Faculty set to enhance peer mentoring opportunities
Students in the Faculty of Communication and Culture are among those who will benefit from $112,000 in funds that the Student's Union has awarded to peer mentoring programs across the university. Peer mentors are third- and fourth-year students who mentor other students in academic course work they themselves have previously completed. The faculty has run peer mentoring for three years, during which 42 peer mentors have served in 16 different courses. The funds will help to sustain peer mentoring in the faculty over time.

"Peer mentors provide a perspective that neither the professor nor tutorial assistant can-that of an undergraduate student who has recently completed the course," says Dr. Tania Smith, who leads the peer mentoring initiative for the faculty and was part of the team that submitted the proposal for funds. 

"It's a win-win for all the students and teachers involved. Students benefit from their mentor's encouragement through a variety of activities such as class presentations, study groups and one-on-one conversations about assignments and readings. At the same time, peer mentors enroll in a credit course, GNST 501.35, in which they learn group facilitation and coaching skills, write reflections on their service, and discuss readings that deepen their own learning.. Finally, even award-winning teachers have appreciated hosting a former student who can inspire them and give feedback on what is or is not working well in the class." 

 

Named "Quality Money," the University partnered with the Student's Union to make funds available to initiatives that enhance undergraduate education. The peer mentoring program was one of many projects chosen by the Student's Union to receive funds. The peer mentoring funding will enable the Teaching and Learning Center to build a network across the university that will support course and program development involving undergraduate peer mentorship.  The faculties of Nursing and Science have also developed similar "curricular peer mentoring" models.

 

In over 400 surveys of Communication and Culture students who have been mentored by a peer, an average of 73-77% reported increased academic engagement or learning from participating in mentor-led activities. They also reported that having a mentor increased the morale of the class, mentors made the course content seem less intimidating and that knowing the mentor was there for help increased their self confidence.

 

For more about Peer Mentoring in the Faculty of Communication and Culture, see the program website at http://www.ucalgary.ca/~smit/PeerMentoring/Public.htm 

 

For more information about the Quality Money initiatives visit: http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/march2008/quality-money