This article presents the results of the development and implementation of a mentorship program, now in its sixth year, designed to support the professional development of teaching skills for faculty and contract instructors. The program is unique in that it is a combination of a variety of other approaches such as formal and informal mentoring as…

It is well documented that successful Professional Development School (PDS) initiatives are contingent on trusting relationships between the university and school districts. Over the past 25 years, continual efforts have been made by the Kansas State University (KSU) PDS to minimize notions of status while maintaining mutually beneficial goals and…

A methodical review of the literature revealed that, although similarities exist, the needs of beginning special educators differ significantly from those of the general population of beginning teachers in the following areas: procedural information, curriculum and instruction, classroom management, and collegial interactions. The article reminds…

Operational characteristics for successful mentoring programs of new university faculty include clarity of purpose of the program, methods for matching mentors and proteges, mentor training, mentor-protege relationship building, and program effectiveness assessment. Strengths of formal, informal, peer, group or consortia, intra-departmental,…

A provincial initiative to encourage interprofessional education and research resulted in the implementation of three interprofessional PBL (iPBL) modules at the University of Saskatchewan. The ambitious target of 1200 student iPBL experiences over three years presented a substantial teaching development challenge. Training incorporated many of…

Using nationwide sampling, examined the effects of faculty development programs (FDPs) on the formation and benefits of enrollees' academic colleague relationships. Found that FDPs help enrollees build career-important relationships with peers, mentors, and academic consultants who enhance socialization skills and contribute to academic…

Describes the context, format, and goals of the Professional Carers' Group, a professional network designed to support a centralized treatment project for young people who have sexually abused others. Ways that group-based work with potentially isolated local professionals may help a treatment program maintain a systemic perspective is discussed.…

The University of Alberta (Canada) has developed a range of collaborative relationships in its teacher preparation program. Over 5 years, the faculty developed collaborative relationships in five categories: (1) meta-collaboration to promote and study collaboration; (2) university students in regular classrooms during curriculum and instruction…

Since l984, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has been operating the California Mentor Teacher Program (MTP), initiated and supported by the state, to give special help to new or inexperienced teachers and encourage competent teachers to continue teaching. The study reported in these two volumes evaluated program effectiveness and…

A statewide survey on teacher induction and mentoring programs, conducted in Ohio during 1991-92, asked districts to report on the presence or absence of program components required by the Ohio standard for entry-year certification. Most districts reported having mentoring programs that had major positive effects, though there were some problems.…

The Mentor Teacher-Internship (MT-I) Program is a major development in the theory, policy, and practice of teacher education in New York State. In the first year, 1986-87, 24 projects were designed and implemented. This report is organized into five parts. Part 1 provides an introduction and overview of the evaluation study and contains…