Convenor

Sarah Fletcher
sjfmentor@yahoo.com

This SIG focuses upon research into the practices and theories of mentoring and coaching. Its membership is particularly interested in the processes that enable professional development not only within but potentially between disciplines and professions.

We are keen to nurture Research activity across diverse contexts:

  • - education in schools, FE colleges and universities,
  • - minority language/culturally diverse situations,
  • - health care, business and sports,
  • - local, national and international dimensions,
  • - research mentoring – for/by teachers and their students,
  • - face to face and e-mentoring and e-coaching for CPD.

Mentoring and coaching are enabling processes for stimulating and sustaining change through a combination of challenge and support. They relate to the development of workplace skills and also to an awareness and refinement of professional values and knowledge.

This SIG promotes dissemination and publications of research by practicing mentors and coaches as well as the investigation of philosophies of on-going relational activity. It is proud to inform and be informed by an international community of practitioners.

One key characteristic of this SIG is how it supports mentors and coaches undertaking self-study action research as well as research investigating mentoring and coaching by non participant observers.

The aims of the SIG are:

  • - to give developing understandings about mentoring and
    coaching including and beyond Teacher Education.
  • - to offer this body of knowledge to BERA members through
    Research Intelligence, the SIG website and BERJ.
  • - to establish links with local, regional, national and
    international coaching and mentoring associations.
  • - to offer ”critical friendship’ through mentoring to
    practitioners undertaking self study enquiry.
  • - to enable effective networking between mentors and coaches
    as researchers and those undertaking larger scale research.
  • - to play a role in ensuring that national developments in
    mentoring and coaching are informed by quality research.
  • - to contribute to the generation of theory, knowledge and
    expertise about and within coaching and mentoring.
  • - to investigate diverse epistemologies and ontologies in
    mentoring and coaching and foster a growth of knowledge.

As a SIG, we welcome you to join us so we learn about mentoring and coaching together. We value your ideas and support.