ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education (ACVE) ARCHIVE

Critical Perspectives on Mentoring: Trends and Issues

Information Series No. 388
by Catherine Hansman, Vivian Mott, Andrea Ellinger, and Talmadge Guy
Order No. IN 388, Price $10.50
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The chapters in this volume explore emerging viewpoints, issues, and trends related to mentoring and adult learning. The authors adopt a critical perspective intended to develop an understanding of mentoring's potential to enhance as well as hinder learning in adulthood.

Vivian Mott examines the role of mentoring in adult learning and development by discussing definitions and models of mentoring, its psychosocial and developmental benefits, transformative potential, and limitations.

Andrea Ellinger reviews research on mentoring in the contexts of the workplace and educational institutions, identifying parallel developments in the literature.

Talmadge Guy describes the growing phenomenon of telementoring, which can enable mentoring relationships that are not otherwise possible, but which can be subject to the same limitations as other online communication. The implications of unequal access to technology on telementoring are also addressed.

Catherine Hansman takes up the issues of diversity and power in mentoring, examining the impact on women and people of color of mentoring by persons with the same or different characteristics and backgrounds.

In the concluding chapter, Hansman presents implications for practice and suggestions for further research.

Information on mentoring and adult development may be found in the ERIC database using the following descriptors--*Adult Development, *Cultural Pluralism, Gender Issues, Internet, *Interprofessional Relationship, *Mentors, Race; and the identifiers Power Relations and *Telementoring. Asterisks indicate terms that are particularly relevant.