Mentee perceptions of beneficence of faculty-centered academic mentoring: Reflections from a pilot program

Abstract

There are three notable changes that have radically changed the landscape of higher education in South Africa (SA) over the past decade. These changes relate to access which is reflected in the growth of the student body, a movement towards free university education and a call for decolonisation of knowledge recently led by the #FeesMustFall movement in 2015. Academic mentoring can be a reflexive praxis to some of the reported challenges that have been associated with formal and epistemological access in higher education in South Africa. This article draws on the findings of a two-year pilot project (2015 to 2016) that explored academic mentoring within the Faculty of Engineering and Building Studies at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa. The article reflects on mentees' perceptions of the benefits of academic mentoring. The uniqueness of the article is that it highlights the value of mentoring during the transition between the first year at university and subsequent senior years of the students' academic trajectory. A survey approach using an evaluation-based questionnaire was employed in a sample of 14 (n = 14) participants in the first to fourth years of study towards a Bachelor's degree in Engineering. The perspectives of mentees were examined in terms of their experiences of participation and perceived benefits of mentoring, both academic and psychosocial. Generally, a considerable number of mentees who participated in the programme saw academic and psychosocial benefits resulting from their participation. Findings provide key considerations in support of the expansion and continuity of academic mentoring programmes in the Faculty of Engineering and Building Studies and the University at large. Academic mentoring is beneficial to all the stakeholders involved if it is done correctly.

Influence of Student Research Mentoring on Research Publications Output During COVID-19 at One Higher Education Institution in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

“…28 Another issue is that it appears as though both the purpose and role of supervision are unclear. The first thing is supervision, which is defined as the highest form of instruction, 29 critical conversation 30 and mentorship, 31 while in the second instance, supervisor motivations could include knowledge acquisition, collaborative publications, and self-esteem, with each motivation bringing with it a distinct set of demands on students. According to Wadesango, one of the most common grievances from research students is a scarcity of mentorship and inconsistent interaction with their supervisors, who might be overworked with administrative or teaching responsibilities, have too many students or be overwhelmed with administrative or teaching obligations or spend too much time away from the university.…”

“…Phiri mentions that research is crucial for the growth and transmission of information, which is why postgraduate students should publish their work. 8 Research also helps to advance current knowledge. Although Wadesango identified mentoring as the key factor in the postgraduate research publication output process, the below-average publication output by the rural HEIs, especially during COVID-19 portrays that something needs to be done and that has intrigued the interest of the researchers to investigate the causes that are behind the poor output rate in rural HEIs of the Eastern Cape Province.…”