International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

Defined as a communication process involving a seasoned professional who counsels, guides, and tutors a protégé ( Waldeck et al. 1997 ), mentoring within the instructional context refers to a teacher–student relationship. In this context, mentoring consists of a communication relationship between teachers and students, where the teacher provides academic, career, and social support to the student. Mentoring often extends beyond academic advising, fulfilling important personal and professional functions for the student. Mentoring provides students with invaluable information on university policies and politics, explicit and implicit rules and regulations, and other faculty in their program of study. In short, effective mentoring relationships promote personal growth as well a professional development for protégés. Central to the mentored relationship is the personal connection between the teacher and the student. The mentor usually has much to offer the more inexperienced protégé. Having achieved professional success, the mentor provides the protégé with both covert and overt practices to assist him or her in becoming successful ( Kalbfleish 2002 ). Research on mentoring relationships has identified a range of mentoring functions or mentoring roles. An overview of the literature points to two major functions: career and psychosocial ( Clawson 1980 ). Career functions are more task-oriented ... log in or subscribe to read full text