Benefits/Costs Training Materials        

Benefits and Costs of ELE Peer Mentoring Program 

Mentoring programs can benefit students, teams, mentors, instructors and departments.  Costs are trivial. 

Group

Benefits Costs
To Students and Student Teams
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Individualized support: Mentors’ primary focus is active learning with a few individuals or within small teams.                                         

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Outside perspective of performance: Mentors give students and student teams a window into their performance from the outside.

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Role model: Mentors act as role models in both engineering practice and in learning.

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Deeper learning experience: Mentors challenge students to learn more deeply and perform more professionally.

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Reduces student stress and frustration: Mentors provide a safety net as students attempt greater challenges.

bullet None
To the Mentors
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Greater Experience: Mentors develop professional skills facilitating groups, giving feedback, observing other’s progress, logging self-growth of skills.

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Involvement in learning community

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Small stipend: Mentors typically receive $150 to $300 / semester credit.

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Credit: Mentors typically receive 1 credit for a 2hour lab and a1 hour prep meeting/week.  Mentors who complete 3 semesters of mentoring (3 credits) will fulfill 1 technical elective.

bullet Three hours of effort per week for each credit hour of mentoring.
To the Faculty
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Extends faculty efforts: Faculty presence is amplified by the number of mentors, creating a broader base of learning.

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Higher learning challenges: Mentors bridge the gap for “sticking spots” when high challenge is introduced.

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Time management: Time effective means to support increasing student loads.

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Course improvement: Effective course improvement ideas and feedback from the mentors.

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Development time of curricular materials

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Shift preparation time to mentors

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Involvement with training and prep of mentors

 

To the Department
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Builds community: Faculty, mentors, and students build a functional learning community with high standards of performance.

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Unique experience: Students have a unique and positive learning experience, leading to increased retention.

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Time and/or compensation for a faculty to direct program

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Cost of stipends for mentors