Can showing shared interests improve student-teacher mentoring?

What was the primary aim of this study?

To experimentally test the impact of an intervention designed to improve instructor-student mentoring relationships in college biology Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs).

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What does the acronym CURE stand for in biological education?

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What is the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence (TIMSI)?

A theoretical framework that explains how and why people socially integrate into educational and professional communities from a social influence perspective.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

According to TIMSI, what are the three distinct social influence processes through which people integrate into academic communities?

Self-efficacy, identity, and internalization of community values.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What does POMM stand for, and what does it describe in mentoring relationships?

Process Oriented Model of Mentorship; it describes the inputs to, processes of, and outcomes from mentoring relationships.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What are the three support functions of mentoring processes defined by the POMM?

Psychosocial support, instrumental support, and role modeling support.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What does the acronym "CBoaF" represent?

Creating Birds of a Feather.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What does the "Creating Birds of a Feather" (CBoaF) intervention prompt students and teachers to do?

They complete interest surveys and are shown their shared similarities to enhance perceptions of similarity and relationship quality.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What research design was implemented in this study to evaluate the CBoaF intervention?

A cluster randomized pretest-posttest research design.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

How many classrooms and universities participated in the study's initial data collection?

15 biological science college classrooms across 13 universities in the U.S.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What was the final analytic sample of students after removing those who did not respond to at least one outcome?

505 students clustered within 15 instructors.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

Did the cluster random assignment produce equivalent groups at baseline?

No, the control group classes reported higher average levels of psychological similarity and mentoring relationship quality at pretest.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What was the main overall effect of the CBoaF intervention on students' posttest psychological similarity with their instructors?

There was no overall main effect of the CBoaF intervention on posttest psychological similarity.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

How did pretest psychological similarity moderate the effect of the CBoaF intervention?

The CBoaF intervention boosted posttest perceptions of similarity only among students who initially perceived low similarity with their instructor at pretest.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

Did the CBoaF intervention have a direct main or moderated effect on posttest instructor-student mentoring relationship (ISMR) quality?

No, the results showed neither a direct main effect nor a moderated effect of the intervention on ISMR quality.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

How did course enrollment size relate to student perceptions of similarity with their instructor?

Larger course enrollment sizes were associated with lower student perceptions of similarity.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What was the indirect effect of the CBoaF intervention on instructor-student mentoring relationship (ISMR) quality?

CBoaF had a positive indirect effect on ISMR quality through its positive impact on perceived posttest similarity.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

For which specific group of students did the indirect effect of the CBoaF intervention on ISMR quality hold true?

This mediated effect only held true for students who initially expressed low perceptions of psychological similarity at pretest.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

Why are Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) considered important contexts to study mentoring?

CUREs emphasize authentic scientific practices, discovery, and collaboration through mentorship, departing from traditional instructor-centered lectures.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What are some effective mentoring strategies specifically identified for CUREs?

Strategies include faculty availability, community building, addressing student needs, participation in the broader research community, and understanding students’ conditions.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

According to meta-analytic evidence cited in the paper, which type of similarity is most strongly correlated with mentorship support and relational satisfaction?

Psychological (or deep-level) similarity.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What is the "similarity attraction paradigm" described in the study's literature review?

The tendency for individuals to develop a preference for and develop positive relationships with those who resemble themselves.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

Under the TIMSI framework, how do faculty mentors promote students' integration into the scientific community?

By acting as key social influence agents who provide support that leads to gains in self-efficacy, identity, and values.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What variables were included as statistical controls in the study's regression models?

Student and instructor gender identity, a student-by-instructor gender-match interaction term, and course enrollment size.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

How did the average enrollment size of the intervention group classrooms compare to the control group classrooms?

The CBoaF (intervention) classes happened to have much larger average enrollment sizes than the control classes.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

How did the researchers statistically control for the unequal classroom enrollment sizes and baseline pretest differences?

They introduced statistical controls including students' initial pretest status and course enrollment variables in their models.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What three categories of similarity does the Process Oriented Model of Mentorship (POMM) distinguish?

Demographic (surface-level), experiential, and psychological (deep-level) similarity.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What three categories of questions were asked on the CBoaF "getting to know you" survey?

Multiple-choice questions about participants' interests, personal lives, and values.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

How is the "internalization of community values" process defined in the TIMSI framework?

Embracing and disseminating the values upheld by the scientific community.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

According to the study's findings, are students with weak first impressions of similarity easily identified by demographic proxies like race or gender?

No, students with weak first impressions of similarity are not easily identified through demographic proxies like gender, race, or generational status.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified

What is a major implication of this study for instructors and designers of large-enrollment STEM classes?

They must carefully design learning environments to promote connections, as large classes naturally dampen perceptions of similarity and subsequent instructor support.

Source: Amplifying similarity to promote college STEM instructor-student mentoring relationship quality: a cluster randomized trial · DOI · quote verified