Peer Mentoring Programs in Online Courses

Peer Mentoring in an Online Learning Program

Ray SchroederAssociate Vice Chancellor for Online LearningDirector, Center for Online Learning , Research and ServiceUniversity of Illinois Springfield

Carrie LevinAssistant DirectorCenter for Online Learning, Research and ServiceUniversity of Illinois Springfield

Emily BolesSenior Instructional DeveloperCenter for Online Learning, Research and ServiceUniversity of Illinois Springfield

Need for Mentoring in Online Programs

Need for Online Mentoring

Informal student-to-student advising On campus we have plenty of places where

students congregate and communicate – there are time-honored networks that thrive on campuses

Recall your days as a student – from whom and where did you receive informal advice?


Where/how does that informal advising take place online?

Commonly we create a “coffee shop” or a “pub” in the discussion board

Does that serve the conversation between students as they walk into/out of class – as they chat about …. “Are you kidding me, or did old Prof so and so really mean we should………?

NO…. Because old Prof so and so sees that conversation!


Academic Issues For online students, who fills the role of the

senior student – the one down the dorm hall who has taken this class?

In an online class, who models best student responses? Where do you find a student who has taken the class who can look over your paper?


Non-Academic Issues Many not purely academic issues arise for

online students: Why is he always picking on my postings? I am in a family crisis – too embarrassing to

tell my professor directly; falling behind English is not my first language and I just

don’t understand what she is writing


Confidential communicant One of the under-recognized, yet highly

valued roles of the department secretary is as a confidential filter for student concerns

Is there a liaison person who filters student concerns and raises them anonymously to the instructor as a departmental secretary might?

So, what is an Online Peer Mentor?

How is a peer mentor different from a supplemental

instructor?

What role do online peer mentors have

with grading?

What training do Online Peer Mentors

have?

How are Online Peer Mentors chosen?

What qualities make for a good Online

Peer Mentor?

What are the advantages for the

instructor?

What are the advantages for

students?

Do Peer Mentors work?

ILCCO/UIS 2007 Research

Participating Institutions

Black Hawk College Elgin Community

College Illinois Community

College Board Lake Land College Moraine Valley

Community College

William Rainey Harper College

Triton College University of Illinois at

Springfield Waubonsee Community

College

Research

Seven Illinois community colleges each identified two “problem” online courses in which student completion rates were low.

These instructors then selected former students to become peer mentors in their courses.

Assessment

Assessing the program itself Success of the program requires monitoring How do we measure success?– Course completion rates– Student performance – as in grades – Student satisfaction– Faculty satisfaction– Learning effectiveness

Assessments should be shared with mentors Assessments should feed back into class

development cycle

Results

The non-completion rate in these courses was reduced by 3.48%.

More significantly, though, student success improved.

The number of failures was reduced by 3.28%, while the number of A grades and B grades increased by 7.20%.

Summary and Conclusions

Peer mentoring enhances online classes Peer mentoring involves close communication

with both faculty and students Assessment and change is essential to success If one student per class is retained (tuition

retained) the cost of the tutor is covered – and all benefit! win-win-win!

Establishing a Peer Mentor Program

Establishing a Program

Getting Started Incremental start is wise

• Identify a handful of successful faculty members• Begin with classes where success is most likely

Develop best practices Refine compensation plan for mentors Initiate training program Establish an assessment program

• Assessment program should loop into training program


Coordinating program - supporting mentors Organizational structure possibilities

• Center for teaching and learning• Online learning center• Advising / tutoring center

More content-centric than techno-centric Hosting unit

• Must support meetings / training– Some mentors may be at a distance

• Provide assistance with challenging issues


Selecting peer mentors Relationship to faculty member is essential

• Level of trust must be established• Continuous flow of communication• UIS effective practice – faculty members choose

Content knowledge is important Compensation issues may arise

• Graduate Assistants may not be able to receive additional compensation


Training peer mentors Intake training will be required Senior mentors may “mentor” others ☺ Tutoring and counseling staff may make valuable

contributions Assessments of the program should flow into the

training Don’t forget to assess the training itself


Compensation for peer mentors In order to rely on peer mentors compensation

should be a part of the program• Tutorial/independent study credit a possibility

– Particularly for those who seek to go into teaching

• Compensation should reflect the time expectations– Eight to ten hours a week may be appropriate– Should be monitored by the faculty member

• $1,200 at $8.00/hour covers 10 hours a week for 15 weeks


Confidentiality Important aspects of the mentor’s role Faculty members need to rely on the

confidentiality of the mentor• For exam material• For some class strategies

Students need to rely on the confidentiality of the mentor

• For personal problems• To protect against possible retribution

Center for Online Learning, Research and Service

University of Illinois at SpringfieldOne University PlazaSpringfield, IL [email protected]

Peer Mentoring Programs in Online Courses

Education

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