Partnership within the Context of Mentoring Initial Teacher Education Students in Scotland: Progress or Maintaining the Status Quo?

Abstract

This qualitative research study concerns mentoring primary education student teachers within the context of Scottish Initial Teacher Education. With reference to partnership in ITE, it focuses on understandings about relationships between local authority and school, and between school and university within the mentoring process. Within an instrumental, collective case study research design, semi-structured interviews of mentors and student teachers were used to gather data alongside a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysis. Findings suggest that relationships are remote, in contrast with recent recommendations made by the previous and latest reviews of Scottish teacher education, and in the literature about effective ITE partnership. Conclusions provide examples of evolving enhanced partnerships and suggest the need for continued consideration of such developments to promote quality and consistency across ITE placement mentoring experiences.