Abstract:
The study reports on an investigation into the influence of the mentoring
relationship on the professional development of in-service distant education
student-teachers. It explored how student-teachers and their mentors at primary
schools in Mpumalanga perceive and experience mentoring relationships as part
of their professional development. The primary research question that guided this
study was to determine what role mentoring relationships play in the professional
development of in-service distant education student-teachers. Three subquestions
were used that focused on mentors and mentees’ perceptions and
experiences of mentoring relationships; aspects of the relationships that
contributed most to their professional development; and the mentoring practice
within the selected schools.
This qualitative study used a case study design and semi-structured interviews
generated the relevant data. The study was grounded in Hudson’s model of
mentoring for effective teaching and learning as a conceptual framework. The
participants consisted of senior teachers who acted as mentors and in-service
distant education student-teachers were the mentees at six primary schools in
Mpumalanga Province.
The findings of this study show that mentorship appears to be conceptualised as
individual or collective student-teacher emotional support and professional
support. Mentorship provides learning opportunities for the student-teachers to fill
in the gaps in what could be regarded as the unwritten rules of the teaching
profession. The positive influence of the mentor relationship involves supporting
distance education student-teachers to grow and mature into accountable,
responsible and professional teachers. Through the mentoring process mentors
have an opportunity to reflect on their practice for their own professional career
growth. The negative influence of mentoring was caused by the characteristics of
mentor and organisational challenges. Recommendations are made for developing
policy and improving practice.
