The influence of physical space on university mentoring

Abstract

The aim of this research was to study the aspects and conditions of physical space which favor or hinder the experience of university mentoring according to the perception of participants. During fieldwork, an ethnographic approach was used, based on direct and indirect observation reflected in research diaries, qualitative interviews, and an ad hoc questionnaire. A sample of 30 individuals was selected, including students and professor-mentors who were users of three spaces with different characteristics designed for individual and group mentoring. The data were collected analysed by identifying verbatim statements obtained from interviews and from accounts from the researchers' journals that were then coded and grouped into thematic categories. The results focus on the importance of factors such as natural light, comfort, accessibility, furnishings, and location; conditions such as privacy and silence; availability of materials and resources; and Internet connectivity. The participants preferred the closed space, with the open space in second place and the semi-open space third. As for other required characteristics, the preferred spaces are multi-functional and versatile, equipped with ICT tools and furniture that facilitates collaborative work and mentorship and close communication between mentor and student, and that provide necessary privacy and silence. Any spaces specifically created for mentorship should thus meet these specific criteria.