The Impact of Mentoring in the Development of Pre-Service Teachers from a University in South Africa

Abstract

Limited conceptual knowledge, and the lack of competencies and skills in the discharge of duties have been part of the challenges faced by some teachers within the South African school system. One of the reasons attributed to this is poor teacher development programmes in some of the training institutions. This study explored the impact of mentorship development on pre-service teachers from a university in South Africa. The five-factor model of mentoring namely, personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, and feedback was employed as a theoretical lens. The purpose was to understand the attributes and practices mentors transfer to their mentees (student teachers) during their teaching practice. Located in the interpretive paradigm, the research employed a qualitative case study design to generate data through semi-structured interviews from 26 B.Ed Honours pre-service teachers, purposively selected as the study sample. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data generated. Findings from the analyses revealed that pre-service teachers were positively impacted mostly in the development of pedagogical knowledge, followed by system requirements, personal attributes, modelling and feedback. The findings support the Five-Factor mentoring Model as a valid and useful framework for measuring the impact of the mentoring received by pre-service teachers on teaching practicum. The study concludes that mentoring activity in pre-service teacher education is an important component of professional development for effective teachers. Based on this conclusion, the study recommends that mentors support student teachers in the development of the necessary skills and competencies required of a professional teacher.