Teachers’ professional learning through mentor education: a longitudinal mixed-methods study

Abstract

Mentor education for practice teachers and mentors’ professional learning has been described as an underdeveloped area in research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of teachers’ professional learning during and after completing mentor education in Norway. The research questions examine teachers’ experiences of learning through mentor education and the implementation of mentor education in practice. Using a longitudinal mixed-methods research design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected in different phases, providing an opportunity to explore teachers’ professional learning during and 1.5 years after completing a two-year university-based mentor education programme. Through its longitudinal mixed-methods design and collective and school-based participation in mentor education, this study offers new perspectives on teachers’ professional learning and mentor education. The results show that participants experience professional learning as mentors and as teachers because of the content focus, duration, and collective participation of the mentor education programme. Moreover, the results show that the knowledge and skills acquired through mentor education have been implemented into the participants’ own and collective mentoring, teaching, and collaborative practices.