How to support biology students in choosing their specialization?
Malgorzata Duda
Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland
Challenge and goal
The challenge:
After the first year of undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, biology students must choose a specialization to follow for the next two years, which will conclude with a thesis supervised by an academic teacher conducting research in the chosen field. Many students lack a clear plan for their future or a career idea, so they often choose a specialization randomly or based on familiarity with the lecturers they met during mandatory courses in the first year. After a year of working on a thesis in a field that does not interest them, they often feel disappointed and bored, leading them to drop out of further studies. This is also a problem for the Faculty, which loses students in whom it has already invested.
The goal is to implement a first-year academic mentoring program that helps biology students discover their strengths, weaknesses, and potential career paths, guiding them toward an informed specialization choice and increasing student retention.
Topic of the user case
Supporting biology students in choosing their specialization and encouraging them to continue their studies through academic mentoring.
Local context (specific)
Local context can be considered based on three main aspects: a) student needs, b) available resources, and c) the stance of the Faculty authorities. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in shaping the environment for implementing an academic mentoring program.
a) First-year students often face challenges in making informed decisions about their specialization because they lack a deep understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, they may not be aware of the specific details or challenges related to completing a thesis in a given specialization. As a result, many students make their choices based on limited knowledge gained during the first year, often influenced by their familiarity with the faculty rather than by a thorough understanding of the academic and professional demands of each field.
b and c) The Faculty of Biology has sufficient resources in the form of teachers who are not only willing but also well-prepared to lead a mentoring program. However, the issue lies with the dean's office, which is concerned about financial matters and does not fully understand what academic mentoring is or how it could benefit biology students.
Local CPD goals
Local CPD goals refer to those aimed at enhancing the skills and competencies of teachers and academic staff in the context of implementing a mentoring program. These may include: developing mentoring skills by providing training for teachers in effective mentoring techniques, enabling them to better support students in identifying their strengths and weaknesses; raising awareness of the benefits of mentoring by organizing workshops or informational sessions for faculty and department authorities, helping them understand how mentoring can improve student outcomes, particularly in the field of biology; strengthening teacher-student relationships by promoting a more individualized approach to teaching and fostering closer, supportive relationships between teachers and students.
Needs defined in STEM-CPD Roadmap
Competences
Attitudes
Activities
CPD activities at the local university
Firstly, organizing a brief seminar for the Faculty of Biology Administration to present the concept of mentoring (user case). During the seminar, the mentoring program's objectives, benefits for students and the department, and planned actions will be discussed. This will serve as an introduction to initiate a discussion and gain support from the administration. Secondly, arranging a meeting with the Biology Program Committee, where the user case will be presented, and participants will jointly analyze the details of the mentoring program. The discussion will focus on identifying challenges and opportunities for program implementation, with active involvement from the Committee members. Finally, conducting strategic consultations with academic staff who are certified mentors to present the user case as a proposal for consideration. The consultations will focus on assessing needs, potential benefits for the department, and discussing the conditions for implementing the program.
Teaching and learning materials
Organizing a workshops with an external experts to present an academic mentoring as a support tool for biology students. The workshop aims to discuss the benefits of mentoring, best practices, and strategies for implementing the program to effectively support students in their academic development and specialization selection. Workshop materials – presentations, notes, and recordings from the workshops that can be made available to teachers and students as educational resources. Mentoring handbook – a document describing mentoring methods and best practices that can be used by mentors and students. Sample mentoring session scenarios – preparation of example topics for discussion during mentoring sessions, which can help students discover their strengths and weaknesses. Guidelines and best practices – a document containing advice on effective mentoring, based on experiences from the workshop and other sources.
Sustainable implementation
Regular training and workshops by organizing cyclical training sessions for mentors and meetings where they can share their experiences. Providing educational materials by ensuring that materials supporting the mentoring program are easily accessible, e.g., on the university's online platform. Program monitoring and evaluation by regularly assessing the effectiveness of mentoring, gathering feedback from participants, and making necessary improvements. Integrating mentoring into study programs by embedding mentoring within the formal curriculum to make it a part of the standard support system for students.
Expected impact of the CPD User Case
The mentoring program will better prepare biology students to make informed decisions about their specialization, reducing the likelihood of random or poorly considered choices. Individual mentoring support will help students identify their strengths and weaknesses, leading to better academic results and greater engagement in their studies. Academic mentoring will foster closer relationships between students and teachers, creating a more supportive educational environment.
The CPD program will allow teachers to enhance their mentoring skills and apply them in everyday teaching, thereby improving the quality of education. Implementing the mentoring program as a permanent part of the curriculum will provide lasting benefits and support for future generations of biology students.
Plans for eventual continuation of the CPD within the same topic
Evaluation and adjustment: regularly assess the mentoring program and implement changes to better meet student needs and academic requirements; mentor training development: organize additional workshops to enhance mentoring quality and introduce new support methods; alumni involvement: engage alumni as mentors or participants in informational sessions to support future generations of students; integration with other programs – link mentoring with career development programs, internships, and collaboration with the biotech/biomed sector.
Developing confidence in learning facilitation (type P1-3)
This CPD scenario describes a User case in which lecturers develop their competence in how to engage and motivate students and how to facilitate discipline specific thinking and how to facilitate student’s deep learning and development of higher cognitive skills and develop attitudes in supporting student development and enabling students’ well-being in a learning process and inclusivity.
The approximate duration of a User case that follows this scenario is several months.
In this CPD scenario the participants meet in person on location with the training staff and with other participants.
Attitudes
Learning environment
Time
Several months
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