The Teaching Settings Component of the Work Integrated Learning: Mentoring Challenges of the 1st Generation of Prospective or Practising TVET College Lecturers. www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

INTRODUCTION Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been a feature of the South African education and training system for a very long time. In recent years however, there has been much renewed interest in TVET. This is partly because TVET has fuelled phenomenal economic growth in some countries (McLean and Wilson, 2009: 1xxix). A key element in the professional qualification of TVET Lecturers is the Work Integrated Learning (WIL).. www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

INTRODUCTION WIL is placed within the category of practical learning which involves teaching and learning the skills, techniques and practices, related to the subject Lecturers are teaching, that are applied in the workplace or industry. The WIL of the Adv Dip (TVT) learning programme provides for a minimum of 10 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks of structured, supervised and assessed in an appropriate teaching setting component (8 weeks) and specialised workplace setting component ( 2 weeks) www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

This research is conducted on the Teaching Settings Component of WIL INTRODUCTION This research is conducted on the Teaching Settings Component of WIL The focus of this paper is on the mentoring challenges of the 1st Generation prospective TVET lecturers or practising TVET lecturers. www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

CONCEPT CLARIFICATION: MENTORING Smith (2007, p.277) defines mentoring as ‘a particular mode of learning wherein the mentor not only supports the mentee, but also challenges them productively so that progress is made’. Fairbanks, Freedman and Kahn (2000, p.103) define mentoring in teacher education as ‘complex social interactions that mentor teachers and student teachers’ construct and negotiate for a variety of professional purposes and in response to the contextual factors they encounter’. It is evident from the literature that there is no single definition for mentoring. The definitions vary greatly giving the reader differing impressions as to what mentoring is.

WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVELVED IN THE PROCESS A mentor is an experienced and expert teacher who takes on the additional role of supporting and developing colleagues. These colleagues are often trainee teachers (Trevor Wright, 2011, p 2). According to Smith (2007), a mentor nowadays can be a co-worker or a peer, someone who is equal in status and in age. Peers who are mentors can be more experienced than the mentee or at the same developmental levels. However in the SA TVET context this cannot always be possible given the fact that it appears that there is a lack of lecturers with dual identity. Due to the apparent absence of dual identity , Teaching Settings Component of WIL might pose a challenge. www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

AIM OF THE STUDY/RESEARCH QUESTION Is to explore the 1st generation Teacher Education students perceived mentoring challenges during their envisaged teaching component of the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at TVET Colleges. Research Question: This paper will be guided by the following research question. What are the mentoring challenges faced by 1st generation of Prospective TVET lecturers and Practicing TVET lecturers ? www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

REFLECTIONS ON INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH TVET LECTURERES Challenges Lecturers Lecturers are not qualified Lecturers are not experienced in Vocational pedagogy Lecturers are not having mentoring experience at the TVET level Mentors Colleagues with more teaching experience Colleagues with PGCE/Education qualification Academics (Lecturers) from CUT Training the 1st Generation Mentor Lecturers? Short training course (3- 6 months) Look at the qualification (PGCD, Education) and Experience

They are no mentor readily available at the TVET sector. FINDINGS/CONCLUSION Mentorship within this capping qualification is a complex phenomenon at the TVET sector. They are no mentor readily available at the TVET sector. TVET lecturers need to be trained as mentors. There is a need for the development of the TVET mentoring framework. We are busy with our research and will involve more lecturers from other TVET colleges. www.cut.ac.za | Bloemfontein (051) 507 3911 | Welkom (057) 910 3500 THINKING BEYOND

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