Mentorystės diskursas būsimų pedagogų praktikos kontekste: mokslo studija

LTMentorystė sena kaip Uliso legenda, tačiau iki pat šių laikų yra vienas iš esminių elementų, padedančių konstruoti būsimų pedagogų profesinį identitetą ir skatinti profesinį bei asmeninį augimą. Ši studija, pavadinta „Mentorystės diskursas būsimų pedagogų praktikos kontekste“, siekia atskleisti, kaip mentorystė gali prisidėti prie mūsų studentų rengimo profesijai proceso ir kokia galia ji gali pasižymėti. Temos pasirinkimas nebuvo atsitiktinis. Asmeninė patirtis, dirbant su skirtingais mentoriais universitetinių studijų, doktorantūros metu, stebint mentorių veiklos principus, metodus, palaikomus mentorystės santykius ir jų poveikį profesiniam tobulėjimui, įkvėpė mus giliau nagrinėti šį reiškinį. Esame įsitikinusios, kad mentorystė yra ne tik žinių ir patirties perteikimas, bet ir abipusis mokymasis bei visapusiškas augimas. [...] Tikimės, kad ši studija skaitytojams suteiks vertingų įžvalgų, o gal kai ką paskatins toliau plėtoti mokslinius taikuomuosius mentorystės srities tyrimus ir praktiką, o gal tai bus paskata mentoriams (pavyzdžiui, praktikų vadovams) burtis į praktikų bendruomenę, kuri galėtų dar efektyviau atliepti mūsų studentų (ir ne tik jų) profesinio ir asmeninio augimo poreikius. [Iš Pratarmės].

ENThe aim of the present study is to carry out an analysis of mentoring discourse revealing mentoring as expression of support for student teachers' professional growth in the context of student teacher practice. The main problem questions are as follows: 1. What are the intrinsic attributes (characteristics) of the multidimensional concept of mentoring and how is the concept defined? 2. What can mentoring relationships entail and how can different mentoring relationships affect students’ professional development from the perspective of mentor teachers? 3. How does the mentor teacher support the student in trying to conceptualize one’s academic knowledge during the practicum? The methodological assumptions include: • Walker & Avant’s (2005) concept analysis methodology, i.e. a strategy for analyzing the intrinsic attributes (characteristics) of the concept and defining it; • Hurtel & Guillemette’s (2022) typology of mentoring relationships; • the analysis of the forms of support provided to the student and the dominant attitudes towards support in the practice situation is based on a constructivist epistemological approach, which seeks to highlight the meaning given to reality from the point of view of the actors (Fourez, 2003); • the methodological basis for the analysis is Leclercq, Oudart and Marois’s (2014) model of support complemented by some elements of Paul’s (2009) model, and the theory of reflective practice (Schön, 1987), which emphasizes reflection on performance. The analysis of mentor teacher’s activity based on this theory can show whether the declared activity coincides with the actual activity; • the transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1994) was used to underpin mentoring and professional growth from the perspective of human resource management. According to this theory, transformative learning is considered a social process which gives new meanings to or changes an actor's experience.The main conclusions: 1. The analysis of the mentoring concept and the answer to the main problem question (What are the intrinsic attributes (characteristics) of the multidimensional concept of mentoring and how is the concept defined?) shows that the main attributes (characteristics) of the multidimensional concept are as follows: mentoring as an interpersonal relationship between the mentor and the mentee; mentoring as a form of support in the development of the mentee’s skills and abilities, facilitation of the student’s independence and problem-solving skills. The concept of mentoring may be defined as a process in which an experienced person (mentor) shares their knowledge, experience and skills with a less experienced person. In other words, mentoring involves the provision of support and a mutually respectful relationship between an experienced mentor and a less experienced person. The analysis of the concept of mentoring in the context of different fields (e. g., education, nursing, psychology, politics, business) has shown that mentors can have different roles and functions, and that mentoring is expressed in a variety of different forms and approaches. However, today, research on the concept of mentoring is still limited as researchers have focused more on practical research on mentoring, such as the benefits and impact of mentoring, satisfaction with the mentoring relationship, meeting individual and social needs, etc., rather than on the concept analysis. 2. In response to the second problem question (What can mentoring relationships entail and how can different mentoring relationships affect students’ professional development from the perspective of mentor teachers?) and based on the analysis of scientific literature and empirical research, it was found that there are different types of mentoring relationships, which are expressed in specific ways.This specificity of types allows us to understand different aspects of the mentoring relationship, while promoting a particular combination of specific experiences. The expression of mentoring relationships depends on the context of the person’s professional activity or the social field in which they are practiced; therefore, there can be very different, even contradictory, approaches to mentoring relationships. However, it should be pointed out that mentoring relationships of any type are voluntary and free, non-hierarchical, confidential, and often intergenerational. They are characterized by mutual trust, respect, tolerance, even friendship, and regularity, since regular time and mutual investments are needed to maintain a medium and/or long-term relationship. The quantitative study found that in the context of student teaching practice, three main types of mentoring relationships and/or combinations of mentoring relationships are prevailing: Teacher, Expertise transfer and Experience transfer types, which are characterized by a unidirectional orientation towards the student’s professional growth. However, there is a lack of diversity in the forms of mentoring relationships and practices, which would provide more opportunities for a bi directional relationship between the mentor and the student in terms of professional growth. It was found that instrumentality tends to dominate the mentoring relationship, which can limit the student’s professional development at the psychosocial or organizational level. [...] Keywords: mentoring, mentoring relationships, mentor, mentee, student teacher practice, professional growth.

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