RAPPORT
Issue 5 (August 2020)
review note potential tensions between
helping students achieve short term study
goals such as passing examinations and
developing them as independent learners.
To this might be added the importance of
demonstrating specific competencies in
vocational/professional programmes
(healthcare for example) which may cast a
tutor in the role of supervisor/accreditor
alongside that of coach/mentor 11 . Finally,
a focus on individual achievement may
take insufficient account of the significance
of ‘engendering a sense of belonging’ that
was a key conclusion of the What Works
initiative.
Evidence from Case Studies
capturing staff practices and
perspectives.
Given such starting points, what insights
can be gained from a selection of our
Case Study materials?
In the first instance, such evidence should
be interpreted with caution; as identified
within the Editorial to this Special Edition,
these Case Studies represent a small
‘opportunity sample’ drawn from a limited
number of institutions. They were not
produced for the purposes for which they
are now being used, and the word limit set
by the assessment rubric may serve to
have restricted the presentation of
evidence drawn from longer-term
relationships emphasised by mentoring in
particular as opposed to single meeting
interventions. Unsurprisingly, therefore,
the terms ‘coaching’ and ‘mentoring’ are
rarely used in the Case Studies. More
positively, however, the diversity of
perspectives represented, allied to the
differences within literature already cited,
suggests that we should seek not only to
look at practice which makes use of these
terms directly in our Case Studies but also
to interrogate these with a view to
identifying practices that reflect coaching
and mentoring approaches even where
these terms are not explicitly used. While
this is not necessarily straightforward, 12
looking at tutoring practice in terms of the
approach taken (rather than explicitly upon
claims of adopting particular models)
allows us to seek practice which:
• in terms of coaching, emphasises
activity which is presented primarily in
terms of particular task and
performance focus 13 ;
• considers mentoring as centred upon
building effective relationships and
support over an extended period.
Such a differentiation is broadly supported
by Andreanoff (op.cit.: 6), Lockie (op .cit.)
and by the Nottingham Trent definition,
though – in the case of the former - with
11
In the GM Synergy model cited in the UKAT
webinar the Mentor is explicitly identified as
‘responsible for assessment’.
12
For example, ‘Workplace Innovation’ offers 32
‘Behaviours and Skills of an Effective Coach
and Mentor’ in the context of a level 5 Coaching
and Mentoring qualification (at
http://www.ukwon.net/ILM%20documents/ILM_L
M_L5/Understanding-coaching/Behaviours-andskills-of-a-Coach.pdf
). However, many of these
e.g. maintains accurate notes, listens
accurately, establishes rapport, demonstrates
empathy, knows limits of own experience and
ability, encourages learner to take ownership
and responsibility for own learning, keeps to
agreed appointments, are by no means specific
to either coaching and mentoring. This is also
true in respect of the ‘coaching skills’ cited in the
UKAT webinar.
13
`While acknowledging that relationship building is
an essential bedrock for this.
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