Mentoring in the initial teacher education open distance e-learning context: an Ubuntu-orientated perspective

Abstract

This study explores mentoring within the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Teaching Practice (TP) context at a South African Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) institution. This research is underpinned by an Ubuntu-orientated perspective. The study responds to growing concerns of the limited professional and psychosocial support experienced by student teachers (STs) during TP, particularly in decentralised, low-resourced school environments where distance-based support may be limited. Guided by a constructivist paradigm and informed by Kram’s Mentoring Functions Framework, Ubuntu philosophy of humanness and interrelationships, and the Afrocentric paradigm, the study employed a single, descriptive qualitative case study design bounded within one South African ODeL institution. Data were generated from semi-structured interviews with STs, qualitative questerviews with mentor teachers (MTs), and document analysis of institutional tutorial letters, thereby enabling a deep thematic exploration of mentoring practices and needs based on participants' lived experiences and supported (or contradicted) by key institutional documents. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase model of thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The findings from the data revealed that STs have fundamental psychosocial and professional support needs that are not consistently met in the current ITE TP mentoring system. Key themes included the need for emotional availability, affirming feedback, constructive lesson observation, and relationships built on ethical care, support, and cultural sensitivity. MTs also highlighted institutional challenges and their own need for clearer guidance and recognition in fulfilling their mentoring roles. The study uncovered a misalignment between institutional intentions and communication, as reflected in TP documentation, and actual mentoring practices that happen during TP. The study concludes with the development of an Ubuntu-orientated Mentoring Framework tailored for ODeL contexts, aiming to bridge the interpersonal, pedagogical, and institutional gaps in current TP mentorship. This framework highlights empathy, support, affirmation, mutual respect, and professional Page 6 of 307 guidance, offering a culturally responsive model for supporting STs’ development and enhancing the quality of teacher preparation in South Africa. This research presents original insights into the field of ITE, by proposing a contextually grounded mentoring model that acknowledges African values and addresses the nuanced realities of ODeL ITE. The findings have implications for institutional policy, mentor training, and the reimagining of equitable and interpersonal mentoring in diverse educational contexts.