INSTRUCTIONAL REVERSE MENTORING A PRACTICE PROPOSAL for TEACHERS UNDERSTANDING t

Abstract

The reverse mentoring refers to a new mentoring model in which traditional mentoring roles are completely changed, accordingly in this new model, less experienced teachers and the students who used to be “apprentice” in traditional mentoring are positioned as "master". However, the number of the systematic reverse mentoring practices through which the teachers can receive direct feedback from Y, Z and alpha generations about their own performances and classroom management skills, and develop critical reflective thinking skills on their teaching activities is observed to be not exist in Turkish education system. This study was designed according to the conceptual research approach. After holistically evaluating the important literature studies and theoretical information on the concepts of intergenerational learning and reverse mentoring, the application of "instructional reverse mentoring" (IRM) as a new practice was discussed and evaluated based on the student-teacher relationships, with its application stages, challenging, strengths and possible risks. In addition, an alternative reverse mentoring practice proposal specific to education field regarding the intergenerational learning approach was introduced with sample implementation stages. The research revealed that the researches in education mostly consist of studies focusing on providing teachers with technological skills; that the studies which are specific to improve the quality of teaching regarding the expectations of new generations through critical reflective evaluations are rather limited; that there is a crucial conceptual gap in this field; and also that the instructional reverse mentoring practice proposal set forth in the study can contribute to the spread of reverse mentoring practices in educational field and to professional development of teachers.