The role of mentors in supporting the professional learning of lecturers in further education colleges in Scotland and Wales

Abstract

This article details the findings of a research project that aimed to interpret and understand the experiences of further education lecturers as they undertook initial teacher education. Using rigorous methods grounded in hermeneutic phenomenology, the research situated in colleges in Scotland and Wales structured as two significant case studies, revealed that the 20 respondents had a reliance on both formal and informal mentoring from colleagues in developing their practice as lecturers. The support received from mentors supplemented the perceived deficiencies of formal training courses in preparing the respondents for supporting students with extended needs. The article analyses the relationship between formal university provided teacher education and the practicalities of supported work based practice. The research foregrounds UK further education as a suitable and internationally important model for the broader study of utilised methods of professional learning and the relationships between mentoring and prescriptive qualifications. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of strengthening and developing mentoring and work based professional learning partnerships within colleges and foregrounds the pertinence of this in relation to the next phase of FE development in the UK.

Lessons from the road less travelled: student teachers' and newly qualified teachers' experiences of mentoring in the Irish further education and training sector

“…Mentees may therefore be reticent to engage in authentic dialogue, opting for “strategic silence” to remain aligned with the “institutional agenda” (Tyrer, 2023, p. 41). There is also evidence of how mentoring processes designed as part of a broader CPD framework where mentors are afforded professional status and time to engage with mentees can favourably impact their transition through the teacher education continuum (Husband, 2020). Furthermore, informal mentoring, with frequent unplanned advice-seeking meetings or ongoing support from colleagues, can have a significant impact on student teachers and compensate for limited induction processes (Savory and Glasson, 2009).…”

Let's decide to do better governing of schools and colleges

“…Thus, moving towards a decision making governing board may require recruiting new members to a different governor specification, which raises a higher profile for personal characteristics and/or a refreshed governor induction, training and mentoring programme. Within educational contexts, the embedding of professional education and ongoing learning is commonplace and subsequently forms a substantial part of the opportunities for development (see as examples Husband 2018 andHusband 2020). Whilst recognising that governance may not be the primary focus for all governors, it is for many, and the implementation of nationally recognised and sanctioned mentoring and professional education programmes for governor mentors within the educational context aligns with the extant values within education as a whole.…”

Lecturer Identities and Perceptions of CPD for Supporting Learning and Teaching in FE and HE in the UK

“…This however, as Feather (2012) highlights is the practical barrier to research engagement and many FE lecturers (especially those engaged in teaching higher education courses) would like the opportunity to conduct and engage with a research remit more readily. The current discourse around the expansion of FE practitioner research in FE is gaining momentum and publications in recent years have seen a sharp increase in FE led momentum, (see Daley, Orr, and Petrie, 2017;2020 as examples of collections of largely FE based commentators and researchers). Teaching in FE has a broad ranging focus covering many subject areas and disciplines including (as examples) vocational skills training in the trades, the arts and social sciences and is delivered across a broad range of levels (from pre-entry through to postgraduate).…”