Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring
Abstract This study explores the potential of reverse mentoring as a way to renew the student–supervisor relationship in the Chinese higher education setting. We interviewed 17 Chinese undergraduates who engaged in informal reverse mentoring with their supervisors while working on undergraduate rese...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Future in Educational Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.17 |
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| author | Yanjuan Hu Zixi Zhou |
| author_facet | Yanjuan Hu Zixi Zhou |
| author_sort | Yanjuan Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study explores the potential of reverse mentoring as a way to renew the student–supervisor relationship in the Chinese higher education setting. We interviewed 17 Chinese undergraduates who engaged in informal reverse mentoring with their supervisors while working on undergraduate research projects. The findings reveal the existence of informal reverse mentoring dynamics between Chinese undergraduate students and their supervisors in three specific areas: (1) students provide fresh perspectives and expand their supervisors' ideas; (2) students actively introduce new research tools and techniques to their supervisors; and (3) students challenge their supervisors' viewpoints, including identifying their mistakes. Our study also shows that informal reverse mentoring benefits supervisors primarily through enhanced professional development and benefits students through increased sense of fulfillment, self‐confidence, and engagement. The analysis further identifies several personal and contextual factors that influence the practice of informal reverse mentoring. We also discuss the potential of (informal) reverse mentoring as a tool for intergenerational learning and the key role of the supervisor as a change agent to innovate their interaction style with Generation Z students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d379e2ac662c4083b2e10c3a4a2a0f61 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2835-9402 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future in Educational Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d379e2ac662c4083b2e10c3a4a2a0f612025-02-06T15:35:20ZengWileyFuture in Educational Research2835-94022024-03-0121496410.1002/fer3.17Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoringYanjuan Hu0Zixi Zhou1Faculty of Education Southwest University Chongqing ChinaCollege of Foreign Languages and Cultures Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan ChinaAbstract This study explores the potential of reverse mentoring as a way to renew the student–supervisor relationship in the Chinese higher education setting. We interviewed 17 Chinese undergraduates who engaged in informal reverse mentoring with their supervisors while working on undergraduate research projects. The findings reveal the existence of informal reverse mentoring dynamics between Chinese undergraduate students and their supervisors in three specific areas: (1) students provide fresh perspectives and expand their supervisors' ideas; (2) students actively introduce new research tools and techniques to their supervisors; and (3) students challenge their supervisors' viewpoints, including identifying their mistakes. Our study also shows that informal reverse mentoring benefits supervisors primarily through enhanced professional development and benefits students through increased sense of fulfillment, self‐confidence, and engagement. The analysis further identifies several personal and contextual factors that influence the practice of informal reverse mentoring. We also discuss the potential of (informal) reverse mentoring as a tool for intergenerational learning and the key role of the supervisor as a change agent to innovate their interaction style with Generation Z students.https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.17Chinese undergraduatesGeneration Zinformal reverse mentoringstudent–supervisor relationship |
| spellingShingle | Yanjuan Hu Zixi Zhou Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring Future in Educational Research Chinese undergraduates Generation Z informal reverse mentoring student–supervisor relationship |
| title | Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring |
| title_full | Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring |
| title_fullStr | Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring |
| title_short | Ready to learn from your students? Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of informal reverse mentoring |
| title_sort | ready to learn from your students chinese undergraduate students experiences of informal reverse mentoring |
| topic | Chinese undergraduates Generation Z informal reverse mentoring student–supervisor relationship |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.17 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yanjuanhu readytolearnfromyourstudentschineseundergraduatestudentsexperiencesofinformalreversementoring AT zixizhou readytolearnfromyourstudentschineseundergraduatestudentsexperiencesofinformalreversementoring |