You are on page 1of 22

The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring

and Coaching in Education


Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education

Contributors: Jenepher Lennox Terrion


Editors: Sarah J. Fletcher & Carol A. Mullen
Book Title: The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in Education
Chapter Title: "Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational Resource in Higher Education"
Pub. Date: 2012
Access Date: October 15, 2013
Publishing Company: SAGE Publications Ltd
City: London
Print ISBN: 9780857027535
Online ISBN: 9781446247549
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781446247549.n26
Print pages: 383-397
This PDF has been generated from SAGE knowledge. Please note that the pagination
of the online version will vary from the pagination of the print book.
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781446247549.n26
[p. 383 ↓ ]

Chapter 25: Student Peer Mentors as a


Navigational Resource in Higher Education
Jenepher Lennox Terrion

Introduction
Many undergraduate students travel through their university or college programs
with relative ease, graduating after the requisite three or four years with countless
papers, exams, and assignments completed. For these students, higher education
can be likened to a manageable stroll. For many others, however, the journey is
fraught with difficulties and obstacles, much like a challenging hike through dark
woods. Some of these obstacles can be insurmountable, and this leads to failure or
withdrawal: outcomes that are costly to both the student and the institution. Thus,
college administrators have long sought to identify the support mechanisms necessary
to improve the academic success, performance, and retention of their students by
providing them with the compass necessary for navigating ‘the woods’ of higher
education. Here I look at the role of student peer mentor as metaphorical compass
guiding undergraduates through their educational journey.

Peer mentoring is defined as a formal relationship in which a qualified student provides


guidance and support to another student to enable that individual to better navigate his
or her education (Kram, 1983). Peer mentoring is based on the traditional mentoring
model in which an older, more experienced person provides either task/career-related
support (such as helping a protégé to use new equipment or to take on a new role
in an organization) or psychosocial support [p. 384 ↓ ] (such as providing guidance
during difficult emotional times) (Kram, 1983). The traditional form of mentoring consists
of a hierarchical relationship in which the mentor is considerably older and more
experienced than the mentee. In contrast, peer mentors tend not to possess a vast

Page 3 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

differential in experience and age compared to their protégés (Philion, 2005). According
to Kram and Isabella (1985), the peer-mentoring model can be a valuable alternative to
the traditional concept and practice of mentorship.

Impact of Peer Mentoring on Student


Mentees
Peer Mentoring and the Task/Career
Function
In terms of fulfilling the task/career-related function, a similarity of age and experience
of peer mentors to their protégés may limit their ability to provide career-enhancing
support where work experience is lacking. Given their own background as college or
university students, peer mentors can, however, fulfill the immediate task functions
related to the requirements of post-secondary education (e.g., study skills, course
selection, exam preparation, navigating the higher education culture). This guidance
is important to students at all stages of their educational programs, whether their
concerns are related to surviving within an unfamiliar academic terrain or whether they
are course-related, including such challenges as essay writing and test taking. Thus,
task-motivated needs tend to drive the mentoring requirements of many students. Peer
mentoring helps meet these needs.

Peer Mentoring and Psychosocial Function


In addition to fulfilling the task function, studies have shown that the psychosocial
function of mentoring is largely met through peer-mentoring programs (e.g., Loots,
2009; Rose, 2005). Furthermore, research shows that fulfilling psychosocial needs is
essential to the experience of student mentees and that it may be more important than
the task/career-related function for first-year students in particular (Allen, Russell, and
Maetzke, 1997). This finding can be explained by the observation that younger students

Page 4 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

are more likely than their older counterparts to experience greater ‘uncertainty about
expectations and requirements’ of the university or college environment (ibid. 500) and,
as a result, may experience emotional difficulties that the mentoring relationship can
help alleviate.

Further, similarities between peer mentor and mentee may create the conditions
for a highly effective mentoring relationship. As Loots (2009) found, because senior
students have already ‘been through the mill’ (2009: 231) and probably understand
something valuable about their academic field or discipline and the important role
that support plays, their connection with new students makes them especially well
suited for serving as peer mentors. That is, in addition to providing information about
resources and services of potential value to the mentee, peer mentors may be able to
‘offer confirmation, emotional support, [p. 385 ↓ ] personal feedback, and friendship’
to a greater degree than would traditional mentors (Angelique, Kyle, and Taylor, 2002:
199). In fact, peer mentors may have more success than professionals at connecting
with struggling students, given that peer mentors can draw ‘upon their own immediate
experiences [and] … offer empathetic emotional support rather than just sympathetic
support’ (ibid.). Indeed, it may be the proximity and similarity between partners in a
peer-mentoring relationship that builds trust through establishing common ground, thus
fulfilling the psychosocial function.

Psychosocial support may be particularly important, given research that shows that poor
academic performance is rarely the reason for student withdrawal and that a perceived
poor fit between student and institution explains withdrawal in many cases (Finnie and
Qiu, 2009). Most withdrawals are associated with factors beyond failing marks, such
as lack of fit and loneliness and financial issues, and some of these may be mitigated
by enhanced psychosocial support. In fact, according to Mills, Heyworth, Rosenwax,
Carr, and Rosenberg (2009), one benefit of peer-mentoring programs is their capacity
for positively influencing what is referred to as ‘student fit’ by introducing students to the
culture and practices of their institution, encouraging participation in campus activities,
and, in general, supporting their transition to higher education.

Likewise, supportive relationships in university are one of the most important sources
of stress reduction (Tinto, 1993). Therefore, the mentor who provides psychosocial
support can help reduce the stress that a younger and less experienced student

Page 5 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

experiences. If the college or university's objective in implementing a peer-mentoring


program is to decrease student attrition, then partially reducing student stress by
providing support via peer-mentoring relationships may help achieve this outcome.

Peer Mentoring Impact on Social and


Academic Integration
In addition to providing task and psychosocial support, peer mentoring may enhance the
social and academic integration of students. In his research on academic success, Tinto
(e.g., 1998) has asserted that the integration of students into the learning community
is critical to their success. Further, the more academically and socially involved
individuals are – that is, the more they interact with students and faculty – the more
likely they are to persist. Tinto argues that two forms of integration exist. The first, social
integration, is defined as ‘the development of a strong affiliation with the college social
environment both in the classroom and outside of class [and] includes interactions with
faculty, academic staff, and peers but of a social nature (e.g., peer group interactions,
informal contact with faculty, involvement in organizations)’ (Nora, 1993: 237). The
second, academic integration reflects these same linkages with students and staff but
emphasizes those that are academic in nature (e.g., peer tutoring, study groups).

Clearly, then, forming connections with others is a primary task for students to
undertake. According to Pascarella and Terenzini (1983), the effect of [p. 386 ↓ ]
integration on academic success is most powerful when both forms of integration –
academic and social – occur, but the two forms are also reciprocal in that they act as
a vehicle for integrating the other form. Further, Tinto (1998) suggests that while the
two forms of integration play different roles for students in various contexts – that is,
for some students it is social integration that matters most while, for others, academic
integration is most critical to persistence – when it comes to retention, academic
integration is more important.

Peer mentoring has been shown to stimulate the cultivation of both social and academic
integration. Tinto (1998) suggests that the shared experience of participants in learning
communities, such as those created through peer-mentoring relationships, helps

Page 6 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

students develop a support network that not only connects them to their peers but
also more fully engages them in academic life. This connection, he argues, explains
to a significant degree why some students persist in their studies while others, less
integrated, withdraw.

Research on peer mentoring in higher education has shown that student satisfaction
and engagement, as well as persistence, can be enhanced through peer-mentoring
relationships because of the integration that such programs facilitate. For example,
Terrion and Daoust (2011–2012) evaluated a group peer-mentoring program, which
included a supplemental instruction component (a review of course material) called the
Residence Study Group Program (RSGP) for residence students registered in freshman
courses associated with high failure or attrition. The study compared final grades and
re-enrolment rates (i.e., whether the student registered at the university for the semester
following the research study) of students in these courses after controlling for personal
motivation. The researchers found that while those who participated in the RSGP did
not receive higher final grades than non-participants, they were more likely to persist
in their studies. While this peer-mentoring intervention did not have a significant effect
on grades, it contributed in many important ways to the academic and social integration
of first-year students, enabling connections to be made that are critical to persistence
beyond the entry year.

Regarding the issue of linkages forged with peer mentors, Sanchez, Bauer, and Saronto
(2006) studied the effects of a university freshman peer-mentoring initiative. They found
that students who were peer mentored reported greater satisfaction with their university
during the semester of the mentoring intervention and at the end of the following
semester. In terms of commitment and actual graduation rates, however, there was
no significant difference between the mentored and non-mentored students. Sanchez
et al. concluded that the mentoring intervention seemed to have a positive impact on
satisfaction and integration but not on academic performance indicators such as GPA or
graduation.

Peer mentoring thus fosters vital connections with other students that contribute to
social integration. In terms of academic integration, peer mentoring provides mentees
with extra help through reviewing material covered in class (particularly problematic
areas), answering questions, and providing feedback on homework and assignments.

Page 7 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

In addition, peer mentors can offer course-related information [p. 387 ↓ ] (e.g., what
content to study for an exam). These activities have been shown in numerous studies to
enhance self-confidence, particularly if they are offered in an individualized format (see
Arendale, 1997, for a review).

Impact of Peer Mentoring on Social Capital


In addition to enhancing the social and academic integration of undergraduates, peer
mentoring seems to build social capital for students. In their study of engineering
students' perceptions of factors that influenced their academic success, Amenkhienan
and Kogan (2004) found that participation in peer-mentoring relationships through
formal study groups allowed students to work collaboratively with others on difficult
material and to learn by teaching peers. These connections, which are a form of
social capital, offer a tangible value that may help explain the positive impact of peer
mentoring on the academic success and retention of mentees.

Recently, there has been much discussion about the social capital concept since
Coleman (1988) introduced it as an extension of prior research on financial and human
capital. While financial capital describes a family's wealth or income and human capital
is measured by parents' education, Coleman defines social capital by referring to
its function, viewing it as a valuable resource that can be drawn upon for support,
information, access to opportunities, positive role modeling, and so on. Putnam (2000)
refined social capital to include the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that exist in
social networks.

Researchers have examined the impact of social capital on a range of health and
wellbeing indicators across the life span including healthy child development (Resnick,
Harris, and Blum, 1993), adolescent health (Hendry and Reid, 2000), family functioning
(Terrion, 2006), high school retention (Teachman, Paasch, and Carver, 1996), healthy
aging (Keating, Swindle, and Foster, 2005), and even neighborhood mortality rates
(Lochner, Kawachi, Brennan, and Buka, 2003). The consensus among these studies
is that positive human relationships function as an invaluable resource to those who
benefit from such connections.

Page 8 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

In addition to contributing to these positive outcomes, Putnam (2000: 312) argues that
the value of social networks lies in part in the ‘enforcement of positive standards’ or
the modeling of desirable values and effective practices. Putnam refers to research
(conducted by such researchers as Pascarella and Terenzini as well as Astin),
suggesting that ‘involvement in peer social networks are powerful predictors of college
dropout rates and college success, even holding constant pre-collegiate factors,
including aspirations’ (ibid.). Further, as Packard (2004–2005) suggests, mentoring
as social capital for postsecondary students in the sciences influences the decision to
remain in one's program of study by connecting students with more senior students,
tutors, faculty members and professionals and thus to the science community,
reinforcing their commitment to be part of the broader community. Likewise, Roberts,
Clifton, and Etcheverry (2001) found that undergraduate students' perceptions of social
capital, particularly in [p. 388 ↓ ] the form of support from other students, had a positive
impact on the quality of academic experience and even grades.

Impact of Peer Mentoring on Mentors


While peer-mentoring programs benefit mentees in important ways, the literature
shows that mentors also reap positive outcomes from the mentoring experience. In the
workplace, mentors can enjoy greater salary, greater promotion rates, and stronger
subjective career success than individuals without any previous mentoring experience
(Allen, Lentz, and Day, 2006). In addition, mentors may experience career revitalization,
social recognition, and personal satisfaction (e.g., Jacobi, 1991).

In the university context, researchers have found that peer mentors gain confidence
in facilitating small group learning, a deeper understanding of subject matter, and
enhanced problem-solving skills (Topping, 1996). Terrion, Philion, and Leonard (2007)
concluded that the mentoring experience enabled peer mentors to establish and
maintain networks – fundamental to building social capital – with people throughout
the university, including other students, professors, and university administrative staff.
Research on student engagement (Chickering and Gamson, 1987) and integration
(Tinto, 1998) suggests that these connections contribute significantly to a positive
student experience.

Page 9 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Similarly, in his study of the university peer-mentoring experience, Harmon (2006)


found that mentors learned through observation and self-reflection. These processes
led to changes in their own practice as university students and in their beliefs about
influencing other students and personal responsibility in the learning process. In peer-
mentoring relationships for highly technical courses such as accounting, mathematics,
and chemistry, peer mentors also have the opportunity to relearn and reinforce their
knowledge by virtue of explaining what they know and, through this exercise, reviewing
or thinking about assimilated learning in greater depth (Jackling and McDowell, 2008;
Potter, 1997).

Policy and Policymaking in Peer-Mentoring


Programs
Given that peer mentoring has such potential for positive impact on students and peer
mentors themselves, formal programs would be recommended as a standard practice
in colleges and universities. As Jacobi (1991) reported in her review of peer-mentoring
programs, a broad range of models can be drawn on for designing and implementing
such a service. In more formal programs, mentors are hired, trained, and supervised,
with mentees assigned to a specific mentor and the relationship and outcomes of the
mentoring program evaluated by program administrators. Some programs may match
mentees to a single mentor, while others offer group-based mentoring to students.
More casual or informal approaches may assign mentors to mentees through volunteer
networks and may [p. 389 ↓ ] have limited evaluation mechanisms in place. Ultimately,
different approaches require special considerations and specific conditions. Next, I
briefly examine some of the variations in mentoring programs and, with recourse to the
literature explore the effectiveness of different approaches.

Page 10 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Comparing Informal and Formal Peer-


Mentoring Models
The development of an informal peer-mentoring relationship can be enjoyed more
readily by students who possess certain characteristics. First, they must have access
to a supportive listener who possesses knowledge of the higher education context.
Second, they must have the ability to seek help and guidance from this peer. Finally,
they will benefit if they can weigh a peer mentor's feedback and judge how best to
implement it. Finally, the student must have the self-efficacy to put into practice the
advice received. Clearly, however, this ideal scenario does not exist for many students,
in particular those who represent vulnerable populations, including first-generation
postsecondary students, students with learning or other disabilities, students who enter
postsecondary programs with a low high school GPA, international students, students
coping with mental illness or addiction, and students from a lower socioeconomic
status. Such student populations tend to be more at risk for academic failure or
early withdrawal from university (Finnie and Qiu, 2009; Pizzolato, 2003; Yeh, 2002).
They may not possess the social capital or the rich network from which to draw
psychosocial or task support that would enable informal peer mentoring. In other words,
many students may not be able to somehow find or be found by a mentor. As Ehrich,
Hansford and Tennent (2004) suggest, either seeking help or being found by a peer is
the means by which most informal mentoring relationships are formed.

For those students who do not find their own peer mentor, formal programs
administered by college and university support services are necessary. Programs such
as these provide formal peer mentoring whereby a structured relationship is established
between mentees and trained peer mentors who offer support and guidance. The
formal nature of these programs may serve to legitimize and publicize the service, thus
attracting students who might need the support but do not know to whom to turn for
help. Such programs can also enable collaboration with professors, administrators,
and other students who advise students in need of support in order to be able to make
effective use of mentoring programs.

Page 11 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Comparing Individual and Group-Based


Peer Mentoring
Peer mentoring can be offered in many forms, including the more traditional one-on-one
model or in a group format. A benefit of the one-on-one model is that mentoring can be
tailored to the individual needs and concerns of the mentee and thus can be efficient in
offering appropriate and effective support. In addition, the confidentiality of the one-on-
one meeting encourages student mentees to be honest and seek support for problems
that may be too embarrassing or personal to share in a group setting.

[p. 390 ↓ ]

Group-based mentoring, such as the ‘study group’, is an approach where the peer
mentor leads mentees in reviewing and understanding course material. The study
group, also known as supplemental instruction (SI) (Arendale, 1997), may be offered as
one of a myriad of student support services in university residences to student athletes,
specific groups, such as international students, or a student body. Unlike programs that
focus on at-risk students, SI targets difficult courses, is open to all students within the
target population, and uses peer-assisted study sessions to supplement professors'
lectures. Study groups are most often offered to supplement introductory science,
engineering, and math courses, given the difficulty that many students experience
in these subjects. Through their interaction with the other study group members,
participants establish trust, form relationships, share information and resources,
and experience belonging. Sense of belonging is defined as a ‘subjective sense of
affiliation and identification with the university community’ (Hoffman, Richmond, Morrow,
and Salomone, 2002–2003: 228). This forms as students are integrated into the
academic and social spheres of the university, which has ramifications for retention and
withdrawal, particularly after the first year (Tinto, 1993, 1998).

Page 12 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Training in Peer-Mentoring Programs


Given the responsibility and professional skills necessary for peer mentors to effectively
fulfill both the psychosocial and task function of peer mentoring, formal training of
mentors is considered critical to the success of these relationships (Garvey and
Alred, 2000; Mee Lee and Bush, 2003; Tierney and Branch, 1992; Tindall, 1995).
In fact, in their review of the literature on formal mentoring programs, Ehrich et al.
(2004) report lack of mentor training as a key issue that can cause problems in the
mentoring relationship. Likewise, Garvey and Alred (2000) state that the skills and
knowledge required of a peer mentor should be not assumed and that the organization
instituting a peer-mentoring program must commit resources to training. Ongoing
training, whereby mentors meet regularly to discuss issues and challenges related to
their role and receive instruction to enable them to continue in their skill development,
is considered much more effective than ‘one-shot’ training at the beginning of the
mentoring experience (Philion, 2007).

Before establishing a training program, competencies required of the peer mentors


need to be identified, as necessary. According to Terrion et al. (2007), peer mentors
in training need a solid grasp of the content or information that mentees will seek and
that training might be required in these areas. Other examples of the areas requiring
training might be topics such as services that mentees can make use of, where specific
resources can be found on campus, and how to manage certain university or college-
specific tasks such as taking notes in a large lecture hall. In addition, mentors need to
learn the dynamics of establishing and maintaining a helping relationship. Finally, in
the role of support service providers, peer mentors need the skills and the confidence
to work with other professionals in [p. 391 ↓ ] order to effectively share information,
understandings, and expertise, in effect enhancing the overall competency of a
university's support services.

To enable peer mentors to take on their role and hone these competencies, a training
program needs to be developed. One such service, a Peer-Mentoring Training Program
(PMTP) designed and implemented at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Canada,
enabled student peer mentors to develop skills and knowledge. While the immediate
goal of the training program was to facilitate peer mentors' capacity to support mentees,

Page 13 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

the PMTP also furthered the mentors' own personal and professional development. As a
researcher at the University of Ottawa, I evaluated the PMTP (Terrion et al., 2007).

The PMTP began with a three-day intensive training workshop during the week
before the fall semester began and then continued throughout the school year with
ongoing training during the mentors' regular weekly staff meetings. All modules
featured an experiential, hands-on format designed to engage participants in a self-
reflective learning experience (Schön, 1987). According to Philion (2005), this reflective
practice allowed mentors to describe their mentoring practice in terms of its perceived
effectiveness while enabling them to adapt as a result of the learning process they had
experienced in training.

To facilitate the self-reflexive practice of the peer mentors, an ongoing electronic


dialogue, taking the form of a journal, was maintained between mentors and their
supervisor. In Terrion and Philion (2008), we, the researchers, argued that the journal,
particularly in its electronic form, provided the conduit for a supervisor or trainer to guide
peer mentors in developing metacognitive (self-reflexive) skills. The development of
these skills was facilitated because the journal required mentors to be conscious of their
thought processes and ability to regulate these processes and articulate them in writing
for the purpose of supervisory feedback, and, as a result, for further reflection.

Regarding the impact of this training program, Terrion et al. (2007) reported that
participants demonstrated statistically significant learning in the competencies that
the training was designed to achieve. The least change was reported with respect
to establishing a helping relationship. On the one hand, we suggested that this was
not surprising, given that mentors were hired with the expectation that they already
possessed the interpersonal communication skills, based on previous experience and
personality type, required to establish and maintain a helping relationship. On the
other hand, we found it noteworthy, given that numerous studies have found that the
establishment of the helping relationship is one of the most important components in the
training of peer mentors (Baudrit, 2000; Mee Lee and Bush, 2003; Philion, 2005). We
recommended, therefore, that attention be paid to ensuring that this aspect of training
be well conceived and presented.

Page 14 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Comparing Paid and Unpaid Peer Mentors


Whether peer mentors are paid is an issue worth exploring. Researchers (e.g., Terrion
and Leonard, 2010) have found that student mentors who are paid a stipend [p. 392 ↓ ]
most effectively fulfill the psychosocial and task function in comparison to volunteer peer
mentors. In their qualitative study of the motivations of paid and unpaid peer mentors,
Terrion and Leonard found that both types of mentors reported being motivated by
self-oriented reasons, such as learning about themselves and fulfillment, but that paid
mentors were primarily motivated by other-oriented reasons, including a desire to help
young people, with many citing their own challenges in first-year university as a reason
for wanting to help younger or newer students. Volunteer peer helpers, in contrast,
reported being highly motivated to fulfill social needs, such as making friends and
becoming integrated into the university. Thus, while both paid and unpaid peer mentors
showed a commitment to helping students in need, the social motivation of unpaid
mentors could indicate that, if this need were met elsewhere, such as by making new
friends outside of the volunteer position, the volunteer could prematurely withdraw from
this role.

Evaluation in Peer-Mentoring Programs


The basic premise of program evaluation is to determine a program's viability and how
it can be improved (Rossi, Lipsey, and Freeman, 2004). Formal, systematic evaluation
should be an integral part of any program design. Interestingly, however, in relation
to the evaluation of mentoring programs, Ehrich et al. (2004) suggest, based on their
review of over 300 research-based articles about formal mentoring programs, that few
programs undergo any kind of rigorous evaluation beyond what Merriam (1983: 172–
173) had described as ‘testimonials and opinions’. Regardless of the methodology,
whether quantitative, qualitative or a combination of the two, Ehrich et al. conclude that
‘[g]ood practice suggests that there should be ongoing evaluative tasks during the life
of a mentoring program and a follow-up assessment some time after the completion of
the program’ (2004: 536). While program administrators may perceive that they are too
busy or lacking skills necessary to conduct program evaluation, it has been found that

Page 15 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

measuring short-term outcomes and long-term impacts can identify success markers,
lessons learned, achievements, ways for improving operations, and steps needed to
move forward (Mullen, 2008).

Peer Mentor as Compass


The peer mentor plays a role similar to a compass by leading the novice student
through the difficult-to-navigate terrain of a university or college. Like a compass, the
peer mentor provides the support and direction necessary for the student to arrive intact
at his or her destination. However, the student has to do the required work to get there.
In other words, the peer mentor does not do the tasks or make the decisions for the
peer mentee but supports him or her in building the capacity necessary to succeed in
higher education. Proper training is necessary for both parties, as is the provision of
resources to support the relationship and [p. 393 ↓ ] ongoing feedback for both mentor
and mentee. Perhaps a peer mentor is not necessary for every student; however, those
students needing a mentor can thrive under the gentle but confident leadership of
their guide who assists with the crucial navigation among the intimidating and at times
frightening path through higher education. Like novice explorers who must learn to use
tools if they are to successfully make their way toward their endpoint, so too must the
budding student learn to use such compasses as peer mentoring and other support
services to achieve desired goals.

References
Allen, T. D., Lentz, E., and Day, R. Career success outcomes associated with mentoring
others: A comparison of mentors and nonmentors . Journal of Career Development
(2006). vol. 32, pp. 272–285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0894845305282942

Allen, T. D., Russell, J. A., and Maetzke, S. Formal peer mentoring:


factors related to protégés' satisfaction and willingness to mentor others .
Group and Organization Management (1997). vol. 22, pp. 488–507. http://
dx.doi.org/10.1177/1059601197224005

Page 16 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Amenkhienan, C. A., and Kogan, L. Engineering students' perceptions of academic


activities and support services: Factors that influence their academic performance .
College Student Journal (2004). vol. 38 ( no. 4), pp. 523–540.

Angelique, H., Kyle, K., and Taylor, E. Mentors and Muses: New strategies for
academic success . Innovative Higher Education (2002). vol. 26 ( no. 3), pp. 195–209.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1017968906264

Arendale, D. (1997). Supplemental Instruction: Review of research concerning the


effectiveness of SI from The University of Missouri-Kansas City and other institutions
across the United States . Proceedings of the 17th and 18th Annual Institutes for
Learning Assistance Professionals: 1996 and 1997 (pp. 1–25). Tucson, AZ: University
Learning Center, University of Arizona. Retrieved January 21, 2011 from http://
eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED457797.pdf.

Baudrit, A. (2000). Le tutorat dans les Universités Anglo-saxonnes: Des idées pour les
Universités Francophones (translated: Tutoring in anglo-saxon universities: Lessons for
French universities) . Paris: L'Harmattan.

Chickering, A. W., and Gamson Z.F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in
undergraduate education . American Association of Higher Education Bulletin, March,
3–7.

Coleman, J. Social capital in the creation of human capital . American Journal of


Sociology (1988). vol. 94 (Suppl. no. 95), pp. S94–S120. Retrieved January 21, 2011
from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-9602%281988%2994%3CS95%3ASCITCO
%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P

Ehrich, L. S., Hansford, B., and Tennent, L. Formal mentoring programmes in education
and other professions: A review of the literature . Educational Administration Quarterly
(2004). vol. 40, pp. 518–540. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013161X04267118

Finnie, R., and Qiu, H. T. (2009). Is the glass (or classroom) half-empty or nearly full?
New evidence on persistence in post-secondary education in Canada . In R. Finnie,
ed. , R. E. Mueller, ed. , A. Sweetman, ed. , & A. Usher (Eds.), Who goes? Who stays?

Page 17 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

What matters? Accessing and persisting in post-secondary education in Canada (pp.


pp. 179–208). Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.

Garvey, B., and Alred, G. Educating mentors . Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in
Learning (2000). vol. 8 ( no. 2), pp. 113–126.

Harmon, B. V. A qualitative study of the learning processes and outcomes associated


with students who serve as peer mentors . Journal of the First-Year Experience &
Students in Transition (2006). vol. 18 ( no. 2), pp. 53–82.

Hendry, L. B., and Reid, M. Social relationships and health: The meaning of social
‘connectedness’ and how it relates to health concerns for rural Scottish adolescents .
Journal of Adolescence (2000). vol. 23, pp. 705–719. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/
jado.2000.0354

Hoffman, M., Richmond, J., Morrow, J., and Salomone, K. Investigating ‘sense of
belonging’ in first-year college students . Journal of College Student Retention (2002–
2003). vol. 4 ( no. 3), pp. 227–256. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/DRYC-CXQ9-JQ8V-HT4V

Jacobi, M. Mentoring and undergraduate academic success: A literature review .


Review of Educational Research (1991). vol. 61 ( no. 4), pp. 505–532.

Jackling, B., and McDowell, T. Peer mentoring in an accounting setting: A case study of
mentor skill development . Accounting Education: An International Journal (2008). vol.
17 ( no. 4), pp. 447–462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09639280802436756

Keating N., Swindle J., and Foster, D. (2005). The role of social capital in aging well .
In Government of Canada (Ed.), Social capital in action: Thematic policy studies (pp.
pp. 24–48). Ottawa: Policy Research Initiative. Retrieved January 23, 2011, from http://
www.policyresearch.gc.ca/doclib/SC_Thematic_E.pdf

Kram, K. Phases of the mentor relationship . Academy of Management Journal (1983).


vol. 26, pp. 608–625. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/255910

Page 18 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Kram, K., and Isabella, L. Mentoring Alternatives: The role of peer relationships in
career development . Academy of Management Journal (1985). vol. 28, pp. 110–132.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/256064

Lochner, K. A., Kawachi, I., Brennan, R. T., and Buka, S. L. Social capital and
neighborhood mortality rates in Chicago . Social Science & Medicine (2003). vol. 56, pp.
1797–1805.

Loots, A. G. Student Involvement and Retention in Higher Education: The case for
academic peer mentoring programmes for first-years . Education as Change (2009). vol.
13 ( no. 1), pp. 211–235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16823200902945077

Mee Lee, L., and Bush, T. Student Mentoring in Higher Education: Hong Kong Baptist
University . Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning (2003). vol. 11 ( no. 3), pp.
263–271.

Merriam, S. Mentors and Protégés: A critical review of literature . Adult Education


Quarterly (1983). vol. 33, pp. 161–173.

Mills, C., Heyworth, J., Rosenwax, L., Carr, & Rosenberg, M. Factors associated
with the academic success of first year Health Science students . Advances in
Health Science Education (2009). vol. 14, pp. 205–217. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/
s10459-008-9103-9

Mullen, C. A. (Ed.) (2008). The Handbook of Formal Mentoring in Higher Education: A


case study approach . Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

Nora, A. Two-year colleges and minority students' educational aspirations: Help or


hindrance? Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research (1993). vol. 9, pp.
212–247.

Packard, B. W-L. Mentoring and retention in college science: Reflections on the


sophomore year . Journal of College Student Retention (2004–2005). vol. 6 ( no. 3), pp.
289–300. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/RUKP-XGVY-8LG0-75VH

Page 19 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Pascarella, E. T., and Terenzini, P. Predicting voluntary freshman year persistence/


withdrawal behavior in a residential university: A path analytic validation of the Tinto
model . Journal of Educational Psychology (1983). vol. 52 ( no. 2), pp. 60–75.

Philion, R. (2005). Prise en compte des représentations des étudiants mentors au


regard de leur rôle, de leur pratique et de leurs besoins en matière de formation
(translated: Consideration of student peer mentors' perceptions of their role, practices
and training needs) . Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa,
ON.

Philion, R. L'analyse de construits au service de la co-construction de sens chez les


étudiants mentors (translated: The role of construct analysis in the construction of
meaning by student peer mentors) . Revue Éducation et Francophonie (2007). vol. 35
( no. 2), pp. 192–216.

Pizzolato, J. E. Developing self-authorship: Exploring the experiences of high-risk


college students . Journal of College Student Development (2003). vol. 44 ( no. 6), pp.
797–812. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2003.0074

Potter, J. New directions in student tutoring , Education and Training (1997). vol. 39
( no. 1), pp. 24–30.

Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community .
New York: Simon & Schuster. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/358916.361990

Resnick, M. D., Harris, L. J., and Blum, R. W. The impact of caring and connectedness
on adolescent health and well-being . Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health (1993). vol.
29 (Sup no. 1), pp. S3–S9.

Roberts, L. W., Clifton, R. A., and Etcheverry, E. Social capital and educational
attainment: A study of undergraduates in a faculty of education . Alberta Journal of
Educational Research (2001). vol. 47, pp. 24–39.

Rose, G. L. Group differences in graduate students' concepts of the ideal mentor .


Research in Higher Education (2005). vol. 46, pp. 53–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/
s11162-004-6289-4

Page 20 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Rossi, P., Lipsey, M., and Freeman, H. (2004). Evaluation: A systematic approach (7th
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Sanchez, R. J., Bauer, T. N., and Saronto, M. E. Peer-mentoring Freshmen:


Implications for satisfaction, commitment, and retention to graduation . Academy
of Management Learning & Education (2006). vol. 5 ( no. 1), pp. 25–37. http://
dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2006.20388382

Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for
teaching and learning in the professions . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Teachman, J. D., Paasch, K., and Carver, K. Social capital and dropping out of school
early . Journal of Marriage and the Family (1996). vol. 58 ( no. 3), pp. 773–783. http://
dx.doi.org/10.2307/353735

Terrion, J. L. Building social capital in vulnerable families: Success markers of a school-


based intervention program . Youth and Society (2006). vol. 38 ( no. 2), pp. 155–176.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0044118X05282765

Terrion, J. L., and Daoust J.-L. Assessing the impact of supplemental instruction on the
retention of undergraduate students after controlling for motivation . Journal of College
Student Retention (2011–2012). vol. 13 ( no. 3), pp. 311–328. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/
CS.13.3.c

Terrion, J. L., and Leonard, D. Motivation of paid peer mentors and unpaid peer helpers
in higher education . International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring
(2010). vol. 8 ( no. 1), pp. 85–103.

Terrion, J. L., and Philion, R. The electronic mentor journal as reflection-on-


action: A qualitative analysis of communication and learning in a peer-mentoring
program . Studies in Higher Education (2008). vol. 33 ( no. 5), pp. 583–597. http://
dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075070802373073

Terrion, J. L., Philion, R., and Leonard, D. An evaluation of a university peer-mentoring


training program . International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring
(2007). vol. 5 ( no. 1), pp. 42–57.

Page 21 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education
University of Ottawa
Copyright ©2013 SAGE knowledge

Tierney, J. P., and Branch, A. Y. (1992). College students as mentors for at-risk youth:
A study of six campus partners in learning programmes . Philadelphia, PA: Public/
Private Ventures.

Tindall, J. A. (1995). Peer programmes: An in-depth look at peer helping, planning,


implementation, and administration . Bristol, PA: Accelerated Development.

Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition.
Second edition . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Tinto, V. Colleges as Communities: Taking research on student persistence seriously .


Review of Higher Education (1998). vol. 21 ( no. 2), pp. 167–177.

Topping, K. J. The effectiveness of peer tutoring in further and higher education: A


typology and review of the literature . Higher Education (1996). vol. 32, pp. 321–345.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00138870

Yeh, T. L. Asian American college students who are educationally at risk . New
Directions for Student Services (2002). vol. 97, pp. 61–71.

[p. 396 ↓ ]

http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781446247549.n26

Page 22 of 22 The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in


Education: Student Peer Mentors as a Navigational
Resource in Higher Education

You might also like