Year

2016

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

School of Education

Abstract

Mentoring is a form of significant professional support for novice teachers’ teaching expertise. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a school-based mentoring program for novice teachers in ‘Permata Hati’ secondary school in Indonesia. A qualitative case study research design was employed to identify the impact of the mentoring program’s effectiveness and investigate the complexities in terms of its implementation in relation to the pedagogy, institution and culture of the school community. The factors that contributed to the success were examined. Semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews and document reviews were used to collect rich data on the mentoring experience from seven pairs of mentors and mentees who participated in the study.

The findings revealed that for both groups, mentors and mentees, the mentoring experience was mixed. However, they reported that generally they had gained professional expertise and personal confidence from the experience. With the competences gained, they felt they could promote a positive learning culture in their school. The factors that influenced the success of the mentoring program were the mentors’ and mentees’ professional and personal qualities, the peer learning support provided, mentoring preparation and support strategies. Other elements that resulted in a positive experience for both mentors and mentees were supportive relationships, interpersonal interactions, reflective practices and the collaborative learning generated by the teaching observation sessions. A variety of barriers appeared to inhibit the success of the program, such as the mentors’ and/or mentees’ poor professional and interpersonal skills, lack of personal commitment, inadequate mentoring support and resources, and time constraints. What was evident from the data was that Javanese cultural values worked in contradictory ways. On one hand, the Javanese values assisted the teachers to cope with mentoring issues and challenges. On the other hand, the values impeded their positive learning interactions, communication and supportive mentoring relationships.

The findings in this study are noteworthy, as they offer new insights and strategies for creating more-effective mentoring programs in the future and modifying the model used in this study. The findings will be useful for educational stakeholders in Indonesia who are responsible for making policies and designing professional development programs in schools and other educational institutions. The findings may also contribute to mentoring and professional development programs and studies in Indonesia and other countries with a similar cultural and educational context.

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Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong.