In their study Nash & Shaffer (2010) look at how modeling can be used to learn real-world skills, knowledge, values and ways of thinking. The method used is playing an epistemic game modeled after a practicum course for urban planning students. Epistemic games are computer games that simulate how professionals work.
The participating middle-school students (f = 14) were guided by four planning consultants (graduate students) in team meetings and as they worked. They concluded that the players were able to reproduce the modeled frame (a profession’s particular way of seeing and solving problems) after playing the game for 4 weeks. This is evidence that they had internalized professional thinking to the extent that they no longer needed the mentors’ scaffolding.
For my own mentoring process this study isn’t terribly relevant as our mentoring isn’t based on epistemic games. Some modeling might take place during the mentoring phase, in terms of instilling good study habits and knowledge abouthow to go about planning and writing your thesis.
Bullough (2005) provides a qualitative study into a teachers struggle with mentoring identity. The key findings were about the importance of structurally supporting collegial collaboration to help achieve educational identity. This should also be accompanied by a “community of inquiry” where colleagues can be “thoughtfully and helpfully critical”, promoting growth and change.
For our own mentoring process promoting both supportiveness and helpful critique are key components in planning our mentoring together with out mentees.
Sources
- Bullough, R. (2005) : Being and becoming a mentor: school-based teacher educators and teacher educator identity. Teaching and Teacher Education 21(2005)
- Nash, P. & Shaffer Williamson, D. ( 2011): Mentor modeling: the internationalization of modeled professional thinking in an epistemic game. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
Synapsifier in the Sky 