Date of Award

Spring 6-8-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor/Committee Member

Dr. Arthur Ellis

Second Advisor/Committee Member

Dr. David Denton

Third Advisor/Committee Member

Dr. Munyi Shea

Keywords

teacher education, pre-service, induction, professional development, mentor, mentor development

Abstract

Teacher education programs support their mentor teachers through a variety of resources and professional development, but generally lack a dedicated curriculum for pre-service mentoring. This study was designed to learn what kinds of resources, tools, trainings, and experiences would better support mentor teachers in a teacher education (or pre-service) program. The study was grounded in social learning theories and empirical research on mentoring, as well as research on teacher induction and professional development. Mixed-methods data were collected in three sequential phases with a total sample of n = 199 mentor teachers. Results indicate that mentors have sophisticated expectations for their professional development and desire a blend of formats, collaboration, easily accessed resources, and tools to promote reflection.

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