A multiple-case study on peer mentoring across different contexts: Higher education students' experiences and engagement

This multiple-embedded case study aimed to explore how participation in peer mentoring programs implemented in online, hybrid, and face-to-face contexts facilitated higher education students' engagement and their experiences related to the content and context of the program. In this peer mentoring program, seven mentors and ten mentees met once a week for ten weeks. During these meetings, they participated in different activities based on the The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) framework, which were designed to facilitate engagement. Before the program, individual pre-interviews were conducted with all participants to explore their engagement. During and after the program, separate focus group interviews were conducted with mentors and mentees. Participants reported that through this program, their collaboration skills were supported, they were more involved in campus activities, and they were more aware of and used university facilities. Regarding the content of the program, participants reported that the role- play activities that helped them gain skills such as collaboration and the activities where they discussed university activities and campus facilities that provided them with applicable insights were highly beneficial. Concerning the context of the program, the findings indicated that the participants favored the hybrid peer mentoring program since it had the advantages of both online and face-to-face contexts. Participants shared that they were able to benefit from the flexibility of time and space offered by the online context, while taking advantage of the ease of communication and strong interaction provided by face-to-face context.