Mentoring
Examining Mentors’ Navigation of Online Environments and Use of Student Support Practices
This report utilized Michigan Virtual student learning interfaces and survey data to examine the navigation patterns of Michigan K-12 mentors within student learning interfaces and their perceptions of student support practices. Findings suggest that mentors’ student loads vary based on specific factors. Mentors consider relationship building, motivating students, and monitoring student progress as effective practices. Furthermore, mentors reported varying degrees of usage of tools within the student learning interfaces.
MVLRI Research in Review: K-12 On-Site Mentoring
The role of an on-site mentor changes and evolves throughout the semester but it remains critical to students, particularly in terms of relationship building and motivating online learners. On-site mentors can have a profoundly positive impact on students, however the quality and level of support provided is inconsistent across the state.
Helping Online Students Be Successful: Student Perceptions of Online Teacher and On-site Mentor Instructional Support
In this report, we share and discuss student perceptions related to online teachers and on-site mentors’ instructional responsibilities that required knowledge of the online program and course content: (1) advising students regarding course enrollments, (2) orienting students to online learning procedures and expectations, and (3) instructing students regarding the course content.
Helping Online Students Be Successful: Student Perceptions of Online Teacher and On-site Mentor Facilitation Support
In this report, we focus on findings related to on-site mentors’ and online teachers’ facilitation efforts that required interpersonal and management skills: (1) facilitating interactions, (2) developing caring relationships, (3) motivating students to more fully engage in learning activities, and (4) organizing and managing student learning.
Helping Online Students Be Successful: Parental Engagement
Although policies aimed at increasing graduation rates in the United States can be divisive and politically charged, it is almost universally agreed upon that parental engagement will be a critical element in the solution. Unfortunately, the failure rates in online courses are higher than those found in traditional courses. While any solution will be complex, it is likely that parents will play a critical role, just as they have in face-to-face contexts.
Helping Online Students Be Successful: Mentor Responsibilities
In this research, we interviewed 12 online teachers and 12 on-site mentors who had high student pass rates in an attempt to identify the strategies that mentors used to improve student success in online courses. Online teachers believed that it was critical that mentors fulfilled their responsibilities and that mentors had the potential to be the deciding factor in whether students passed or failed their courses. However, in practice teachers reported that many mentors fell short and that the mentoring in their courses was just “pretty good” overall. As K-12 online enrollments increase, it is imperative that researchers, course providers, school administrators, online teachers, and on-site mentors work to improve the mentoring support that is provided to students. Although these efforts can be difficult, it is critical to the success of all online students.
Supporting Online Learners: Michigan Mentor Program Case Studies
A mentor can make all the difference whether you’re a new employee on a job or a young person looking for guidance from a caring adult. In online learning, a good mentor can be the difference between passing and failing. A case study of mentor programs conducted by MVLRI describes what mentoring looks like in a particular school, develops a set of profiles that illustrate the range of mentoring programs across the state and provides points of comparison for mentors, instructors, administrators, parents and students about alternative support structures and strategies for online learners.
Categories
- Ai (4)
- Blended Teaching & Learning (14)
- Effective Practices in Online Learning (22)
- Effectiveness Reports (12)
- Mentoring (7)
- Michigan (44)
- Motivation & Social Emotional Learning (6)
- Online Teaching and Professional Development (21)
- Program Evaluation / Quality / Policy (27)
- Research in Review (11)
- Special Populations (13)
- Student Centered Learning (10)
- Student Pacing (10)