Published Article / Mentorship as a concept in teacher training is vital in developing full professionals. It becomes even more effective if the mentors are adequately prepared for their mentorship roles. This study sought to determine: (a) the nature of training mentors had received in mentorship; (b) the extent to which they understood their role as mentors; (c) the mentors' views on the assistance they rendered to mentees; (d) the relationship between parent colleges and mentors; and (e) assess implications for teacher training in Zimbabwe. The study followed a descriptive survey design which utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A comprehensive questionnaire was administered on a purposeful and information-rich sample of 120 mentors in two provinces in Zimbabwe. Interviews were also held with some of the mentors to triangulate findings from the questionnaire. The study revealed that many mentors had not been given any formal training in mentorship; they were not really sure of their roles and while they stated that they assisted mentees to the best of their abilities assistance given to mentees differed from mentor to mentor. College supervisors did not consult mentors for mentees' progress checks and mentors had no input in the final assessment of students under their tutelage. College supervisors and mentors' input should be incorporated in the final assessment of students.

The main purpose of this study was to examine the roles that college supervisors perform in the Field Experience programme with particular reference to the Field Experience programme in a Catholic College of Education. Through clarification of the roles it was expected that the effectiveness of college supervisors would be improved resulting in a more efficient and productive Field Experience programme at the institution concerned. The overall aims of the study were: (1) to clarify the roles of college supervisors (2) to improve the quality of the Field Experience programme (3) to give the programme more meaning in the teacher education course at the College concerned and (4) to make it clear to participants in such a programme that there is an important role for college supervisors to play. The study involved the co-operation of 62 student teachers, 45 classroom teachers (country and city) and 10 college lecturers (totalling 117). A questionnaire was designed on the basis of discussions with Field Experience participants, on a survey conducted the previous year, and on an open-ended survey conducted immediately after the mid-year Block Practicum. The final questionnaire was then distributed to 82 student teachers (75.5% return), 76 classroom teachers (58.5% return) and 11 college lecturers (90% return). The study made use of earlier work by Waters (1973) and also by Duck and Cunningham (1985). In the study, student teachers, classroom teachers and college lecturers were surveyed by means of a questionnaire to rate the frequency with which specific supervisory tasks (already identified in a pilot study) were performed. This involved rating each of the supervisory tasks twice; firstly rating , the 'actual' occurrence of the task and secondly by rating the 'ideal' occurrence of the task. Results of the study showed that there are differences of perception surrounding role expectations for college supervisors and that these roles require clarification. What were perceived to be the roles for and the behaviour of college supervisors contrasted with what was actually exhibited. Students and teachers (country and city) perceived college supervisors to be actually performing an Evaluator role; while lecturers perceived a Manager role. The 'ideal' role for college supervisors was perceived by all respondent groups to involve the functions and tasks of Manager. The degree of role conflict present indicates that follow-up measures deserve consideration and clarification and that orientation and learning programmes need to be conducted for all Field Experience participants in order to give the Field Experience programme more significance and to improve its overall effectiveness. A result of the study and one which could be emphasised in order to improve the quality of the programme was the indication of 'desirable' and 'undesirable' characteristics of college supervisors who were involved in the Field Experience programme at the College concerned. These results were similar to the earlier work of Beer et al. (1983) and were indicated by' the use of openended comments being included at the conclusion of the questionnaire. These comments concerned the personal and professional characteristics of college supervisors and together with this author's work could form the basis of further study as a step towards increasing the efficiency of Field Experience programmes.

No description available.

The problem with which this investigation was concerned was that of determining the practices utilized by college supervisors of secondary student teachers in Kentucky. A mailed questionnaire was employed to determine the emphasis of practices of the college supervisor pertaining to student teachers, cooperating teachers, and cooperating school administrators. The purposes of this study included the following: 1. To determine the status of Kentucky college and university supervisors of secondary student teachers. 2. To compare the practices of Kentucky college supervisors with practices recommended by national authorities in the field of student teaching. 3. To compare the practices reported by general supervisors with practices reported by special supervisors. 4. To compare the supervisory practices as reported in Texas in 1968 to the practices reported currently in Kentucky. The findings pertaining to the status of the Kentucky college supervisor included the following: 1. Seventy-one percent of Kentucky college supervisors reported having a total of more than ten years teaching experience at different levels. Twenty-eight percent had more than twenty years full-time teaching experience. 2. Sixty-four percent of the supervisors reported twenty-one or more student teachers as a full supervisory load. 3. Fifty-four percent of college supervisors at state schools and 39 percent at private schools hold the rank of assistant professor. 4. Fifty-two percent of college supervisors at state schools and 36 percent at private schools hold the earned doctorate. The findings pertaining to the practices of the Kentucky college supervisor of secondary student teachers included the following: 1. The null hypothesis that no significant differences exist between the emphasis of supervisory practices by the state presidents of the Association of Teacher Educators and by Kentucky college supervisors was retained. 2. The null hypothesis that no significant differences exist between the emphasis of supervisory practices of special and general supervisors was retained. 3. The null hypothesis, that no significant differences would exist between the utilization of supervisory practices reported by Texas supervisors in 1968 and such utilization by Kentucky supervisors, was rejected. The conclusions of the study included the following: 1. Kentucky supervisors were utilizing the practices recommended by national authorities. 2. Special and general supervisors in Kentucky were utilizing recommended practices equally well. 3. Kentucky supervisors were utilizing recommended practices to a higher degree than did Texas supervisors in 1968.