This study focuses on the influence of the mentor’s approach and the student teacher’s relationship with his mentor on the student teacher’s perceived learning outcomes, measured by his perceived...Show moreThis study focuses on the influence of the mentor’s approach and the student teacher’s relationship with his mentor on the student teacher’s perceived learning outcomes, measured by his perceived knowledge productivity. In a comparative case-based design including 12 couples of student teachers and their mentors we compared the student teacher’s perceived knowledge productivity for groups based on the experienced mentor’s approach in the mentoring conversation and the student teacher’s relationship with his mentor. The findings of this study suggest that: • The mentor’s approach in the mentoring conversation does not significantly influence the student teacher’s perceived knowledge productivity. We compared two approaches: a scaffolding and prescriptive ‘high road’ approach and an exploring ‘low road’ approach. • Student teachers who have a positive relationship with their mentor have higher perceived knowledge productivity. The student teacher’s relationship with his mentor was measured on three variables: student teacher’s satisfaction with his mentor, experienced effect of the mentoring and closeness in the mentoring relationship. Our findings indicate that the relationship between student teacher and mentor influences the student teacher’s perceived learning outcomes. Therefore more attention in matching student teachers and mentors is desirable. A high closeness in the relationship also has a positive influence on the student teacher’s perceived learning outcomes. It would be recommendable to reconsider the detached way a teacher educator is currently mentoring his student teacher. Although no significant influence for mentor’s approach to perceived knowledge productivity is found, we did see slightly higher scores for the group of student teachers who experienced a ‘low road’ approach. This suggests that our ‘low road’ might facilitate learning. If this finding can be generalized to all mentoring, mentors can deliberately use this approach to increase student teacher’s learning outcomes. We also found that the experimental model on mentor’s approach used in this study might not be correct or complete. We suggest improving the instrument used to measure the mentor’s approach by adding a category ‘explanation of practical knowledge’ and suggest changing the level of measurement from propositions to paragraphs or turns taken in the conversation.Show less
