The Mature Student Peer Mentoring Experience

1. The Mature Student Peer Mentoring Experience Dr. Gerry Golding Noreen Coveney O’Beirne Mature Student Office University of Limerick EFYE 2008

2. Contents • Introduction • Background • Mature student peer mentoring programme - overview • Research methodology • Findings • Thoughts on how the programme might be enhanced • Conclusions and Future work EFYE 2008

3. Introduction • UL and the Mature Student Population • 600 full-time mature students • 8% of the student population • Doubling of numbers since the year 2000. • Students from under-represented groups including • socially-economically disadvantaged, • those with a disability • those from ethnic minorities • All are at least 23 years of age in year of entry • Age range extends to those 60+ years. EFYE 2008

4. Research Funding • Strategic Innovation Fund • supported change and enhanced collaboration with other institutions, • improvements in teaching and Learning • initiatives to provide greater equity of access. • The Mature Student Office in UL • Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) • Tralee Institute of Technology (ITT) • Mature Student Peer Mentoring Programme EFYE 2008

5. What is Peer mentoring “In its most basic form mentoring is simply friendship with someone who is a little more experienced, who acts as a guide in regard to a new career, profession, job, or development state” (Levinson,1978) EFYE 2008

6. Mature Student Peer Mentoring in the University of Limerick • This is a voluntary programme and the focus is on creating a social network that will aid in the transition process and lead to retention in the remaining degree years • Aimed at aiding the process by which new mature students make friends by linking them to other new mature students and a mentor. • Provides a great forum for learning more about the mature student experience at third level from those already in the system. EFYE 2008

7. Do we need it? • Does a mentoring programme aid in the transition and persistence of mature students at college? • Can it really make the difference between staying and leaving? • Explore the significance of the pilot peer mentoring programme at UL from the mentor and mentee perspective. EFYE 2008

8. Background • Often tempered with anxieties • academic ability • self-confidence • result of prior negative experiences. • Unfamiliar with the academic environment • Positive first year experiences • retention and progression • The initial weeks and months • Access initiatives • attract and retain mature students • create supportive experiences EFYE 2008

9. Participation and Persistence • The feeling that he/she ‘fits’ into college life. • Comfortable in the academic setting? • Feel integrated socially and academically? • The traditional “institutional habitus” • Daily social interaction with others in similar circumstances, • Knowledge of what was expected at third-level was seen as being significant in student integration. EFYE 2008

10. Programme - Overview • Adapted from Student Peer Mentoring Models in UCD, DIT and NUI Galway, combined with experience. • Focus is on creating a Social Network • Approx 68 Mature Students (Mentees) and 13 Mentors in the pilot phase representing various undergraduate programmes across all Faculties • Peer Mentoring training was provided for the Mentors • Each Mentor had up to 6 Mentees EFYE 2008

11. How did it work? • 5 Group meetings were proposed throughout the year • First group meeting in week 1 with further group meetings in weeks 3,6 &10 and also in week 1 semester 2 • Individual one on one communications were at the request of the Mentees • Mentors provided feedback to the programme Coordinator • Group Mentor meetings • Feedback Questionnaires • Mentee Postal questionnaire EFYE 2008

12. Research Methodology • Spring 2008, semi-structured interviews were conducted • 5 were mentors (3 male, 2 female) • 6 were mentees (2 male, 4 female). • The exact wording of questions used in the interview and the order of presentation were prepared in advanced. • The data was recorded using a digital recording device. • The recordings were transcribed into a typed transcript. • All transcripts were analysed noting patterns and themes and identifying relations between variables • Recurring themes were identified and highlighted. • The interviews were both listened to and read repeatedly EFYE 2008

13. Findings • Expectations prior to entering the mentoring programme • Experiences during mentoring programme • Benefits of the mentoring programme • Audio recordings of the students EFYE 2008

14. Mentor Prior Expectations • The feedback highlighted specific themes amongst the mentors. • Make new friends • To offer help and advice based on their own experiences the previous year. • Opportunity to gain the experience of working with people that she could use in the future. EFYE 2008

15. Quotes • ‘ ‘it was going to be an experience to pass on a little bit of knowledge and to see then was there anything that I was going to gain from them and something that I could use in the future and have it not quite on my CV but you know have worked with people along the way.’ (Grace, Business Student) EFYE 2008

16. Audio Transcript • “Well am! The first thing I thought was well when I was in first year, I would have liked to have somebody who was a year ahead of me that I could have asked questions of. So when I heard about the programme I thought ya, I’d like to get involved because it was something I said ya, I would have loved that and then I had gathered so much information about the course I was mad to give it out to somebody just you know I was anxious to help people and I also thought that I would make friends out of it. That was a big plus aswell I thought that I would meet similar type people to myself and that was a big thing that got me into it like” Pat Equine Science EFYE 2008

17. Mentee Prior Expectations • Different expectations. • Friendship was not highlighted in the feedback as being an expectation. • The main expectation was support and in particular academic support. EFYE 2008

18. Quotes • ‘Well I thought it was going to be basically a support, a support network and a point of contact if I had any issues or problems…’ (Ann, Environmental Science) EFYE 2008

19. Audio transcript • “I was hoping to be helped academically. This is the wrong impression I had at the start. But as time went by I discovered I could get help talking, experiences, hardships that I had and how to overcome them” JoFood Science, International Student EFYE 2008

20. Audio Transcript • “Well there was so much going on in my head at the time, I can’t really remember if I had any expectations, I probably didn’t I went into it with an open mind and ah no I didn’t really have any expectations going into it just took it as it came” BobComputer Science EFYE 2008

21. Comment • mentees • Support that would benefit them academically • Did not seem interested in the social aspects of college life. • Lack of awareness of college life. • mentors • put more focus on this social inclusion aspect EFYE 2008

22. Experiences During Mentoring • The realisation of initial expectations • In almost all cases, • the experience of the mentees exceeded initial expectations. • The importance of knowing and talking to someone who had been in their situation a year previously. • Similar problems and issues EFYE 2008

23. Quotes • ‘My mentor he was marvellous…. He had problems similar to me last year himself… He sorted out my problem and in my opinion, it was because of his experience last year. • ‘I don’t think that I would have been able to do what I did this year if I had to do it on my own. There is no way I would have got over the hurdles…’ (Johnny, construction) • ‘…his experiences have helped me deal with my experiences far better, academically, socially so, I’ve had a good experience… and I’ve realised that I really needed it, at first I didn’t think so but now I know I really needed it.” (Jo, Food Science) EFYE 2008

24. Audio Transcript • “My experience with having a mentor it was good, it was good to have someone that you knew on campus because as a mature student when you start off it is very daunting. Because you are very conscious of the fact that these 18 year olds are just after completing a leaving certificate, They know how to do everything and you know, whereas as a mature student, you still have the washing and the ironing and the dinners and the whole lot to do, so you are trying to fit in your studies into your life that you were used to before and I just found that having another mature student and through having him as a mentor, he was able to introduce me to other people on his course just by having a coffee and you can sit down and have a chat about different things that are maybe problematic” Kate: Humanities Student EFYE 2008

25. Audio Transcript • “Great I mean especially for first year. Coming into it is such a daunting experience and as a mature student there is an awful number of issues outside of the study aspect itself so you really do have to redress an awful lot of personal stuff and then kind of confronting your own gaps in your own personal learning and speaking to a mentor was very very useful from that point of view so a lot of them you know are problems that sort of iron out and resolve themselves in time but to have a point of contact and to be able to hear about that and to hear from somebody else’s experience and how they dealt with that is, that was very useful” Clare: Environmental Science EFYE 2008

26. Comment • All of the comments were very positive • A contrast with initial expectations • the experience of having someone to talk to was very important • lack of initial awareness of college life • A unique cohort and issues differ from traditional age student. • Evidence of a feeling of vulnerability • A need to get advice from a fellow student • A feeling that the traditional age student is better prepared • The comfort in knowing that help is available. • Highlighted in the literature • The need to fit in and be comfortable in the learning environment. EFYE 2008

27. Benefits of Peer Mentoring • All found the programme beneficial. • In particular, • friendships developed • practical advice provided • a positive transition to college. • opportunity to discuss how they were feeling, • to discuss their need to juggle various roles, • to articulate their fears in general about the new environment and in relation to their gaps in their knowledge. • At group meetings they took comfort in listening to and knowing that others shared their concerns and their particular issues. EFYE 2008

28. Quotes • “… I wouldn’t know any second year at all and only for her I wouldn’t have known anyone and it does help knowing that you can actually get through first year into second year because they have done it’ (Eileen, Business) EFYE 2008

29. Audio Transcript • “Ya, we had two group meetings and I would actually have liked some more because during the first few weeks of the semester initially you are coming across a lot of you know, I keep saying it essay writing, but you are coming across things that you are not used to doing and having a group of other people that are you know able to say well I’m having difficulty here, I’m having difficulty there, it might be someone who is not able to access their email which I did come across as computer skills and I was able to say you know in a group setting come with me to the library and I will show you how to do that. Problems with registering and stuff like that modules discovering in week three that you are doing a subject that you are not capable of doing and finding out how do I go about changing this, how do I jump into another one before I get stuck with it which I found out through having a mentor you have until week 5 to change and a lot of people don’t know that. I wouldn’t have known that if it hadn’t been for him because I started in the economics and first of all there was a problem because the lecturer lovely guy but he was Indian and it was actually very hard to understand the language plus I realised that even though I had done maths, I couldn’t understand the economic maths. Because of the way the lecture was being delivered as regards coca cola and coco beans, you know not being able to visually do this. So being able to have other people that you can talk to and their kind of you know I can’t do economics what am I going to do I’m stuck with it and for someone to turn around and say just go to student academic services and change so I jumped into politics, now that could have been frying pan fire situation but im not sure yet” Kate: Humanities Student EFYE 2008

30. Audio Transcript • “Ah I suppose from a practical point of view she offered a lot of advice on certain aspects of the modules that I was studying and gave me points of contact in chemistry and showed me the science learning centre and spoke about different aspects of the course that she was finding difficulty with that I found was great because I sort of anticipated problems from listening to her experience and from that I was able to plan ahead in a certain respect” Clare: Environmental Science EFYE 2008

31. Audio Transcript • “Ya, when I came in here, generally I am not a talking person or talk about things but I discovered that the more I talk about things the more it benefits me., ah the more I know how to approach things and overcome things so that has really helped me. Academically it has helped me aswell. I got a few tips on how to study and that really helped me during my exams, really helped me” Jo: International Student, Food Science EFYE 2008

32. Audio Transcript • “Adapting was really difficult, in the sense that I was the only African in my course. I did not know how to interact with them because I didn’t know how Irish people would be. How they would relate to me and different cultural backgrounds, it was quite difficult. They embraced me like, mostly the mature students not like the 18 year old students. It became easier for me. But we still have our cultural differences” Jo: International Student, Food Science EFYE 2008

33. Audio Transcript • “I would actually, I think I would be very good at it, because this is not my first time at UL so I know the places to eat, I know the lecturers, I know a lot of people that if you are having a coffee, you could sit down and say you know these are my friends and they will become your friends too which has happened in the case of my own mentor and its great because you are meeting people who are doing FYP’s and you are meeting people who are in second year or third year and it just gives you a better understanding of how the university works and you know even though you are saying you are struggling from semester to semester, talk to somebody doing an FYP and you realise oh my god how am I going to get this far and they are thinking I just want to get it done and get out you know” Kate: Humanities Student EFYE 2008

34. Comments • The benefits of this programme are huge for this cohort. • Each of the mature students gained from the experience. • All are interested in becoming mentors • University life • young, middle class, well educated student. • Fitting in and feeling comfortable can be problematic • Peer mentoring can help students to overcome these difficulties • creating a social network that gives the mature students a feeling of belonging. • A unique tier in the university’s hierarchical structure. EFYE 2008

35. Enhancing the Programme • Clarity at the beginning of the programme. • A greater emphasis on group activities • Matching mentors with mentees from the same course • Recruitment tailored towards the expected intake • The training day a very positive and useful exercise • experiences of the mentors in the pilot • experiential training. • Cultural diversity • Having mentors who come from different cultural backgrounds • role playing of potential scenarios that highlight cultural differences EFYE 2008

36. Conclusions • Daunting experience for many mature students • Existing social network in place • Mentors and mentees benefited from the experience. • A strong sense of efficacy entering college • focusing on academic support rather than on social inclusion. • Social inclusion • the importance of knowing and talking to someone who had been in their situation a year previously • Knowing that someone had shared the same problems and issues • Just knowing that the support was there • Unforeseen issues • cultural differences • misunderstandings that can result from this • incorporated into the training schedule EFYE 2008

37. Going Forward • A revised model is now in place for the mature student intake in September 2008 • key support in any third level institution EFYE 2008

38. Final Quote • ‘Having a mentor you have somebody there to steady and guide you through the right path, so I do believe that it is important and I would be interested in becoming a mentor for that reason, to try to give someone a helping hand because it isn’t very much to ask’ (Johnny, Construction) EFYE 2008

39. The End Any Questions EFYE 2008