yielding F2, 500 = 52.85, p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.18. Further investigation of the interaction using contrasts demonstrated that there were no differences between the mentorship groups on average midterm grades (F1, 500 = 6.64, ns) but that the grades on the cumulative final exam were significantly better in the mentored group when compared to the non-mentored groups (F1, 500=42.33, p<.001, η 2=.08).Keywords:
Mentorship
Student Engagement
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Student Engagement
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Social Engagement
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The present study examined the relationship between peer mentoring and academic performance. Students from two introductory psychology classes either received ( n = 37) or did not receive ( n = 36) peer mentoring. The data indicated a consistent improvement in the performance (i.e., grades on scheduled exams) of the mentored group. A similar pattern of improvement was observed in the performance of students who scored below the class average on the first scheduled exam in the mentored group. Furthermore, the average score on Exam 4 as well as the final course grade was significantly higher for the mentored compared with the nonmentored group, indicating the potential benefits of prolonged exposure to a peer mentor. We also report students’ personal impressions of the peer mentoring experience.
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In this study, the long‐term academic effects of mentoring relationships in higher education are explored, with particular emphasis on students in ethnic categories with a low first‐year retention rate. A sample of 339 undergraduate students in a student–faculty mentor program was statistically paired with 339 nonmentored controls on gender, ethnicity, class level, and entering grade point average (GPA). At the end of the one‐year mentoring experience, mentored students had a higher GPA, completed more units, and had a higher retention rate. Eleven years after the onset of this study, records revealed that by graduation the GPAs of the mentored students did not differ significantly from those of their controls and there were no differences in graduation rate. However, the mentored students remained on campus to pursue graduate study and teaching credentials at a higher rate. There was no apparent advantage associated with matching students with mentors based on gender, but students matched with mentors of the same ethnicity showed a higher cumulative GPA and graduation rate and also entered graduate study at a higher rate.
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Formal peer-led study groups were created for first-year engineering and computer science students. The groups were organized around the math course taken by the students so that all students in the study group were taking the same math course, although students did not necessarily come from the same course section. In the 2010-11 academic year, these groups were organized as a formal class, and students received a grade based upon their participation. This was done to increase participation rates over past years during which the study groups were offered in a less formal setting. Analysis of previous years’ groups had indicated that greater participation in the study groups correlated with higher grades in the associated math courses. Study groups featured 6-12 students, and were directed by an upper-level engineering or computer science student. The student peer mentor would pose math problems to the students in the class. These problems came from homework assigned in the math classes, additional nonassigned problems from the math books, and outside sources. The students then worked on the problems together, until a solution was found. The student mentor would provide guidance if the students were unable to solve a problem without assistance, but would not completely solve the problems for the students. In the second year of the study, approximately 70% of the first-year students in engineering and computer science attended at least one session of the study groups, with nearly all students attending 9 or more of the weekly sessions. Grades of the students who participated in the study groups were generally 0.3-0.7 points (on a 4-point scale) higher than the average course grades of all students in the courses. In this paper, the format of the study groups will be described in detail, and the analysis of the impact of the study groups on the student grades will be presented.
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This study examines the benefits of learning innovations in e-learning (asynchronous classrooms only) and blended learning (asynchronous virtual classrooms plus traditional learning) compared to traditional learning (classroom lectures). It specifically investigates effects on student satisfaction, retention, progression and achievement. We focussed on core biomedical science modules at London Metropolitan University: and four such modules were electronically supported using a learning and content management system programme.
The collaborative learning intervention (N = 193, 71 males, 122 females), showed there was no significant change observed in performance across pre-intervention and post intervention modules over five years, with the exception of the 2010 cohort (p = 0.008) where students responded positively to the intervention. Interestingly, the quality of student online posts and final group grade for coursework revealed a strong positive relationship (r = +0.69, p 80% enjoyed the collaborative learning work elements. For an optional formative assessment intervention, impact was evaluated over five-years. This study identified a significant difference between the intervention cohorts and the non-intervention year group, who were educated traditionally. When the post intervention groups were compared to the control, highly significant p values were obtained (p = < 0.0001 to < 0.00001). Additionally, students who were ‘quiz avoiders’ attained lower grades. The control group (N = 190), attained a mean mark of 55.3%, within this group, quiz avoiders achieved marks ranging from 34.4-42.6%. Quiz takers performed better than the control group with the mean marks ranging from 59.2-61.2%. Thus, blended learners’ achievements significantly improved (p = 0.0001), compared with those pre-intervention and those not engaging. In terms of self-evaluation, 60% of students rated the formative assessment (online quizzes) as ‘useful’ or ‘very useful’. Web-based collaboration improved academic performance and student satisfaction. Comparisons between pre-intervention and intervention groups were significantly different to the fraction of final exam first sit passes (p = 0.048). The intervention group showed the improvement. Interventions were applied at specific time points so that intra-annual comparisons could be drawn. This study detected profound differences: the mid-year exam (pre-intervention) was compared to the final exam (post-intervention) and showed a significant first sit performance (p = < 0.0001). Interestingly, 70% of students stated they would like the intervention (BB Collaborate) in more of their modules. We have shown, for the first time, that longitudinal studies over five year of large cohorts, there is a consistent significant improvement in student performance and engagement-using reward based formative assessment (Jacoby, et al., 2013 – incorporates data from this thesis). These interventions have subsequently been incorporated into the successful London Metropolitan University biomedical science course and in combination led to enhanced retention, progression and achievement over the study period. Furthermore, the practices illustrated are applicable to a modern higher education environment and are likely to enhance many similar course routes across the sector.
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In this investigation, the extent to which differences were present in benchmark scores as a function of community college student honors course enrollment status was investigated using data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement. Statistically significant differences were revealed for all 5 benchmark scores (i.e., active and collaborative learning, student effort, academic challenge, student-faculty, and support for learners). Students who had been enrolled in an honors course had benchmark scores that were 9 to 16 points higher than their peers who had not been enrolled in an honors course, reflecting higher levels of scholastic engagement, deeper connections with instructors and peers, and greater use of academic and student support services.
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Retention rate
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As part of an NSF-funded STEP project, first-year students in engineering and computer science were assigned to small study groups based upon their math course. The groups were facilitated by upper-level undergraduate students, and met weekly through the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2009-10 academic year. While attendance was strongly encouraged, attendance at the study group sessions was not required. In the Fall 2009 semester, study groups were organized around the Intermediate Algebra course, the College Algebra and Trigonometry courses, and the first Calculus course. In the Spring 2010 semester, study groups were added for higher-level Calculus courses. During the study groups, students would work on assigned homework problems as well as additional problems provided by the facilitators. The students worked together to solve the problems, with guidance and some tutoring provided by the facilitators. In the Fall 2009 semester, attendance in the study groups was approximately 30%. This dropped to 15% in the Spring 2010, which we attribute to students forming their own study groups as well as increased realization among the students that there was no obvious consequence for not attending the groups. Our initial observations of the impact of the study groups include the following: (1) there was a subset of students who were likely to succeed in the course without attending any study group; (2) for the remainder of the students, the students’ grades were often higher based upon attending more study group sessions; and (3) the study groups for the College Algebra and Trigonometry courses had the largest impact on students’ performance, particularly in the Fall 2009 semester. The results indicate that study groups can be a successful method for improving first-year student learning of math concepts. In turn, this should improve the retention and eventual graduation of the students. In this paper, the study groups are described in greater detail, and the results of the study groups’ impact on student grades are presented. Based on what was learned in the 2009-10 year, some modifications to the study group organization were made to increase their impact. These changes are described in the paper as well.
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Precalculus
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Abstract Context This study explores the long‐term impact of the Professional Student Mentored Research Fellowship (PSMRF) program at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine (UKCOM) on medical students’ research productivity and career paths. Methods Demographic characteristics, academic profiles, number of publications and residency placements from 2007 to 2012 were used to assess 119 PSMRF graduates against a comparison cohort of 898 UKCOM (non‐PSMRF) students. Results PSMRF students had higher MCAT scores at admission (31.5 ± 0.6 vs. 30.6 ± 0.2, p = 0.007) and achieved higher USMLE Step 1 scores (228 ± 4.2 vs. 223 ± 1.5, p = 0.03) than comparison group. PSMRF students were more likely to publish PubMed‐indexed papers (36.7% vs. 17.9%, p < 0.0001), achieve AOA status (19.3% vs. 8.5%, p = 0.0002) and match to top 25 US News and World Report residency programs (23.4% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.008). A greater proportion of PSMRF fellows matched to top tier competitive specialties (23% vs. 14.2%, p = 0.07), however this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions The PSMRF program shows a significant increase in enrollment, as well as positive associations with indicators of success in medical school and subsequent quality of residency program.
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Academic Medicine
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