Abstract

Open distance learning has helped produce quality teachers and has functioned as an alternative to qualifying underqualified and unqualified educators. This article problematises the effectiveness of mentoring and its strategies in the context of open distance learning using the case study of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education offered by the Zimbabwe Open University. The action research method was used to attain data and evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring strategies on professional development. The study reveals the importance of co-learning in mentoring processes. The findings also show a lack of dialogue between teacher-training universities and the practicing schools. It finally recommends that education policymakers review key areas such as mentor selection processes and mentor in-service training.

摘要

开放式远程学习有助于培养高素质的教师，并作为合格的不合格和不合格的教育工作者的替代方案。本文使用津巴布韦开放大学提供的教育研究生文凭的案例研究，对开放远程学习背景下的指导及其策略的有效性进行了质疑。行动研究方法用于获取数据并评估指导策略对专业发展的有效性。该研究揭示了共同学习在指导过程中的重要性。调查结果还表明，师范大学和实践学校之间缺乏对话。最后建议教育政策制定者审查关键领域，例如导师选择过程和导师在职培训。