Learning from type?

This thesis explores the impact of mentor and mentee personality type in formal mentoring relationships. The research sought to identify whether there were individual personality characteristics which impact on relationship dynamics and the learning derived from these relationships. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used to identify personality type thus ensuring that the research had practical utility in organisations. Twelve mentoring dyads from public, private and third sector mentoring initiatives participated in the study which adopted an exploratory and qualitative methodology. Multiple methods were used to collect data and an analysis framework was developed, using Activity Theory tenets, to synthesise the different data sets and create narratives of each mentoring relationship. The thesis argues that by enhancing understanding of Type Theory in mentoring relationships, informal learning can be enhanced for mentors and mentees. The research shows how informal learning within mentoring dyads often stems from social comparison and thus differences between mentor and mentee can provide a medium for learning in the workplace. The findings suggest that this will be particularly pertinent for mentors. In addition, the study conclusions highlight the value of using the MBTI to support mentoring relationship development thus enhancing the potential for further learning. The research finds that individual differences will determine the extent to which relationships operate on a traditional, peer or reverse level and not demographic differences as suggested in the extant literature. Furthermore, common personality preferences were identified in individuals who are drawn to the role of mentor and an initial framework for a typology of mentoring relationships was developed. There were two main limitations of the research. First, the study employed a cross-sectional design which resulted in data being collected from participants at different stages of the mentoring relationship. The second limitation concerned the small sample size. Whilst sample size is less relevant in qualitative research, the study sample cannot be considered representative of all formal mentoring programmes or even the programmes studied. The intention was to identify informative cases which would address the research objectives and this was subsequently achieved. The research has contributed to the body of mentoring knowledge by drawing theory from one academic field into another. The findings provide new insights into individual differences and mentoring relationship dynamics thus adding to a sparse area of knowledge in mentoring research. Further, the findings challenge some of the assumptions implicit in the extant literature and highlight the need to examine the construct of mentoring from a broader social science perspective

Building online learner communities: an activity theory perspective.

In recent decades there has been a considerable growth in the delivery of professional education in online mode. To support this mode of learning, educators now have at their disposal an array of tools, with recent additions comprising tools for collaborative working and asynchronous learning. Learners undertaking courses in a face-to-face delivery environment typically forge close ties with their peers, and also build rapport with academic staff through lectures, tutorials and one-to-one or small group consultations (Lam, 2004; Singh et al, 2009). These ties tend to lead naturally to opportunities for collaborative working. It is widely acknowledged that this collaboration can have a positive impact on learning performance. By contrast, learning in an online environment can leave some learners feeling isolated from their educators and their peers, leading to a decline in motivation and ultimately performance. Others actively seek to operate in isolation, are reluctant to engage with others, and have to be persuaded of the benefits of forming links with others during their online study. The challenge for the educator is to design online learning programmes in such a way that a spirit of collaborative working is fostered and a productive learning community is established. It was against the backdrop of this challenge that the project presented in this paper was initiated in a UK Higher Education establishment in which there has been a significant increase in the number of professional, vocational and post-experience programmes delivered in online mode. The aims of the project were to explore the approaches being taken, and the tools being used, by colleagues to foster interaction and build learning communities in their online programmes; to gain insights into their students' experiences of online learning; and to capture areas of good practice which could be shared more widely. Following a literature review examining key themes in online learning, an examination of available tools was undertaken. This was followed by an observation study and series of semi-structured interviews with academic staff, relevant support staff and learners. Drawing on activity theory, findings were analysed to identify issues in current practice. These findings highlighted needs for training in online learning design, rather than simply 'technology use' for the academics, and also a need to educate learners about collaborative working and learning. The practical outcomes of the project were twofold: first, using aspects of activity theory, a number of illustrative cases of good practice were constructed for use in training academics. Second, learning guides were devised, again drawing on activity theory, to help students understand the nature and scope of an online learning community and their role as an interacting participant within it. These cases and guides, informed by activity theory, represent an important aspect of the contribution of this project to the wider professional learning community