"Mentor" is a term widely used in academic medicine but for which there is no consensus on an operational definition. Further, criteria are rarely reported for evaluating the effectiveness of mentoring. This article presents the work of an Ad Hoc Faculty Mentoring Committee whose tasks were to define "mentorship," specify concrete characteristics and responsibilities of mentors that are measurable, and develop new tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship. The committee developed two tools: the Mentorship Profile Questionnaire, which describes the characteristics and outcome measures of the mentoring relationship from the perspective of the mentee, and the Mentorship Effectiveness Scale, a 12-item six-point agree-disagree-format Likert-type rating scale, which evaluates 12 behavioral characteristics of the mentor. These instruments are explained and copies are provided. Psychometric issues, including the importance of content-related validity evidence, response bias due to acquiescence and halo effects, and limitations on collecting reliability evidence, are examined in the context of the mentor-mentee relationship. Directions for future research are suggested.

<H4>ABSTRACT</H4> <P>Teaching nursing students therapeutic communication skills begins in the classroom and extends to the clinical environment. The usual method of instruction consists of random patient encounters observed by faculty and measures of competence that rely on paper-and-pencil tests. Using standardized patients (SPs) offers an alternative approach to the traditional method of teaching. Standardized patients are individuals who have been carefully trained to present an illness or scenario in a standardized, unvarying manner. This pilot study compared use of SPs with the usual method of instruction in a class of undergraduate nursing students. Results indicated that students who participated in the SP method overwhelmingly described the experience as positive, creative, and meaningful. No significant differences were found between the two groups on measures of interpersonal skills, therapeutic communication skills, and knowledge of depression.</P> <H4>AUTHORS</H4> <P>Received: July 30, 2002</P> <P>Accepted: February 1, 2005</P> <P>Ms. Becker is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Adult Nurse Practitioner Program, Dr. Rose is Director, Baccalaureate Program, Ms. Berg is Instructor, and Ms. Park is a doctoral student, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing; and Dr. Shatzer is Director, Office for Teaching and Learning in Medicine and Center for Experiential Learning and Assessment, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.</P> <P>Address correspondence to Kathleen L. Becker, MS, CRNP, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, #459, Baltimore, MD 21201; e-mail: <A HREF="mailto:KBECKER@son.jhmi.edu">KBECKER@son.jhmi.edu</A>.</P>

Background: Excellence in teaching and learning (ETAL) constitute important aims of nursing schools. At present, these aims are measured by course evaluations, students' passing rate of NCLEX exams (in the United States), graduate' students' employment rate, and positions, and graduates' continuing with post-graduate education. In order to continue improving ETAL in nursing schools, it is necessary to explore this phenomenon more fully. Methods:A qualitative study using a community-based participatory research design was conducted at a leading nursing school in the U. S. In three phases, the perspectives of the students (phase one) and of the faculty (phase two) were elicited, as well as a model for ETAL developed (phase three). Students' views on barriers and facilitators to ETAL were obtained in focus groups. Faculty were interviewed. The model development involved inductive, as well as retroductive theory development strategies. Focus group and interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results:In this manuscript, the results from phase one will be reported. A total of 41 students (bachelor, Masters and doctoral) participated in this phase. Three main themes were identified: Teaching excellence, Learning excellence, and Nursing as a new language. Students highlighted the need for congruence and coherence between the course syllabus and course assignments as essential contributors to teaching excellence. The supportive environment existing at the school was appreciated as it contributed substantially to learning excellence. Finally, the students highlighted that the clinicals were the most important elements in the curriculum. Clinicals allowed for an immersion in the practice field and, thus, were the most important way of learning Nursing as a new language. Conclusions:The findings of the study's phase one have been taken into consideration by the newly developed Office for Teaching Excellence (OTE). A number of supportive measures for faculty have been developed and are on offer to faculty. Programs were improved in order to better support students in their learning excellence. Phase one of this study has highlighted that program coherence and congruence constitutes an important factor for excellence in teaching and learning.

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The fourth annual APSA Conference on Teaching and Learning in Political Science was held in Charlotte, North Carolina from February 9–11, 2007.Through this special annual meeting APSA continues to promote greater understanding of cutting-edge approaches, techniques, and methodologies that can be applied in the political science classroom. This conference provides a forum where scholars and educators share effective and innovative teaching and learning models and discuss broad themes and values affecting political science education.The Conference addressed crucial questions in higher education, such as enhancing student engagement via civic education, service learning, and assessing learning outcomes; integrating international models and into teaching and learning methods; and strengthening efforts by learned societies such as APSA to support good teaching. In addition, the Conference reflected APSA's objective of reaching out beyond traditional approaches to higher education, and includes college/university faculty, high school teachers, librarians, publishers, as well as international participants. For a full list of participants and more information on the 2007 Conference, visit . For information on the 2008 Conference, contact teaching@apsanet.org.