Introduction
In a perfect world all students of all ages would have someone there to rely on to make sure they have the support needed to get through school. We are not only talking about your standard classroom teacher. We are talking about someone that is experienced and knowledgeable in many different areas, not just in one. These individuals are mentors and can be in the form of teachers, parents, administrators, counselors, etc. The literature seems to indicate that there are numerous mentorship programs happening at the public and private schools for high school students. Some of the programs cater to the locations of where these schools are at and funding of these programs are usually driven higher at the private schools or in locations of where public schools have better funding.
Data Search
For us to be able to carry out the whole research project, it was important that we first dig up information to help us in undertaking the whole research procedure. This would help us come up with informed and well-structured reports and findings that would then pave way for a smooth and effective implementation process. The main sources of information that were to used were books as well as electronic media and databases. The types of information we were looking for were:
Primary source material such as letters, recovered interviews, manuscripts and photographs.
Grey literature such as reports, standards, postgraduate thesis, conference papers, working papers and pamphlets.
Formally published material such as books, periodical journals and wed pages.
We also used repositories to gather information. A repository is and online platform that enables students and researchers to collect, preserve and spread information in digital form some of the repositories used included:
Queen Mary Research online: here we were able to find materials that included research journals and articles that were undergoing paper review and also digital versions of theses and academic dissertations.
Google: though we were able to find limited material, it was till helpful as we managed to find patents, journals, conference proceedings and also academic books.
QMUL Library Subject guides: it was helpful as it enabled us to access a wide range of useful resources, databases and web pages by providing direct links.
Library resources were also another important source of reference that we put into consideration. For easy and quick access to information, we decided to use the electronic database. This would help conduct systematic literature searches and also use of filters would help us narrow down search criteria to offer accurate and relevant data. We decided to use World cat which is the largest online library resource. To narrow down on the information we searched, we set filters to only books and articles. After the search there were more filters to help us narrow down to more specific details such as whether it was an article, book and archival material. These filters were further narrowed down to chapters, downloadable material, large print eBook and also downloadable archival.
Critical Analysis
Now that all the data had been collected, it had to be sorted and analyzed to weed out the less important data and only focus on data that directly touched on the issue of study. For this to take place, critical analysis had to take place. Critical analysis can be define as subjective information assessment and writing as it expresses an individual’s opinion after the evaluation of a text earlier written by another writer. It breaks down information to small bits and individually goes through the bits establishing whether the assumptions and conclusions are fact or fiction.
This analysis requires two processes. The first is critical reading that is all about identifying the writer’s purpose, work structure, how effectively the writer has managed to tackle the problem and how accurate the findings and conclusions of the writer are. The second process is critical writing which as the name suggests is all about writing critical report about the findings or based on the findings. The structure of the writing should encompass the intended audience, the writer’s assumptions and the kind of language used by the author. This process of critical analysis and research will also pit the writer’s work against other works by other writers in the same field. This will help give a clear view on whether the work being analyzed is biased, conforms to other works or it goes the extra mile of covering an area in the field that had earlier not been explored.
The analysis was carried out by analyzing individual documents where ideas were explored and their weight measured to see how they fared in the whole issue of mentorship. The writer’s style of approach was put into scrutiny as well as how the work was structured. Structure is an important part of research as it determines the flow of ideas and how they are organized. This makes it easy for readers to read and relate to the themes of the work and get a deeper understanding of what the writer is talking about. The purpose of the work was also analyzed. This was an effort to establish of what relevance the paper would be to the whole research and implementation.
Purpose would also inject fresh ideas into the whole research. This would be so as the researchers would be able to get new ideas and perspectives concerning the whole research project. The ideas discussed would be an eye opener on whether some parts of research required overhauling, changing or it would give a rational basis for supporting the researches ides (Ameir, 2012). The conclusions and findings would also be instrumental in giving the researchers an impression of what to expect as the most likely result of their research and implementation process. It would also help them figure the chances of success in their projects because consistent findings being made would definitely mean that they would most likely arrive to the same results as their predecessors in the mentorship field of research.
Comparison of works between different writers would be another key element in the whole research procedure. Divergence in the ideas discussed by the different authors would serve to our benefit as it would widen our understanding and give us more options and avenues on how to carry out the whole process of research and implementation. It would also provide us with a number of options in the event that an idea we followed ended up not being viable or we hit rock bottom pursuing the idea. If that happened, all we would have to do would be to choose another idea or point of basis and evaluate its essence and how it would enable us to conduct our implementation smoothly and with maximum gain.
Many ideas would also provide many rationales where ideas could be discussed. The effectiveness and likeliness of ideas being able to provide results would be increased as we would be able to look at the failed ones and the contributing factors that led to their failure and vice versa. We would then take the successful ones and apply them to our current situation and see if they would work or not; and if they would work did they need adjustments? The whole process of putting them into practice would also be considered.
Another important part of the critical analysis would be making observations and conclusions concerning the writers’ findings and possibly the recommendations. This would help us find or figure out a way to shape our whole research based on the conclusions and deductions. This would be using the conclusions of previous works as our basis as what the writer concluded would be what we would use as our question to answer or point of analysis. The conclusions would also be a pointer and regulation to what we were supposed to expect. These conclusions would help us gauge our success in the whole research process and highlight areas of importance we would have possibly left out.
The recommendations made would be analyzed and a common ground achieved. This would be made possible by highlighting the differences and similarities of the suggestions and findings of the earlier writers (Ngunyen, 2005). Works that showed great variance with other works would be further analyzed to see if they contained any additional information or whether the variance was as a result of errors and mistakes made in the process of research. Another possible reason for varying conclusions would be wrong interpretation of information. Bottom line is, the ideas expressed by other writers would be of vital importance in the whole process of digging up information and trying to find justifications to support facts advanced by our research. They would also provide as with a step by step analysis to how we were supposed to undertake our research and implementation process to achieve and arrive at the right results. We would only take up ideas analyze them and come up with new ideas and theories that we would be able to be put into practice and gauge their impact.
Areas of agreement and controversy
As all researches turn out to be, there are similarities and differences in every field of research as individual writers use different means of information evaluation and also how they arrive at results and findings (Borden, 2010). Researches in the wide field of mentorship are not any different as views contrast and different aspects are approached differently by different researches. The end result of such variances is always differing conclusions. One thing that the writers were able to agree on was that both formal and informal mentorship are a very vital aspect personal career development. They also came to agreement that these processes could be applied in the organizations as different organizations had different organizational needs and they require different mentorship approaches for them to achieve success.
Organizations that mainly specialized in technical tasks and activities required an informal mentorship program which mainly had no strict regulations and it was largely characterized by observation (Campolongo, 2010). Mentees would observe what their mentors would do and put the same into practice. In the process of observation they would lend a hand and be able to learn a few things and ask questions where they did not understand. On the other hand, organizations that mainly dealt with administrative functions required a formal mentorship program. It would help them to avoid confusion and mix up of activities as every mentee would be assign a mentor who would always be held accountable in the event a mentee makes a gross mistake or after a while he/she has gained very little experience. Writers therefore looked at the use of the two types of programs as a beneficial move as this approach was need specific as focused on how the organization would benefit. It also helped find the most suitable way for the mentee to gain experience during the mentorship program.
One thing they were however not able to agree on was which method was superior between the two. Every writer seemed to have bias and leaned on one side and the decision had to be made by the reader as to which method was superior (DuBois, 2002). Writers favoring the informal mentoring program talked about mentee gaining more knowledge using a more hands on approach. They faulted the formal mentorship program by saying it was more like a classroom as mentees would be spoon fed where they would be systematically be taught everything. This would in the long run make them dependent as they would never be able to make informed and independent decisions. This would be so since they would be used to operating within a framework whereby conditions and guidelines are spelled out to them and they are expected to follow them. They level of decision making and confidence in dictions they made would be at minimal as they would always feel like they have to consult a superior person first.
The pro-formal mentorship program writers on the other hand defended their side by stating that it offered an organized and effective means of mentorship. This is so as progress could be evaluated and specific needs of mentees would be addressed. Pairing of mentors and mentees was also another strong point they brought forward by stating that the correct mentors were chosen and assigned to mentees. This served to benefit the mentees as they would receive guidance and mentorship from qualified mentors. They faulted the informal mentorship program by saying it was disorganized and a brewing point for incompetent professionals. They talked about mentees not being in a position to gauge and the levels of advancement determined. They termed mentorship programs as a cover for lazy mentors who would not be held accountable as there was no formal means of measuring progress and improvement (Garza, 2012). They also advanced the likelihood of wrong pairing of a mentor and mentee.
These diverging views are what served as points of basis to gauge the effectiveness and importance of our research to the institution where the formal mentorship program would be implemented. They would provide us with pros and cons of the method we were taking up and the stepping stones on how to undergo the whole implementation process. The important thing is that we would be able to get a clear and unbiased view of the whole mentorship topic of discussion.
Emergent themes
All research works always have themes as this is one of the reasons the writers undertake the whole process of coming up with the research work. One theme that came out cleared was preparedness of mentees to be absorbed in the job market. All the efforts that put into the mentorship program boiled down to this fact (Wheeler, 2010). The initial idea as to why formal mentoring programs are introduced to institutions is to prepare potential employees into the work environment. They are shaped and made observant with the norms, traditions and regulations in the specific field they studied for (Gordon, 2013). As such they are made ready to fit into the setting once they obtain formal employment.
Another important emergent theme is the organizations making maximum gains from the extra sets of helping hands. Formal mentorship programs also favor organizations by providing them with effective and efficient helpers. The formal mentoring program places mentees under specific mentors. In the process the mentors can teach the mentees some lessons and delegate some tasks to them. This will leave them with more time and room to handle more work. In the start they will be able to delegate about a quarter of their work to their mentees. As time goes by and the mentees get to learn, the work load can be split in the ratio of 1:3 or by half between the mentee and mentor respectively.
Another thing that came up was the availability of jobs after the mentorship program. Mentees who had undergone in formal mentorship found it had to find jobs as compared to their counter parts in the formal mentorship programs. This was mainly because of the fact the ones in the formal mentorship programs were mostly absorbed by the institutions they undertook the mentorship program (Strapp, 2014). Another disadvantage for the mentees in the informal mentorship program was that the technical sector turned out to be saturated and therefore it was not easy to find employment.
Gaps in the literature
The literature had two questions that still unanswered. The first question was an explanation of how formal mentorship came up and broke out from the traditional informal mentorship program. The conditions under which the formal mentorship program was able to develop are also not discussed which leaves a wider gap gap when talking about its emergence and history. There is not literature that talks about the reason that sparked off the split and variance in the two programs.
The second question that has not been answered is how mentees of the two programs performed once they join the job market. The most effective employees should be brought out and also characteristics that make them stand out should be discussed at length. Employers opinions and performance records of employees that have gone through different types of mentorship programs should have been put into comparison. Parameters to be considered would include work rate, adaptability and career advancement.
Most dominant writers
Some of the most outstanding writers in the field are Ameir C., Borden C., Gordon J. and Nguyen T. The reasoning behind this is the fact that they have actively written directly on issues and matters that touch on mentorship programs in the schools setting; high school setting to be precise. As such they have been able to give an in depth and direct analysis concerning the whole process of mentorship in schools as they base their entire research on mentorship programs in the schools. This means that their research narrows down to one specific area of concern.
Strapp C. and Garza R. are also writers worth a mention as despite the fact that their writings did not specifically touch on mentorship programs in high schools, they wrote generally about mentorship amongst adolescents and the youth. This is still the age group that is mainly found in high schools and therefore this point validates the relevance of their research in the whole topic of mentorship programs in schools and how they relate with the people found in these institutions.
Conclusion
The literature available is more than sufficient to carry out extensive and proper research in respect to formal mentorship programs in schools. It will be enough to provide a back drop as well as injecting fresh and additional ideas in the whole process of coming up with strategies and guidelines on the best practices to implement the program. Therefore, basing ideas of previous research and findings arrived at; it is safe to say that the chances of success in the program are pretty high. Solutions to problems that are currently ailing the whole process of research and implementation are also contained I the available literature.
References
Ameir, C. (2012). Exploring the Impact of Career Mentoring on High School Dropout: A Qualitative Phenomenological Investigation. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1288021757
Borden, C. (2010). Implementing Effective Youth Mentoring Relationships for High School Students. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/programs/slcp/finalimplem.pdf
Campolongo, E. (2009). Intentional Peer-Mentoring Programs in Christian Schools: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Research on Christian Education, 18(1), 69-83. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&id=doi:10.1080/10656210902751842
DuBois, D., Holloway, B., Valentine, J., & Cooper, H. (2002). Effectiveness of Mentoring Programs for Youth: A Meta-Analytic Review. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(2). Retrieved from http://www.wmich.edu/evalphd/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Effectiveness-of-Mentoring-Programs-for-Youth.pdf
Garza, R. & Ovando, M. (2012). Preservice Teachers’ Connections of Pedagogical Knowledge to Mentoring At-Risk Adolescents: Benefits and Challenges. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(3), 343-360.
Gordon, J., Downey, J., & Bangert, A. (2013). Effects of a School-Based Mentoring Program on School Behavior and Measures of Adolescents Connectedness. School Community Journal, 23(2), 227-250. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1028864.pdf
Nguyen, T. (2005). Successful Mentoring in High Schools. Study of High School Restructuring, (6).
Strapp, C., Gilles, A., Spalding, A., Hughes, C., Baldwin, A., Guy, K., Lamb, A. (2014). Changes in Mentor Efficacy and Perceptions Following Participation in a Youth Mentoring Program. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 22(3).
Wheeler, M., Keller, T., & DuBois, D. (2010). Review of Three Randomized Trials of School-Based Mentoring. Social Policy Report, 24(3). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED519242.pdf
Winn, B. (2010). Characteristics of Adult to Student Structured Mentoring Programs Occurring in Christian High Schools. Retrieved from http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.882004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3439900
