Peer Group Mentoring Research Articles

Supporting New Teachers. The Finnish and Israeli Mentoring Models

In this article, we will have a closer look at two models of teacher mentoring, which for many years have been successfully operating in two culturally different countries: Finland and Israel. Following the methodology of comparative research according to Raymond Boudon, I will identify and briefly characterise the main social mechanisms, which lie behind the particular approach to mentoring in the two analysed models: Self-Determination Theory and Work Motivation (Israel) and Peer Group Mentoring (Finland), including the axiological-rational prerequisites for their application.

The role of mentoring in developing leaders’ emotional intelligence: exploring mentoring types, emotional intelligence, organizational factors, and gender

Emotional awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and resilience are key components of emotional intelligence. Twenty-first-century leaders require such competencies, and prior research establishes a positive impact of emotional intelligence on leadership and well-being. The mechanisms through which leaders develop these competencies remain unclear. Mentoring, a developmental tool linked with well-being, has not been extensively studied for its role in emotional intelligence development. The current study investigates this relationship within the context of vocational education and training in South Africa. The mentoring framework includes individual, peer group, and key performance area mentoring. In previous research on this mentoring framework, leaders perceived emotional well-being as the most important outcome of mentoring and development, constituting another vital factor. Data were collected from a treatment group of leaders who have participated in the mentoring framework and a control group of leaders and lecturers (N = 139). The present study used exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to validate the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test within this context. In the next step, we employed descriptive analysis to answer which mentoring type was best perceived to support emotional intelligence. Using the Mann–Whitney U test, we tested for significant differences in the identified factors between treatment and control group. Mediated and moderated mediation analyses explored variables such as gender, occupational role, organization, and work sector. Results indicate a six-factor structure of emotional intelligence, with significant differences observed between groups in the factor empathy difficulty. Peer group mentoring emerged as an effective method for emotional intelligence development among leaders. The perceived importance of emotional intelligence for one’s job position, the organization, and the work sector mediated five of the six factors. The moderated mediation analyses showed an indirect effect of gender, where being male was associated with more trustworthy visionary and empathy. The findings underscore the significance of peer mentoring practices and organizational factors in nurturing emotional intelligence, highlighting its value for personal and organizational well-being. Overall, the study sheds light on developing emotional intelligence at all organizational levels to support individual and collective well-being.

Facilitated Peer Group Mentoring for Underrepresented Biomedical Researchers: Facilitators' Experiences and Implications for Dissemination of a Curriculum.

Peer group mentoring facilitated by senior faculty represents an effective approach. However, for underrepresented biomedical researchers, access to senior faculty from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups is limited. We explored motivations, benefits, and challenges for facilitators enrolled to deploy an intervention in the context of a randomized controlled trial that tested two peer group mentoring strategies for underrepresented early career researchers. Peer group sessions were co-facilitated by two senior underrepresented faculty. Thirty-six faculty were recruited as facilitators over four years. The facilitators' primary motivation was advancing the diversity of the workforce, the primary benefit was satisfaction from helping underrepresented researchers, and the primary challenge was time. Understanding motivations, benefits, and challenges of facilitators informs efforts in recruiting and retaining facilitators and disseminating this curriculum and others like it, to the broader community.

Online peer-group mentoring: An innovative mentoring program within an Australian professional association

This article describes an online peer-group mentoring program to support career-long professional development, professional identity development, and stronger experiential peer-to-peer learning. It was developed in response to ongoing interest among members of the Australian Evaluation Society (AES), a professional association that aims to improve the theory, practice, and use of evaluation. It is intended to complement the technical training that can be provided through workshops or professional training and conventional one-on-one mentoring that members may access in other ways. Now in its third year, the program refined its focus and major objectives from promoting technical skills and knowledge to a broader focus on building professional networks, reducing professional isolation, and enhancing professional confidence. Two distinct approaches emerged from the first two years of the program, with each approach appealing to different participants. Some groups focused broadly on career development and professional network building, while others focused on topics of particular interest to participants. The peer-group approach is relevant to other professional associations in which practitioners tend to work alone or in small groups. Evaluation findings can inform other such associations about designing and implementing online group mentoring programs for their members.

Group peer mentoring to improve faculty connections and enhance mentoring networks.

Difficulty finding mentors and forging connections in academic departments can be challenging and became even more so when the COVID-19 pandemic reduced opportunities for informal networking. Even as restrictions on in-person meetings eased, many faculty preferred meetings to remain virtual. Because some of the most powerful predictors of faculty vitality are positive professional relationships and feelings of inclusion and belonging to an institution, attending to faculty needs in this area is important to mitigate undesired lingering consequences. We created structured peer mentoring groups for our department's physicians and psychologists that meet virtually. Groups span career stages, academic appointments and clinical interests. The purpose was to establish a deeper culture of mentoring, increase feelings of connection to a supportive community within the department, facilitate career planning and enhance the development of skills necessary in academic medicine such as teaching skills, scholarly productivity and personal wellness. A survey conducted after the first year of the programme was completed by 70% of eligible faculty (31/45). Ninety-six percent felt the programme had created an inclusive and appreciative culture, 86% met faculty members they had never met before and 79% sought mentoring advice from a colleague they would not usually have interacted with in that manner. All participants appreciated hearing their colleagues' perspectives on topics they do not typically discuss. Departmentally based group peer mentoring that spans career stages and interests can facilitate faculty connections and enhance a supportive culture of mentorship.

Mentoring for Admission and Retention of Black Socio-Ethnic Minorities in Medicine: A Scoping Review.

Despite numerous mentoring strategies to promote academic success and eligibility in medicine, Black students remain disproportionately underrepresented in medicine. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review to identify the mentoring practices available to Black pre-medical students, medical students and medical residents, specifically the mentoring strategies used, their application, and their evaluation. Between May 2023 and October 2023, the authors conducted a literature review. Studies that described a mentoring strategy applied among Black learners were eligible for inclusion, and all years of publication were included. Two reviewers screened each article using the Covidence tool, and conflicts were resolved by a third author. All reviewers extracted the data to summarize the various mentoring practices. After screening 6292 articles, 42 articles met the criteria for full review. Of these, 14 studies were included in the study. Mentoring practices for Black students included peer mentoring, dyad mentoring, and group mentoring. Mentoring was typically offered through discussion groups, educational internships, and didactic activities. Evaluation of mentoring programs took into account (1) pass rates on medical exams (eg, MCAT, Casper), (2) receipt of an invitation to a medical school admissions interview, (3) successful match to a competitive residency program, and (4) a mentee's report of the overall experience and effectiveness of the program. This review is the first, to our knowledge, to focus on mentoring strategies implemented among Black learners in medicine. The results will inform mentoring strategies adapted for Black learners and will therefore address the underrepresentation of Black students in medicine.

Vocational education and training in South Africa: leaders' perceptions of a mentoring framework in a professional development programme

PurposeThe South African vocational education and training (VET) sector is required by legislation to redefine postsecondary education, advance industrialisation and expand the job market to address unemployment in the country. Yet, VET leaders' heterogenous educational and occupational backgrounds do not enable them to address the needs of the VET sector. Continuous professional development of leaders in the education sector needs to include support structures such as mentoring.Design/methodology/approachThe present study sought to investigate how VET managers in South Africa perceive three different types of mentoring – individual, peer group and expert-based key performance area (KPA) mentoring – during a part-time professional leadership development programme. Using interactive qualitative analysis (IQA), the authors collected and analysed data from focus group discussions (n = 24) and individual interviews (n = 21) from two cohorts of the programme.FindingsThe results revealed that individual mentoring represented the most important driving mechanism, followed by peer group mentoring and expert-based KPA mentoring. Participants identified leadership as a prerequisite for their development. Emotions formed the final outcome of the mentoring framework.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the findings, the authors suggest investigating the role played by leaders' interpersonal competences such as emotional competence in the workplace. Additionally, research needs to clarify if and how mentoring can support leaders to develop interpersonal competences in formal and informal settings.Originality/valueThe study offers empirical evidence on a three-pillar mentoring framework adopted in a professional development programme for leaders in VET in South Africa. It highlights the importance of individual, social and emotional factors.

Abstract 17730: Facilitated Peer Mentoring: A Novel Model for Promoting Equitable and Inclusive Mentoring for Underrepresented Trainees in Academic Medicine

Introduction: Underrepresented minoritized(URM) cardiologists represent less than 8% of the US cardiology workforce. A positive role model, access to mentorship, and a diverse workforce influences the choice of cardiology as a subspecialty. Recognizing this, we established a novel facilitated peer-mentoring research group, the “Ogunniyi Research Group (ORG),” with the goal of creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for trainees to develop cardiovascular research proficiencies. Methods: Our team consists of a lead mentor(cardiologist), 2 co-facilitators(cardiology fellows), and 4 resident-led teams of medical students and residents(Figure 1). Our mission is to advance cardiovascular health and equity through research, advocacy, and service; built on core pillars of mentorship, scholarship, leadership, community, and service. Mentees complete an individual development plan and meet regularly with the lead mentor to ensure milestones are met. Teams engage in research and quality improvement projects, which are reviewed at virtual monthly meetings. Quarterly academic medicine research seminars focus on building research skills. Results: 26 trainees participated during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic year. Most trainees (>95%) self-identified as Black, with equal sex representation. Major accomplishments include >16 abstracts presented at conferences, co-authorship on >10 publications, and several prestigious awards, grants, honors, and scholarships. 4 team members were selected as chief medical residents. To date, we have secured 100% residency and cardiology fellowship match rate. Conclusion: Our novel, multilevel, facilitated peer mentoring group has increased access to research and professional development opportunities, especially for URM trainees interested in cardiology. The ORG can serve as a model sustainable pathway for equitable mentorship, promoting diversity and inclusion in the cardiology workforce.

Facilitating Faculty Development for Training in Multicultural Competence in Health Service Psychology Graduate Programs Through an International Collaboration

Abstract: A critical aspect of strengthening graduate-level clinical and counseling psychology training in cultural competence is to build capacity among faculty teaching in these programs to provide effective training. We addressed this need through an international collaboration between a university in India and another in the United States that included faculty travel to another country, peer mentoring groups, and review of curricula. This article describes faculty perceptions of this program and its perceived impact on their professional development and outlines curricular and research outcomes that resulted from the program. Across 4 years, a total of eight faculty visits took place with Indian faculty ( n = 13) visiting the United States and US faculty ( n = 11) visiting India. After each visit, faculty at both institutions responded to open-ended questions about the usefulness of these visits and completed a rating scale at the end of the program through an online survey. Faculty from both countries indicated that the visits contributed to enhanced cultural awareness and sensitivity by broadening their perspectives and learning about cultural similarities and differences. Indian faculty described learning about new pedagogical methods and enhanced motivation to engage in research and publish, along with new collaborative opportunities. US faculty described incorporating cultural competence more centrally in their teaching and clinical supervision through increased commitment, as well as inclusion of more global and diverse content and assignments aimed to increase students’ cultural competence. These responses provide preliminary support for the usefulness of cultural immersion experiences for faculty professional development.

Feasibility and impact of school-based nutrition education interventions on the diets of adolescent girls in Ethiopia: a non-masked, cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

Adolescence is a critical period of physical and psychological development, especially for girls, because poor nutrition can affect their wellbeing as well as that of their children. We aimed to assess the feasibility and impact of a package of nutrition education interventions delivered through public primary schools on the diets of adolescent girls in Ethiopia. In this non-masked, cluster-randomised, controlled trial, primary schools (clusters) in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region and Somali region of Ethiopia were randomly allocated to the intervention group (nutrition information provided during flag ceremonies, classroom lessons, school club meetings, peer group mentoring, BMI measurement and counselling, and parent-teacher meetings) or the control group (standard academic curriculum on health and nutrition) by use of computer-generated pseudo-random numbers. Duration of the school-based interventions was 4 months, and the key messages were related to dietary diversity (eating a variety of foods), energy adequacy (eating breakfast and healthy snacks), and healthy food choices (avoiding junk foods). Adolescent girls were eligible for participation if aged 10-14 years and enrolled in grades 4-8 in a study school. Data were collected with two independent cross-sectional surveys: baseline before the start of implementation and endline 1·5 years later. The primary outcome of impact was dietary diversity score, defined as the number of food groups (out of ten) consumed over the previous 24 h using a list-based method, and minimum dietary diversity, defined as the proportion of girls who consumed foods from at least five of the ten food groups, in the intention-to-treat population. We also assessed intervention exposure as a measure of feasibility. We estimated intervention effects using linear regression models for mean differences at endline, with SEs clustered at the school level, and controlled for adolescent age, region, household food security, and wealth. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT04121559, and is complete. 27 primary schools were randomly allocated to the intervention group and 27 to the control group. Between March 22 and April 29, 2021, 536 adolescent girls participated in the endline survey (270 in the intervention group and 266 in the control group), with median age of 13·3 years (IQR 12·1-14·0). At endline, the dietary diversity score was 5·37 (SD 1·66) food groups in the intervention group and 3·98 (1·43) food groups in the control group (adjusted mean difference 1·33, 95% CI 0·90-1·75, p<0·0001). Increased minimum dietary diversity was also associated with the intervention (182 [67%] of 270 in the intervention group vs 76 [29%] of 266 in the control group; adjusted odds ratio 5·37 [95% CI 3·04-9·50], p<0·0001). 256 (95%) of 270 adolescent girls in the intervention group were exposed to at least one of the five in-school intervention components. Integrating nutrition interventions into primary schools in Ethiopia was feasible and increased dietary diversity incrementally among adolescent girls, but could be limited in changing other food choice behaviours, such as junk food consumption, based on nutrition education alone. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Research Initiative Supporting Excellence at the University of Cincinnati (RISE-UC): A Program to Develop and Support Research-Active Faculty Members.

A combination of forces have markedly increased challenges to research-active faculty achieving sustained success. This article describes how one department at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM) implemented a strategic plan, the Research Initiative Supporting Excellence at the University of Cincinnati (RISE-UC), to promote the research activity of its research-active faculty, fiscal year (FY) 2011-FY 2021. RISE-UC was implemented and regularly updated to address evolving needs. RISE-UC supported faculty members pursuing research via fiscal and administrative services to grow a critical mass of investigators; establish a shared governance model; create pathways for developing physician-scientists; develop discrete and targeted internal research funding; establish an Academic Research Service (ARS) unit (as infrastructure to support research); enhance faculty member mentorship; and recognize, celebrate, and reward research success. RISE-UC was informed by shared governance and resulted in substantial increases in total size of the faculty and external funding. More than 50% of Physician-Scientist Training Program graduates are active researchers at UCCOM. The internal awards program realized a return on investment of ~16.4-fold, and total external direct cost research funds increased from ~$55,400,000 (FY 2015) to ~$114,500,000 (FY 2021). The ARS assisted in the submission of 57 grant proposals and provided services faculty members generally found very helpful or helpful. The peer-mentoring group for early-career faculty members resulted in 12 of 23 participants receiving major grant funding (≥ $100,000; spring 2017-spring 2021) from sources including National Institutes of Health awards, Department of Defense funding, Veterans Affairs funding, and foundation awards. Research recognition included ~$77,000/year in incentive payments to faculty members for grant submissions and grants awarded. RISE-UC is an example of a comprehensive approach to promote research faculty member success and may serve as a model for other institutions with similar aspirations.

Editorial

Editorial

Pediatric nursing students’ self-efficacy regarding medication administration and clinical comfort and worry: A pre-posttest comparative study of nurse mentoring versus peer mentoring

AimThis study aimed to examine the effect of mentoring practice by graduate nursing students and clinical nurses on students’ self-efficacy in pediatric medication administration, clinical comfort and worry levels of students taking pediatric nursing courses. BackgroundChildren are a highly sensitive group against medication administration errors. Improving the self-efficacy of student nurses who will work with this group toward medication administration is essential. Mentoring programs can increase students’ skills and self-efficacy by reducing their stress levels during clinical practice. DesignThe research is a two-group pretest-posttest randomized controlled experimental research design. SettingsThe study was conducted in the pediatric units of a training and research hospital located in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey between October 1, 2022 and December 30, 2022, as part of the clinical practice of the Pediatric Nursing course in the fall semester of 2022–2023. ParticipantsThe study sample consisted of 143 students (peer mentoring group=73, nurse mentoring group=70) who were 3rd-year students taking the pediatric nursing course. MethodsParticipant information form, Medication Administration Self-Efficacy Scale in Children for Nursing Students (MASSCNS) and Pediatric Nursing Students Clinical Comfort and Worry Tool (PNSCCWT) were administered to the students before the clinical practice. Then, the groups received mentoring practice in the clinical practice area for 14 weeks. At the end of the practice, MASSCNS and PNSCCWT were administered to the students again. ResultsThe groups were homogeneously distributed when compared according to descriptive characteristics (p > 0.05). The self-efficacy scores of the students in both groups after clinical practice were significantly different from those before clinical practice (tnurse=-4.724, pnurse=0.000 <0.05; tpeer=−3.742, ppeer=0.001 <0.05). ConclusionsThis study’s results indicate that nurse mentoring and peer mentoring effectively increase nursing students’ self-efficacy during pediatric clinical practice. While nurse mentors decreased students’ worry, peer mentors increased students’ clinical comfort levels.

Value of multidisciplinary peer mentoring

Biomedical acoustics is a multidisciplinary field. As such, both the scientific field and its members have the potential to benefit from the interactions and cross-fertilization of different subfields. Peer mentoring groups (PMGs) can promote multidisciplinary interaction. A PMG involves the intentional, structured, and consistent interaction of individuals at similar career stages. The horizontal organization of a PMG can promote a safe and supportive environment, enabling greater knowledge sharing. PMG knowledge sharing is bidirectional, providing benefits to all participants and an opportunity to leverage diversity, which yields outcomes. In one example from our institution, a research-active group of junior faculty from different academic divisions within a department of internal medicine met biweekly to review, on a rotating basis, active grant applications, critiques of rejected proposals, and career development challenges. Another example was an interdepartmental graduate program where doctoral students studying a range of fields (e.g., infectious diseases, cancer, metabolism, and cardiovascular disease) engaged in a journal club and a seminar series. In both settings, participants had the opportunity to benefit from the recognition of thematic and methodological overlap in their otherwise disparate studies, which promoted best practices in research. In summary, PMGs provide value to both participants and the field.

O AMBIENTE EDUCACIONAL PELAS LENTES DE UM GRUPO DE MENTORIA ENTRE PARES PARA ESTUDANTES DE MEDICINA

ABSTRACT: The perception of the learning process is shaped by individual experiences and related to the academic environment. This article aimed to evaluate the perception of the educational environment of medical students linked to the peer-mentoring group GEDAAM (Study Group on Didactics Applied to Medical Learning) at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. The data come from a cross-sectional study with 129 members of GEDAAM. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) scale was used to assess the perception of the educational environment. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed (Chi-square test). For almost all assessed domains, the students' perception was more positive than negative (Global score = 108.41). The longer the length of stay at GEDAAM, the worse the Global perception of the educational environment. It is suggested that participating in GEDAAM contributes to a more critical view of the medical teaching environment.

Development and Retention of Early-Career Clinician-Scientists through a Novel Peer Mentorship Program: Multidisciplinary Intensive Care Research Workgroup.

Early-career clinician-scientists often leave academic medicine, but strong mentorship can help facilitate retention. Beyond the traditional dyadic mentor-mentee relationship, formal peer mentoring provides a rich means to augment career development and foster independence. To describe a model for early-career peer mentorship and the retention of participating early-career clinician-scientists in academic medicine. In 2015, a multidisciplinary and interprofessional group of early-career clinician-scientists focused on critical care developed a peer mentoring group at the University of Michigan called the MICReW (Multidisciplinary Intensive Care Research Workgroup). We describe the establishment, sustainability, guiding principles, challenges, and successes of MICReW. MICReW was established to be a formal, peer-only mentoring group without the direct participation of senior mentors. The purpose of MICReW was to support and promote the research and career development of early-career clinician-scientists by creating an environment that fostered diverse opinions, constructive feedback, and camaraderie. As a group, we wrote a mission statement and defined our guiding principles. Our sustainability, growth, and adaptability (seamlessly transitioning to all virtual meetings) were possible by the continued investment of our peer members. To date, MICReW has had 30 members, of whom 15 are current members and approximately half are women. Nearly all members (n = 29/30) remain in academic positions, and half (n = 15) have been awarded career development awards. Most members also report significant benefits from being a member of MICReW. The MICReW peer mentorship model is a sustainable and adaptable peer mentoring model whose members continue to be engaged in academic medicine.

Women’s ways of mentoring: Peer group mentorship as a meaningful developmental experience

ABSTRACT Peer group mentoring can serve as a meaningful developmental experience and outlet for women. Historically, as well as in contemporary contexts, women have been excluded from traditional mentoring relationships and developmental opportunities. In this paper, the authors utilize the lived experiences and voices of one dozen executive-level professional women to highlight how peer group mentoring can serve as a valuable developmental experience. This study illuminates that these peer group mentoring experiences were a catalyst for development due to (a) mutual engagement by the mentoring collaborators; (b) shared dialogue and learning; and (c) support for one another within and beyond the Circle gatherings.

Examining peer group mentoring in teaching practicum and its impact on the process of pre-service teachers’ joint reflection

ABSTRACT This case study examines joint reflection in the context of peer group mentoring during the teaching practicum, involving three pre-service teachers and a mentor engaging in discussions supported by the video recorded lessons taught by the pre-service teachers. The approach to joint reflection was non-prescriptive and pre-service teacher-initiated. The roles of the peer group and the mentor are explored in the light of their impact on pre-service teachers’ joint reflection process. The findings challenge prior research by demonstrating that pre-service teacher-initiated reflection has the potential to assist peer groups in creating a common language and learning context to acquire practicum knowledge, develop practical tools and build inferential knowledge. The findings also reveal that mentors’ role needs not be directive, but they can maintain the role of a co-reflector throughout the peer group mentoring process. The implications for teacher education are discussed.

Online Peer-Tutoring for Programming Languages Based on Programming Ability and Teaching Skill

Web-based cooperative learning could enhance students’ learning motivation; however, learning activities in this process are rather confusing because of the lack of structured learning strategies, resulting in unfavorable learning achievements. With the peer tutoring learning environment to encourage students’ mutual learning and development, an online peer-tutoring platform for programming languages with peer mentoring is established herein for one-to-one peer tutoring activities. With students with higher learning ability as tutors and those with lower learning ability as tutees, tutors can provide online peer tutoring for programming languages via demonstrations and flowcharts to discuss the effects of using different teaching methods for learning activities on the learning achievement of tutees. Based on these teaching methods for peer learning, 52 undergraduates were divided into experimental groups A and B; each group was further divided into peer mentoring group and non-peer mentoring group based on the ability levels. The results show that learning activities with the online peer-tutoring platform for programming languages could assist both groups in enhancing their learning achievement and ensure positive attitudes toward programming languages. In the analyses, the peer mentoring group was preferable in peer tutoring for programming languages with demonstration, while the non-peer mentoring group did not appear significant.

‘I’m a foreign teacher’: legitimate positionings in the stories of a migrant teacher

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines one migrant teacher’s identity positions in the context of a peer mentoring group setting in Finland. Combining theories of legitimacy and teacher narratives, this study asked which positions were available and legitimate for a migrant teacher. The analysis of three of the stories the teacher (‘Ji Yoo’) shared was inspired by Barkhuizen’s three-step framework for examining positioning in teacher narratives. Findings showed that Ji Yoo’s most legitimate positions were being ‘foreign’, novice teacher, cultural broker, and expert teacher, the latter two being the least frequent and least explicit ones. The authors suggest that migrant teachers’ struggles of having their expertise and experience recognised and shed their ‘foreign’ label persist even in contexts that are intended to support and empower practitioners.