Reversible Mentorship in Modern Language Programs: A Collaborative Self-Study of a Technology-Enhanced Mentoring Project

• In Event: Polyvocal Professional Learning Through Self-Study Research

Abstract

1.Objective and purpose
Graduate teaching assistants (TAs) in modern language programs are frequently required to teach language courses at the introductory or intermediate levels. Departments throughout the United States employ different strategies to train and support their TAs. One of the least explored approaches is reversible mentorship, a method from which both experienced and novice teachers can benefit (Henderson 2010; Leh 2005). This project examines reversible mentorship by means of a collaborative, technology-enhanced self-study.

2.Theoretical framework
Self-study methodology (Samaras and Freese 2009; Samaras 2011) provides the theoretical framework used in this study to analyze mentorship practices, particularly, to explore how novice and experienced instructors can work as critical friends and whether technology can assist in fostering collaborative inquiry and self-reflection.

3.4.Method
The study took place at the Department of Modern and Classical Languages of a large public university in Virginia that does not have a formal mentoring program, neither provides TAs with formal instruction in teaching nor requires them to take a course in foreign language instruction methodology. It extended throughout two semesters in 2012. During the first phase, TA (Author A) and professor (Author B) taught the same intermediate level Spanish course. The TA was teaching a face-to-face section and the professor a completely online one. During the second semester, they co-taught that course in its online format. Both communicated through email, met regularly, and shared a reflection blog. A corpus consisting of all blog posts, comments, and emails was coded and analyzed by both of them. A word frequency analysis was performed with the corpus. The same research methodology was applied to their reflections and exit interviews.

5.Results
A qualitative and quantitative analysis showed how the authors’ relationship became more personal, friendly, and open. The TA became more proactive and confident about her teaching. The experienced instructor´s role gradually developed from being the provider of all answers to seek for advice from the TA. Furthermore, technology offered the authors a safe, “democratic,” and accessible environment to share and reflect on learning experiences and teaching practices. It also provided them with an excellent tool to document and explore how their mentor-mentee relationship developed over time.

6.Scholarly significance
This study, the first of its kind in the US, shows how self-study, combined with the sound use of technology, can help foreign- or second-language program development and improvement when used to establish solid mentorship relations at university level.

Authors

• Cristina M. Hernández Gil de Lamadrid, American University

• Esperanza Roman Mendoza, George Mason University