Perspectives on Undergraduate Research Mentorship_ A Comparative Analysis Between Online and Traditional Faculty.pdf

With an increase in distance faculty, it is important to understand how faculty perceptions of

undergraduate research mentorship differ between distance and traditional faculty. Perceptions were

examined in a medium sized, not-for-profit university with both residential and distance faculty.

Residential faculty were more likely to mentor or were very interested in undergraduate research, but

overall interest in mentorship was similar across campuses. Faculty status or career experience was not

correlated to interest or engagement in research mentorship. Traditional faculty were more likely to

report time commitment as a significant barrier than distance faculty. Other barriers and benefits were

aligned between campuses, with top benefits, barriers, and motivators being student-focused as opposed

to faculty or institution-focused. The majority of faculty surveyed hold undergraduate research as an

integral component of higher education. Recommendations for future include the exploration of online

student motivation and preparedness to engage in research as well as the mindset (fixed versus growth)

of faculty regarding student motivation and preparedness.