Publikation
Intelligence Support for Mentoring Processes in Higher Education (and beyond)
Ralf Klamma; Milos Kravcik; Elvira Popescu; Viktoria Pammer-Schindler
Frontiers in AI, Research Topic, Vol. AI for Human Learning and Behavior Change, Frontiers Media S.A. 2021.
Zusammenfassung
Mentoring is the activity of a senior person (the mentor) supporting a less experienced person (the mentee) in learning. It is based on a trustful, protected and private atmosphere between the mentor and the mentee. The goal is to develop a professional identity and to reflect the current situation. At universities, mentors are senior academics or skilled employees while mentees are mostly students with different competences. Outside universities, mentors and mentees are professionals. Intelligent tutoring systems have a long tradition, focusing on cognitive aspects of learning in a selected domain. They were successfully applied especially in such areas, where the domain knowledge can be well formalised with the help of experts. Nevertheless, in the learning process also motivations, emotions and meta-cognitive competences play a crucial role. These can be nowadays quite well recognised and monitored through big educational data and a wide spectrum of available sensors. This enables the support also for the mentoring process, which is more spontaneous, holistic and depends on the needs and interests of the mentee. Psychological and emotional support are at the heart of the mentoring relationship, underpinned by empathy and trust. Various roles and success factors for mentoring have been identified.