Student response to a compulsory mentoring scheme in a Technological Education degree

A mentoring scheme was introduced, on an experimental basis, into a 4-year undergraduate Technology degree programme. Establishment of such a scheme was intended to benefit the development of students and encourage them to take more responsibility for their own learning. Students from all 4 years were required to participate and the mentors, students from years 3 and 4, were assessed. Motivating students to take part proved to be the greatest stumbling block. This article examines and evaluates both the processes and difficulties encountered. It discusses the students´ response to the scheme, outlines the subsequent changes that resulted, and offers suggestions for further study. A workable and much less ambitious scheme now operates within the degree programme where final year undergraduates can opt to mentor students in earlier years on a voluntary basis and are assessed. Peer tutoring has also been introduced more subtly within some courses.