You are asked to participate in a research study conducted by Dr. Clayton Smith and Dr. Geri Salinitri from the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel to contact Dr. Clayton Smith, at Clayton.Smith@uwindsor.ca.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to explore the educational outcomes and program effectiveness of the Concurrent Education Peer Mentoring Program at the University of Windsor. We hope to determine whether the peer mentoring program increases the sense of integration into learning communities and perceptions of support for first-year students, and confidence in leadership skills and mentorship skills for fourth-year students. Additionally, we hope to gain a better understanding of how these goals can be accomplished.
PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to:
Complete a Pre-Mentoring Experience Survey
You will be asked to complete a short online survey at the beginning of this year, which should take about 10-15 minutes to complete. This survey will help the researchers understand your perceptions and assessment of your skill level prior to your experience in the mentoring program.
The researchers will use the results of this survey to understand the needs of students at the beginning of the year. At the end of the year, you will be asked to complete a similar survey for comparison to investigate any changes that may take place throughout your involvement in the peer mentoring program.
Attend Voluntary Focus Group Meetings
Throughout your experience in the peer mentoring program, four focus group meetings will be held (two meetings per semester). Each focus group discussion will last for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour and will occur online. During these meetings, researchers will ask open-ended questions, leading a group discussion about your mentoring experiences so far. These focus groups may be audio recorded for the purpose of transcription. These meetings will help the researchers understand your perceptions of the program, and how the mentoring experience affects change over time.
Attend Optional One-on-One Interviews
If you would like to contribute to the research by participating in an interview about your mentoring experience, you will be able to schedule a one-on-one meeting by contacting Dr. Clayton Smith through email at clayton.smith@uwindsor.ca. Interviews may last 30 minutes to 1 hour and will occur online or on-campus (depending on COVID restrictions). These interviews are available as an option for students who are unable to attend focus groups or would prefer to speak privately instead of in a group setting, and for students who attend focus groups, but would like to offer additional information about their experiences.
Complete a Post-Mentoring Experience Survey
At the end of the year, you will be asked to complete a short online survey, similar to the survey you completed at the beginning of your mentoring experience. This should take about 10-15 minutes to complete. The results of this survey will help the researchers to understand the ways in which participation in the mentoring program promotes change.
POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
There are no known physical or psychological risks associated with participation in this study.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
We believe that this study will be valuable in contributing to knowledge about the outcomes of peer mentoring to mentors and mentees in higher education. The findings will provide information that may be useful to educators, administrators, and researchers. We are hoping that this information can be shared with other institutions to help with mentoring programs and theory development.
COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
As a participant in this study, you will be eligible to win one of three pre-paid credit cards worth $25 in a concluding draw.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study, and that can be identified with you, will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission. All recordings of meetings made with audiotape or videotape will be deleted within 1-3 days after data collection, after the creation of a written meeting transcript. The accuracy of the information collected will be verified through a summary of the main points at the end of each focus group. Only the researchers will have access to the raw data and this information will be password-protected.
Retained data will be erased after 3 years have passed. Although your words may be quoted, your name will not appear in any reports or publications resulting from this study.
PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
The investigator may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise that warrant doing so. Your participation is voluntary. You may refuse to participate, refuse to answer any questions, or withdraw from the study at any time with no effect on your marks in the Teaching and Learning course. Your information may be removed from the study at your request or at the discretion of the researchers.
FEEDBACK OF THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY TO THE PARTICIPANTS
Prior to the release or presentation of study findings in publications or public presentations, we will provide an opportunity for participants to learn and discuss the overall findings of the study in a meeting planned for May 2022. Additionally, a summary of the study results will be available at the following web address: https://www.uwindsor.ca/people/csmith/381/outcomeseffectiveness-student-mentoring-postsecondary-concurrent-education-program
Date when results are available: 30 May 2022
SUBSEQUENT USE OF DATA
These data may be used in subsequent studies, in publications, and in presentations.
RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
If you have questions regarding your rights as a research participant, contact: The Office of Research Ethics, University of Windsor,