Download or read book Community College Students Perceptions of the Effects of Peer Mentoring on Their Sense of Belonging written by Bryan Keith Sullins and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Community college students are less likely to complete their educational objectives than are students who attend 4-year institutions. Students who opt out of the recommended remedial coursework in the foundational subjects of reading, writing, and math may be further disadvantaged when attempting college level coursework. As one way to reduce this disadvantage, peer mentoring’s positive influence on retention, student development, and success in college is well-documented in higher education literature. Additionally, an increasing number of research articles espouse students’ sense of belonging as a critical factor in these same areas. What the extant literature fails to closely examine are the ways in which peer mentoring influences the two dimensions of sense of belonging in college--peer belonging and institutional attachment. This is a descriptive study designed to explore students' perceptions and experiences surrounding the ways in which the peer mentor relationships affected their sense of belonging in college. Using exemplar methodology, I selected mentees who exhibited at least one of the criteria of well-mentored students--students who were mentored in accordance with the college's QEP requirements. The findings in this study suggest sense of belonging was affected by peer mentor interventions. Semi-structured interviews with the well-mentored students in this study suggest when peer mentors behaved in accordance with the exemplar criteria, sense of belonging was improved. With few exceptions, all three participants credited their peer mentors with having influenced their sense of belonging. This study sheds light on the underexplored association between peer mentoring and sense of belonging. The findings in this study suggest peer mentoring is an effective strategy to influence sense of belonging in the areas of connectedness, engagement, and transition. Peer mentors serve as facilitators of sense of belonging when they bridge academic and social aspects of college life for students whom they mentor. The experience gained in this study may be informative to the design, evaluation, or redesign of peer mentor programs at other higher education institutions.
Download or read book Near peer Mentors and Developmental Math written by Jesse L. Knepper and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the impact of near-peer mentors on perceptions of sense of belonging and integration into the campus community among first year freshmen students in developmental math. Throughout the course of this inquiry it will also provide insight into the growth of the peer mentors, as it pertains to sense of belonging and integration to the campus community, resulting from their experience as near-peer mentors. This study was born out of a pilot launch of a near-peer mentor program for students in developmental math at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and the desire to understand the impact that this program had on the socialization of students. Specifically, this study sought answers to the following research questions: 1) how has the near-peer mentor program in developmental math impacted student perceptions on their sense of belonging to the campus community? And 2) how has the near-peer mentor program in developmental math impacted student perceptions on their integration into the campus community? At the time of this study, limited information existed on the impact of peer mentors on first-year college students enrolled in developmental math. Utilizing interviews of both mentors and students, along with document review, this qualitative study found that near-peer mentors can, through the developmental of social bonds with students, positively impact perceptions of sense of belonging among first year students in developmental math. Self-efficacy, motivation, social bonds, and connections to campus resources were identified as recurring themes of discussion in interview responses among mentors and students concerning sense of belonging and integration. Furthermore, students were able to identify with their near-peer mentors and looked to them as role models. This connection helped foster the use of campus resources, thus impacting a greater feeling of integration to the campus community. Near-peer mentors also felt a greater sense of belonging and greater connection to the campus as a result of their participation in the program. The findings of this study are significant as they demonstrate that peer mentor programs can be used as an effective strategy for addressing sense of belonging and helping students feel better connected to the campus community. The CSU has affirmed its ongoing commitment to fostering sense of belonging among students and supporting student needs through the connection to campus resources (Graduation Initiative 2025, n.d.). This study may inform other campuses of the impact of near-peer mentors as they look to implement similar programs that align with the Graduation Initiative 2025 objectives.
Download or read book Perceptions of First year College Students written by Dyan Robinson and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Almost half of the students who begin college are not retained at the institution in which they began. The purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of first-year college students and the impact peer mentoring has on student success. This quantitative study utilized the College Student Mentoring Scale to measure perceptions of first-year students. The survey questions students on interrelated constructs which are, Psychological and Emotional Support, Degree and Career Support, Academic Subject Knowledge Support and The Existence of a Role Model. The research found that gender and academic background are factors that impact first-year students’ perceptions of a peer mentoring. Additional findings indicated that response levels were highest for the areas of Academic Subject Knowledge Support and The Existence of a Role Model. It is the intention that this study will add to the limited existent research on peer mentoring in higher education. Also, it will assist in future policies and practices by providing a foundation of the components that influence first-year student success through improving effectiveness of peer mentoring programs.
Download or read book Improving Higher Education Environments for Adults written by Nancy K. Schlossberg and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 1989-01-30 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Improving Higher Education Environments for Adults uses numerous real-life vignettes to examine the changing needs of adult learners as they move through the higher education system, and it suggests ways student development professionals and other educators can make higher education more responsive to these needs.
Download or read book Perceptions of Peer Mentorship Within Living Learning Communities written by Nicole Marie Nicholson and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living-learning communities (LLC) are seen as a way to help promote student engagement and retention using best practices in higher education (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2014). Resident Assistants (RA), also known as resident advisors, and LLC peer mentors are members of a residential community in college who are employed to help provide a sense of community among residents on their floor or in their building (Rieske & Benjamin, 2015). Previous research (Wyile, 2012) on LLC peer mentor interactions provided examples of how peer mentors could enhance a community within a college LLC. This qualitative study will explore LLC residents' perceptions of peer mentorship. I will focus on first-year resident interactions with their RA, in comparison to their LLC peer mentor. I will analyze the influence of the LLC peer mentor and RA on student's experiences within an LLC using environmental frameworks. Analyzing student perceptions on peer mentorship interactions, both RAs and peer mentors, within an LLC may help determine the necessity of a peer-mentoring program within the construction of an LLC. Keywords: living-learning community, peer mentoring, student perceptions, academic performance, satisfaction
Download or read book College Students Sense of Belonging written by Terrell L. Strayhorn and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores how belonging differs based on students’ social identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or the conditions they encounter on campus. Belonging—with peers, in the classroom, or on campus—is a critical dimension of success at college. It can affect a student’s degree of academic adjustment, achievement, aspirations, or even whether a student stays in school. The 2nd Edition of College Students’ Sense of Belonging explores student sub-populations and campus environments, offering readers updated information about sense of belonging, how it develops for students, and a conceptual model for helping students belong and thrive. Underpinned by theory and research and offering practical guidelines for improving educational environments and policies, this book is an important resource for higher education and student affairs professionals, scholars, and graduate students interested in students’ success. New to this second edition: A refined theory of college students’ sense of belonging and review of current literature in light of new and emerging theories; Expanded best practices related to fostering sense of belonging in classrooms, clubs, residence halls, and other contexts; Updated research and insights for new student populations such as youth formerly in foster care, formerly incarcerated adults, and homeless students; Coverage on a broad range of topics since the first edition of this book, including cultural navigation, academic spotting, and the "shared faith" element of belonging.
Download or read book The Impact of a Sense of Belonging in College written by Erin Bentrim and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-07-03 with total page 311 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sense of belonging refers to the extent a student feels included, accepted, valued, and supported on their campus. The developmental process of belonging is interwoven with the social identity development of diverse college students. Moreover, belonging is influenced by the campus environment, relationships, and involvement opportunities as well as a need to master the student role and achieve academic success. Although the construct of sense of belonging is complex and multilayered, a consistent theme across the chapters in this book is that the relationship between sense of belonging and intersectionality of identity cannot be ignored, and must be integrated into any approach to fostering belonging.Over the last 10 years, colleges and universities have started grappling with the notion that their approaches to maintaining and increasing student retention, persistence, and graduation rates were no longer working. As focus shifted to uncovering barriers to student success while concurrently recognizing student success as more than solely academic factors, the term “student sense of belonging” gained traction in both academic and co-curricular settings. The editors noticed the lack of a consistent definition, or an overarching theoretical approach, as well as a struggle to connect disparate research. A compendium of research, applications, and approaches to sense of belonging did not exist, so they brought this book into being to serve as a single point of reference in an emerging and promising field of study.
Download or read book Measuring the Impact of Peer Learning Community on Perceived Belongingness and Confidence in Academic Achievement written by Divjot Kaur (Graduate student) and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Family and Consumer Sciences department at California State University, Northridge initiated the development of a peer learning community. When a student becomes more engaged in the academic setting and considers themselves a vital part within the school community, they reported a stronger sense of belonging (Booker, 2007). As part of the peer learning community, peer learning facilitators held workshops and office hours to increase student engagement, performance, and retention. The purpose of this thesis project was to create an instrument to measure the perceptions of belongingness and confidence in academic achievement among students through the creation of a peer learning community in their department. A 11-item Peer Learning Community Questionnaire, specifically pertaining to sense of belongingness and confidence in academic achievement, was designed to measure the impact of the peer learning community. Goodenow's (1993) 18-item Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale, which has been widely used to measure students' perceptions of belonging in the school environment, served as reference in the creation of the questionnaire. To measure the level to which students agree or disagree with the 11-items, the 5-Likert scale ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree to 5= Strongly Agree was used. A panel of four highly qualified faculty members from California State University, Northridge assessed the questionnaire for face validity. The feedback received from the panel validated that the product created could measure students' perceptions of belonging and confidence in academic achievement, by participating in a peer learning community on campus.
Download or read book Peer Mentors Influence on School Belonging and 21st Century Learning Skills written by Hannah D. Dill and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In some schools today there are students who do not feel a sense of belonging in their environment. This is a problem because when students do not feel a sense of belonging, their grades, attendance, behavior, and social-emotional well-being may be diminished (Roche & Kuperminc, 2012). In addition to policy and culture reforms, specific programs designed to increase students' connection to the school may help increase students' sense of belonging. The purpose of this case study was to assess the effect of peer mentorship on students' sense of belonging and 21st century skills. Peer mentorship programs vary widely, but regardless of their specific format the mentor-mentee relationship is characterized by trust, mutuality, and empathy (Rhodes et al., 2005). This qualitative case study explored questions regarding how mentors and mentees perceive the influence of the peer mentorship program on their sense of belongingness, and 21st century skill development. Student mentees and mentors provided reflections in a focus group, while one of the program advisors, the middle school's adult supervisor, was interviewed to gather data on perceptions of the influence of the program. The study found that both the mentors and mentees increased their sense of belonging as well as developed various 21st century skills. This qualitative case study can help support pK-12 institutions who are trying to close the opportunity gap by supporting students within their community. Future studies are needed to support best practices for peer mentor programs between different grade levels.
Download or read book The Examination of Participation in a Community College Peer Mentoring Program on Social Integration and Academic Success of First time Students written by Karen Goos and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this research study was to add to the body of knowledge on peer mentoring programs and aid college administrators in creating a successful learning environment. This investigation was guided by two conceptual frameworks: Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977) and Student Involvement Theory (Astin, 1999). The study seeks to gain an understanding of what the experiences and perceptions of community college students are concerning peer mentoring programs as they seek to enhance retention of students. This dual case study examined two Midwestern community colleges that were identified as having successful retention rates serving diverse populations. It explored responses from both peer mentoring program administrators and student participants regarding students' social and academic success. Data analysis was conducted from the responses, observational data and document data. From the data, themes emerged indicating there are particular characteristics of peer mentoring programs that administrators will want to include to implement a meaningful program that will both increase learning and student engagement in college.
Download or read book College Student Affairs Journal written by Aaron Hughey and published by IAP. This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring written by David A. Clutterbuck and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2017-02-09 with total page 689 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring provides a scholarly, comprehensive and critical overview of mentoring theory, research and practice across the world. Internationally renowned authors map out the key historical and contemporary research, before considering modern case study examples and future directions for the field. The chapters are organised into four areas: The Landscape of Mentoring The Practice of Mentoring The Context of Mentoring Case Studies of Mentoring Around the Globe This Handbook is a resource for mentoring academics, students and practitioners across a range of disciplines including business and management, education, health, psychology, counselling, and social work.
Download or read book The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-01-24 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mentorship is a catalyst capable of unleashing one's potential for discovery, curiosity, and participation in STEMM and subsequently improving the training environment in which that STEMM potential is fostered. Mentoring relationships provide developmental spaces in which students' STEMM skills are honed and pathways into STEMM fields can be discovered. Because mentorship can be so influential in shaping the future STEMM workforce, its occurrence should not be left to chance or idiosyncratic implementation. There is a gap between what we know about effective mentoring and how it is practiced in higher education. The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM studies mentoring programs and practices at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It explores the importance of mentorship, the science of mentoring relationships, mentorship of underrepresented students in STEMM, mentorship structures and behaviors, and institutional cultures that support mentorship. This report and its complementary interactive guide present insights on effective programs and practices that can be adopted and adapted by institutions, departments, and individual faculty members.
Download or read book Perceptions and Expectations of College Students Choosing to Become Peer Mentors written by Matthew Hicks and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 71 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Peer mentoring programs are a popular means of supporting students in transition in higher education. The success of these programs is based on the students who decide to become peer mentors. Further, institutions often have a variety of peer mentoring programs on their campuses that create varying experiences. The intent on this study was to identify best practices for recruiting peer mentors. The study utilized a quantitative instrument designed to reflect what previous literature suggested had been the positive outcomes of peer mentoring. A total of 110 student leaders at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville participated in the study, representing 11 peer mentoring roles. Levels of influence were measured for 13 different factors hypothesized to affect a student's decision to become a peer mentor. The results of the study suggested that the factors: helping fellow students, enhance leadership skills, and improve communication skills were most influential to college students choosing to become peer mentors. Additionally, it was found that different peer mentoring roles are influenced by factors at varying levels. Recommendations are provided to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of peer mentor recruitment campaigns. Recommendations include: creating a common marketing strategy for recruiting peer mentors at individual institutions, adjusting marketing strategies to recruit diverse peer mentors, intentionally recruiting to students who are mentees within a peer mentoring program, and developing a common recruitment timeline amongst peer mentoring roles at individual institutions.
Download or read book Belonging Beyond the Classroom written by Stephanie Levitt Shaulskiy and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Higher education institutions have invested time and resources into creating a wide range of student organizations to join in order to promote positive outcomes for college students. Previous literature has found links between participating in student organizations and retention as well as positive academic and psychological outcomes. Previous literature has also linked perceptions of belonging in educational settings, such as universities, to retention and positive academic and psychological outcomes. Additionally, literature about underrepresented students in higher education suggests that these students may obtain an even greater benefit from perceiving belonging to a student organization compared to their majority peers. The results from two separate, but related surveys conducted in the same semester are examined in this dissertation, organized into Study 1 (presented in Chapter 3) and Study 2 (presented in Chapter 4). Both studies examine student perceptions of belonging to student organizations (group belonging). Results from Study 1 demonstrate the importance of being a group member for academic success and perceptions of group belonging for psychological well-being. This study did not find support for the hypothesis that there would be stronger associations between perceptions of group belonging and academic success and psychological well-being for underrepresented students. Study 2 examined the factors that contribute to the perception of belonging within student organizations, finding that group cohesion and membership in an academic organization were significantly associated with students' sense of group belonging. This study did not find support for the hypothesis that there would be stronger associations between group cohesion, individual motivation, and activity type and perceptions of group belonging for underrepresented students, compared to their peers. Chapter 5 includes an overall discussion of the two studies together, including implications for practice and a discussion of the limitations to the study design as well as direction for future research.
Download or read book Sense of Belonging Peer Support and Social Media written by Margaret Lyn McBeath and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The primary aim of this study was to examine student perceptions of sense of belonging, peer support, and student social media use and how these factors influence their mental health, overall well-being, and confidence regarding their transition to work after graduation (i.e., school-to-work efficacy). A second aim was to examine the role of social media use on sense of belonging, peer support, and mental health. A third and final aim was to examine the above-mentioned variables in the context of co-operative education (co-op). Participants, undergraduate students (n=314) from all years of study and all academic faculties completed an online survey which included demographic information as well as measures of sense of belonging, mental health status, social connections and peer support systems, social media usage, perceived mental preparedness for the transition to work, and perceived importance of peer support and sense of belonging on mental health and overall wellbeing. The results of this study revealed a number of important findings related to the relationships between sense of belonging, peer support, and social media on school to work transitions and indicators of mental health and well-being. It was shown that student's perceived sense of belonging to their peers and the university community and access to high quality peer support were strongly related to their overall mental health and well-being. Demographic factors were also found to be significantly related to sense of belonging, peer support, and confidence in school to work transitions, and students who participate in co-operative education were shown to have higher levels of school to work efficacy than non-co-op peers. The results revealed that students who reported a strong sense of belonging to school and peers were more likely to report experiencing greater emotional stability and that students who experienced a stronger sense of appraisal and belonging support within the campus community were more likely to report that they experienced better levels of mental balance and happiness. It was also found that while students perceived social media as playing an important role in their perceived sense of belonging and peer support, a high intensity of social media use was related to lower emotional stability in students. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Download or read book Race and Rurality written by Tyler Hallmark and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-11-02 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers context, research, policy, and practice-based recommendations centering college access and success for a historically overlooked population: rural Students and Communities of Color. Through an exploration of how colleges and universities can effectively welcome students from rural areas who identify as Asian and Pacific Islander, Black and African American, Hispanic and Latinx, and/or Indigenous, this text challenges the misleading narrative that rural is white, thereby placing these students and their communities in conversation with national higher education discourse. Rich contributions on scholarship, practice, and policy address the intersection of racism and spatial inequities and consider the unique opportunities and challenges that rural Students and Communities of Color face across the United States’ higher education landscape. Chapters provide direction on creating equitable policies and practices, as well as details of the assets, resources, and networks that support this population’s success. This edited collection provides a wealth of insight into the recruitment, access, persistence, and retention of rural Students of Color, equipping higher education researchers, practitioners, administrators, and policymakers with the knowledge they need to better account for and support rural students and communities across race and ethnicity.
