Conceptualizing and Testing a Near-Peer Mentoring Model in Raising Youths' Self-Efficacy in Computer Programming

• In Event: Teaching and Learning: Career and Professional Development

Abstract

Self-efficacy plays an important role in youths’ participation in Computer Science. In the present study, we designed a near-peer mentoring model around efficacy-relevant information and tested its effectiveness in a programming camp. The model utilized mentors’ practices of modeling, instructive and motivational feedback to enhance mentees’ enactive and vicarious experiences and to increase their received persuasion. During the summer of 2019, we trained nine high-school-aged mentors to forty-five middle-school-aged campers to program. Data were collected from a pre-and-post-survey and an exit interview. Findings showed the model’s potential in increasing youths’ self-efficacy. We found verbal persuasion was important for fostering self-efficacy and while they did not directly influence self-efficacy, modeling and instructive feedback enhanced campers’ learning experience, which improved self-efficacy.

Authors

• Chongning Sun, Utah State University

• Jody E. Clarke-Midura, Utah State University