Mentoring Programme: Concept & Importance

The requirement for guided and supervised learning has become the foundation of the new higher education model. One response to such a need has been the implementation of mentoring programmes to help students learn and provide guidance. Mentoring is the positive, supportive facilitation of learning and development between someone with more experience, knowledge, or expertise in a particular field and someone who is less knowledgeable or new to that field. Regardless of structure, all mentoring programmes are fundamentally a transactional process of support based on a mutually respectful relationship. Successful mentoring programmes are conceptualised and planned to ensure that the programme meets its objectives, that it has sound processes, that all participants have clear expectations and roles, and that it has an effective evaluation system for continuous improvement. Mentors and Proteges gain self-efficacy, pedagogical confidence, and interpersonal skills. Staff can support a wide range of open learning tasks in order to accommodate a personalised learning approach for large cohorts, with trained mentors working in the classroom to provide point-of-need feedback to maximise learning gains. Low-cost innovations that boost academic achievement and have a positive effect on retention and student satisfaction benefit the institution. Because they are "classroom ready" and equipped to handle the difficulties of challenging learning environments, the resulting high-quality graduates benefit society.Book Editors - Dr. Purnima Srivastava & Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharm