Women Scholars Pilot E-mentoring Peer Program: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Despite a growing body of research exploring e-mentoring among women, literature on e-mentoring in peer teaching between women scholars is limited. Women scholars often face challenges which hinder their academic progress. These challenges include gender bias, limited access to professional networks, and difficulty in balancing work and family responsibilities. Aiming to foster an inclusive research community for women from diverse backgrounds, this exploratory study examined the experience of six women scholars in a 6-week Pilot E-mentoring Peer Program hosted by the Ronin Institute Women’s Interest Group. The objectives of this pilot program were to empower women scholars by offering professional and psychosocial support from their peer scholars. Participants were asked to create a participant profile followed by a self-matching process to find their peer-mentor. Participants were expected to communicate at least one hour every week for six weeks via an agreed digital communication method with self-directed mentoring goals. A survey, including Likert scale, open-ended and close-ended questions, was designed to explore participants’ experience of the program. We conducted basic text analysis on the open-ended responses and used a descriptive approach to present the results. Our findings evidenced the presence of professional and psychosocial support between participants, achieving the aim of this pilot program.

Recommendations for future improvements include extending the mentoring period, expanding participant networks, and offering continued support after the program finished. The practical implication of such programs has the potential to create inclusive academic environments that support underrepresented groups.