Subject: Archaeology. Course: All. Study level: First semester. Size of class: Approx. 35 students (may be used for all class sizes)
The motivation behind the mentor scheme is to assist the students to settle in and to send a signal to each of the students that they are being “seen”. Another purpose is to create reflection in the students through meta-communication on life as a student, academically and personally, and to help them with any doubts they might have regarding their studies.
The activity is a framework for all courses in the first semester of Archaeology.
At the beginning of their studies, first-semester students will be introduced to a mentor, e.g. a teacher, a PhD student or an assistant professor affiliated with the department or section. Each mentor is assigned to four to six students per year group, and the time they spend on their involvement is counted as working time. Within the first two months of the programme (in this case by 1 November), the students must submit an assignment to their mentor, and all mentor meetings must have been held.
Before the meeting, the students submit the assignment to their assigned mentor, who then reads it.
The mentor meeting, which is scheduled to last approx. 15 minutes, takes as it point of departure the student’s reasons for choosing this degree programme.
After this meeting, the student may choose to use the mentor again. Only one meeting is scheduled, but the students are connected with the same mentor throughout the Bachelor’s degree programme. This means that the mentor acts as a go-to person during this period.
The experience gained at the department is mixed. Some mentors experience that the students do not really use their mentor after the first meeting, whereas others come back for more meetings. The students respond that it is nice for them to know that they have the possibility of approaching a mentor if they need or want to. Students also state that the scheme has a positive effect on their well-being as students.
This example of practice is developed in connection to "Projekt 1. studieår", where initiatives for retention at the faculty of arts at Aarhus University was mapped.
