Author(s)

J. McGrath Cohoon, M. Gonsoulin & J. Layman

Abstract

We investigated the nature and outcomes of faculty mentoring behaviour at 117 undergraduate computer science programs in the United States. Our data describe who mentors undergraduates, how much, in what way, and why. We also tested the relationship between mentoring and departmental outcomes including mean grade point average, retention in the major, progression to graduate school, and whether the gender balance of enrolment and retention are influenced. Our study found evidence that mentoring has a positive effect on how many of a department’s seniors go directly to graduate study and the quality of the programs these students will attend. It also appears that mentoring motivated by the desire for diversity helps retain women in computer science programs. Keywords: mentoring, women in computer science, gender, grade point average, retention, attrition, progression to gra

Keywords