Mentoring and facilitation

Learning and Teaching in Practice
Module 8: Personalised learning and diagnostic assessments
Personalised learning	Introduction  |  Mentoring and facilitation  |  Diagnostic assessment  |  Learning agreements |  Summary
StudyDesk

The role of mentor

A mentor can be seen as a type of coach or guide who supports the learner at every stage.

An academic mentor supports learning through:

• advising and guiding the learner in relation to the subject matter; and
• helping the learner develop their metacognitive and learning skills.

An academic mentor is generally employed by the educational organisation.

A professional practice mentor supports learning through:

• advising and guiding the learner in relation to the workplace; and
• helping the learner become part of the wider community of professional practice.

A professional practice mentor is generally working in any professional workplace, not just an educational institution.

The role of facilitator

A facilitator supports learning through:

• Assisting the learner through the personalised learning process, including helping them to
  • identify learning needs
  • develop and negotiate a learning agreement
  • maintain motivation and engagement with the learning process
  • assist with resources
  • maintain effective communication with other parties, such as mentors, assessors and the workplace.

A facilitator is generally formally employed by the organisation.

Activity

Explore the mentoring resources on the Ako Aotearoa website: Five habits for effective mentors. Ideas for learners. Make notes about the areas that may be useful in your teaching practice.

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