Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program
Abstract
A variety of applications and methods are employed to support teachers' professional development and continually update their teaching practices. Among these, mentoring, widely studied, stands out as a pivotal method that significantly contributes to enhancing educators’ skills and knowledge. While mentor roles have been widely studied, less attention has been given to the roles of mentees within the mentoring process. Yet, understanding these roles is crucial, as they significantly influence learning outcomes. This study aimed to explore the roles adopted and activities undertaken by mentees during a structured group mentoring program designed to support three in-service physics teachers’ professional development. The findings revealed that mentees adopted a variety of dynamic roles throughout the process, including informer/informed, critical thinker, inquirer, content developer, and passive attendee. These roles reflected varying degrees of engagement and made distinct contributions to the learning environment. Active roles such as informer and content developer promoted higher cognitive involvement and knowledge sharing, while even passive roles facilitated learning through observation and reflection. Importantly, mentees frequently shifted between roles, underscoring the flexible and evolving nature of participation in effective mentoring settings and highlighting the need for responsive, learner-centered support structures.
Keywords
Supporting Institution
TUBITAK
Ethical Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of research involving human participants.
Thanks
This research was supported by TUBITAK, and the authors would like to express their sincere gratitude.
References
- Achinstein, B., & Athanases, S. Z. (2006). Mentors in the making: Developing new leaders for new teachers. Teachers College Press.
- Anderson, E.M., & Shannon, A.L. (1988) Toward a Conceptualization of Mentoring. Journal of Teacher Education, 39, 38-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002248718803900109
- Attaluri, P. K., Wirth, P. J., Shaffrey, E. C., Bentz, M. L., & Afifi, A. M. (2025). The less emphasized link in mentorship: The role of the mentee. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 155(5), 958e–960e. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000011835
- Ball, D. L., & Cohen, D. K. (1999). Developing practice, developing practitioners: Toward a practice-based theory of professional education. In L. Darling-Hammond & G. Sykes (Eds.), Teaching as the learning profession: Handbook of policy and practice (pp. 3–32). Jossey-Bass.
- Barrera, A., Braley, R. T., & Slate, J. R. (2010). Beginning teacher success an investigation into the feedback from mentors of formal mentoring programs. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 18(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611260903448383
- Besken-Ergisi, M. (2021). How does working with and mentoring student teachers shape teacher educators’ professional identity? In L. Shagrir & S. Bar-Tal (Eds.), Exploring professional development opportunities: Promoting faculty-student partnerships (pp. 128–142). Routledge.
- Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. Educational Researcher, 33(8), 3–15. https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:vc541fv0664/Borko-PD_and_Teacher_Learning.pdf
- Clarke, A., Triggs, V., & Nielsen, W. (2014). Cooperating teacher participation in teacher education: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 84(2), 163–202. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654313499618
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
In-Service Training
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Early Pub Date
July 31, 2025
Publication Date
July 31, 2025
Submission Date
May 30, 2025
Acceptance Date
July 13, 2025
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Volume: 14 Number: 3
APA
Sağlam Arslan, A., Şahinoğlu, A., & Beşken Ergişi, M. (2025). Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 14(3), 960-971. https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR
AMA
1.Sağlam Arslan A, Şahinoğlu A, Beşken Ergişi M. Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program. BUEFAD. 2025;14(3):960-971. https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR
Chicago
Sağlam Arslan, Ayşegül, Alpaslan Şahinoğlu, and Meral Beşken Ergişi. 2025. “Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers As Mentees in a Mentoring Program”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education 14 (3): 960-71. https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR.
EndNote
Sağlam Arslan A, Şahinoğlu A, Beşken Ergişi M (July 1, 2025) Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education 14 3 960–971.
IEEE
[1]A. Sağlam Arslan, A. Şahinoğlu, and M. Beşken Ergişi, “Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program”, BUEFAD, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 960–971, July 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR
ISNAD
Sağlam Arslan, Ayşegül - Şahinoğlu, Alpaslan - Beşken Ergişi, Meral. “Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers As Mentees in a Mentoring Program”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education 14/3 (July 1, 2025): 960-971. https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR.
JAMA
1.Sağlam Arslan A, Şahinoğlu A, Beşken Ergişi M. Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program. BUEFAD. 2025;14:960–971.
MLA
Sağlam Arslan, Ayşegül, et al. “Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers As Mentees in a Mentoring Program”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, vol. 14, no. 3, July 2025, pp. 960-71, https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR.
Vancouver
1.Ayşegül Sağlam Arslan, Alpaslan Şahinoğlu, Meral Beşken Ergişi. Role Dynamics and Activities of Physics Teachers as Mentees in a Mentoring Program. BUEFAD [Internet]. 2025 Jul. 1;14(3):960-71. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA33PW86MR
