Student Services: Academic Mentoring

ACADEMIC MENTORING

Dr. V. THANIKAHCALAM

POLYTECHNICS• Majority of polytechnic students

are from lower middle class• A large number of polytechnics are

self-financing• About 80% of the polytechnics are

rural based.

POLYTECHNIC LECTURERS• The teachers of the polytechnics

are new graduates without adequate exposure to industry and instructional systems technology.

POLYTECHNICS• Many polytechnics do not have

Training and Placement Officer.• The vacancies of faculty vary from

40 to 70% even in Government Polytechnics

• Most of the polytechnics do not have development planning for the faculty and staff

POLYTECHNICS STUDENTS• Majority of the students are not

aware of the trends in industrial development

• Are not aware of job potential• Lack of communication skills

STUDENT STRENGTHS• Motivated• Intelligent• Ready to acquire professional skills• Positive attitude• Achievers

STUDENT NEEDS• Advisors for academic planning• Coaches for academic activities• Mentors for overall professional

achievement.

MENTORS• Influential senior faculty members

who significantly help mentees reach their major life goals.

• Trusted and significant leaders• Experienced and knowledgeable

faculty members

• Facilitators• Committed to providing assistance

for upward mobility• Guides• Friends• Encouragers• Supporters and Advisers

MENTORING PROCESS• A relationship which gives people

to share their professional and personal skills and experiences and to grow and develop in the process

PROCESS - 1• A complex, interactive process

occurring between individuals of differing levels of expertise which incorporates interpersonal or psycho social development, career and / or educational development, and socialization functions in to the relationship (Carmil, 1988)

PROCESS - 2• Carefully planned activities to

encourage mentees to analyse and reflect on their work performance, and to review the proposed next step in their personal career management programmes. (Garrick and Alexander, 1994)

PROCESS - 3• Facilitates the learning to learn of

their employees / students, contributes to the process of meaning-making in the institution and hence to its responsiveness to its environment, while meeting the developmental needs of faculty / students (Beardwell & Holder 1994)

PROCESS - 4• Involves teaching protégés

how to advance in education and acquiring abilities.

PROCESS - 5• Partnership between a more

experienced faculty and student new to a role or the institution. It involves teaching, counselling providing psychological support and motivation (Lacey 1999)

PROCESS - 6• Mentoring is a process of

empowering individuals by helping them capitalize on their personal and professionals trengths, giving them the support and guidance to challenge themselves and take risks, and helping them to find an appropriate and rewarding career path. (Appelbaum 2000)

MENTORING PROGRAMME• Should focus on helping an

individual to assess his / her experience, and strengths and weaknesses, and providing guidance and support to enable them to make the most of opportunities that arise.

BENEFITS OF MENTORING• Benefit to the protégé• Stronger culture• Better team work• Better uses of human resources• Promotion of ideas gained by the

institution

PLANNING A MENTORING PROGRAMME• Address the key issues• Expectations of the programme• Structuring the programme• Measurement and Evaluation

STUDENT NEEDS• Enhancing the achievement• Getting good industrial exposure• Industrial Training

DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCIES• Problem solving skills• Financial management skills• Motivation for further education• Selection of projects• Improving communication skills• Maintenance skills

MENTORS• Heads of Departments• Senior Lecturers• Willingness to accept responsibility• Ready to listen• Scrutinizing student records• Evaluating the students aptitude• Fixing the goals

MENTORING PRE-REQUISITES• Allocation of mentors based on

speciality• Matching of mentors and protégés• Listing to the expectation of the

protégé• Scheduling meeting between the

mentors and protégé• Exchanging e-mail Ids, phone

numbers, addresses.

MENTORING PROCESSES• Identification of problems of the

protégé• Reflective discussion with the

protégé• Empathetic responding• Recognizing and assessing

mentee’s needs

DISCUSSIONS WITH MENTEES• Reviewing the problems• Analysis of the problems• Enumerating the solutions• Evaluation of the solutions• Selection of priority solutions

SELECTION OF SOLUTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATIONS• Protégé’s readiness• Second review of the solutions• Consultation with mentor

SUSTAINING THERELATIONSHIPS• Mutual respect• Managing the mentoring

relationship• Encouragement• Nurturing• Right attitude

ROLES OF PROTÉGÉS• Set out achieve new skills and

knowledge• Identification of development needs• Setting goals• Formulation of action plan to

achieving learning goals• Seek guidance and advice in

professional development

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROTÉGÉS• Accept responsibility for their own

decisions and actions, and maintain confidentiality

• Acting on expert and objective advice• Carryout set tasks and projects

ROLES OF MENTORS• Facilitate the mentee’s learning

and growth• Provide information, feedback and

constructive comments• Evaluate the mentee’s plans and

decisions• Support and encourage

RESPONSIBILITIES OF MENTORS• Highlight short falls in agreed

performance• Maintain confidentiality• Manage learning experience in the work

place• Select and advocate appropriate

learning strategies• Invest time and effort• Maintain regular contact and

communication with the mentee

BENEFITS TO THE POLYTECHNIC• Increased productivity • Improved management and

technical skills• Excellence in performance• Supper leadership• Better recruitment and retention of

skilled faculty

• Established networks• Improved delivery of services• Improved student commitment• Enhancing institutional culture and

image• Valuing faculty through recognition

of individual contributions

BENEFITS TO THE STUDENTS (PROTÉGÉS)• Acquiring intellectual skills and

professional competencies• Acquiring problem solving skills• Acquiring self-confidence• Expanded vision• Improved communication• Improved satisfaction• Empowered to achieve

BENEFITS TO THE MENTORS (FACULTY MEMBERS)• Job satisfaction• Improved enthusiasm and intrinsic

rewards• Professional recognition• Transferring experience and knowledge• Enhanced self-esteem• Super leadership• Contribution to create excellence

LIMITATIONS• Time• Unsatisfactory relationships• Protégés reluctance• Mentors reluctance• Unsatisfactory climate

HOW TO MAKE A MENTORING A SUCCESSFUL EVENT?• Discussion with the protégés• Periodical review of the progress• Discussion with the mentors• Networking of mentors to tackle

special problems

SUCCESS FACTORS• Open discussion• Implementation• Review at various intervals• Replanning

PLAN FOR MENTORING IN YOUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE• Discuss with HoDs / Senior

Lecturers• Discuss with the students• Plan the activities

THANK YOU!