The Perceived Impact of Cognitive Developmental Training on the Perceptions of University and District Trained Mentors

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences found in self-efficacy perceptions regarding mentoring of trained mentors who were trained using a cognitive developmental model of mentor training, with mentor teachers who have received little or no training. The researcher was interested in whether the university based mentors, who participated in a cognitive developmental mentor training, would have a higher sense of self-efficacy and confidence in their mentoring as a result of the training than the campus mentors who received little or no training. Two groups of mentors participated in the study. One group consisted of university mentors who completed the Cognitive Developmental Mentor Training through Texas A&M University’s Mentoring Research Collaborative for Learning and Development. The campus mentors were from a suburban school district and volunteered to mentor. They were required to attend a one time district mentor training session. The university and campus mentors completed three components during the study. The three components included a self efficacy survey, an interview using open ended questions, and the completion of a mentoring narrative. The study followed a mixed method model. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data. The researcher felt using both methods would offer the best explanation of the phenomenon of mentor self efficacy. The researcher used the basic interpretive approach, which requires constant comparisons of each type of data. The data collected from the self-efficacy survey indicated little or no difference in self-efficacy perceptions in regards to mentoring between the two groups. However, there were differences in the qualitative pieces of the study. The level of knowledge regarding mentoring differed between the two groups resulting in differences in the participants approach and definition of mentoring.