An Analysis of Mentoring Relationships Among Teachers: A Case Study of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

A Aladejana, F Aladejana, S Ehindero International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2006

The study examined mentoring among eight pairs of university academics in Nigeria. A descriptive survey was used to assess the mentoring process among sixteen lecturers (ten males and six females). Data from a questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics. The results indicate that mentoring among university academics operates mostly in an informal and unstructured manner. Data also show that most mentoring relationships were channeled towards research and publication, while a negligible part is focused on classroom teaching. Most relationships were initiated and sustained by proximity, and academic related activities. Multiple and same same-gender mentoring were found to be more common and more successful than single and cross-gender mentoring. The implications of these findings for reiterating the use of mentoring as the core for partnership relationship in initial and continuing teacher education and training are discussed.