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Recent research on the quality of education at school (Hattie, 2003; Kunter et al., 2011) points out the important part teachers play: they are identified as the crucial factor influencing [...]

Pedagogical tact, the 'translator' from theory to practice, is a complex construct. A theory of tact has been developed and is tested through comparison of novice and expert teachers. One may assume that experienced practitioners are tactful if they are committed. Preservice teachers may be assumed to be less tactful than experienced teachers for two reasons: (a) they are not used to teaching and applying theoretical concepts in their internships, and (b) they stick 'closer' to the knowledge about theories since they are still studying. Billett and Smith (2014) proposed that in professional practice an interactive enactment of knowledge is crucial. Qualitative differences between novices and experts were reported by Berliner (e.g. 2001). In a pilot study conducted in January of 2016 at a new lower secondary school in Austria five senior preservice teachers and three mentors were investigated. The preservice teachers and the mentors (expert teachers) were assessed independently for one lesson with stimulated recall. The results were coded along crucial categories in tact situations. Direct comparisons of experts and novices from the same field according to the coding system were interpreted as indicators of the validity of the assessment tool to measure tact. To make sure that there is indeed a difference in the experts' and novices' actions, the lesson interruption method (LIM; Patry, 1997b) was used to check tact relevant dimensions. First results showed a statistically significant association between the level of excitement, the level of fun and the level of notice of the surroundings during the learning process due to the estimations in the LIM of the participating pupils. Keywords theory practice transfer, mentoring, internships, mixed methods, reflective teaching, 1. Introduction to Research on Pedagogical Tact Mentoring can be seen as the attempt of mentors to support the mentees in translating the theories learnt in college into practical action [...]

Teacher education in Austria is currently undergoing a fundamental reform process. Investigations into teachers' first experience in school indicate that the transition from university life to professional life is not smooth for teachers. In the arts, the adjustment seems to be even more complex (De Vugt, 2013). Artistically well-trained university graduates seem to have difficulty in applying their knowledge and artistic skills. Career crashes and a shortage of music teachers in Austria are some of the consequences (Bailer, 2009). Recently I commenced the Grounded Theory Study, mentoring in music, investigating how mentors act in the induction phase, as well as how mentees cope with it. Narrative interviews beyond mentors and mentees, expert interviews, as well as group discussions with mentor teams, show that mentoring in music education has to find ways to support trainee teachers' transition between art and pedagogy since they are two fundamentally different practices (Benner, 2001). In this article, I present and discuss two main results of the study: First I show the multilayered status passage (Glaser & Strauss, 1971) that music teacher novices move through from their identity as music students to their identity as music teachers in schools. Second, I suggest and discuss four types of music teacher novices who cope with this status passage in music education differently and how they can be supported by mentors. Keywords Status passage, praxeology, mentoring in music, music teacher novices, music teacher training, Introduction The needs of a new music teacher are broad and complex. Over the course of the teacher novice's first year--the induction phase--mentors will find themselves responding to a range [...]

The introduction to teaching is critical for novice teachers. Near the end of their master's program, students of Business Education and Development in Austria spend one semester at an assigned school. They are introduced to teaching, while being assisted by peer students, mentoring teachers, and a companion course. Mentors receive special training and preparation in advance, thus contributing to a high quality mentoring program. The program is organized threefold: (1) providing feedback, (2) opportunities for reflection and (3) career orientation. The purpose of this paper is to assess key elements of successful mentoring programs and to question which competences of mentors contribute most to the success of those programs. Between 2012 and 2015, 188 persons (student teachers and their mentors) responded to an online survey at the end of their mentoring program. Additionally, data from a study (1,245 questionnaires) regarding the student teachers' perception of their own competence was utilized, allowing for a comparison of student teacher confidence in their abilities before and after the mentoring program. The present results provide insight into the key elements of successful mentoring programs; both from a student teacher's and mentor's perspective. During the semester, students showed an increase regarding their self-perception of their professional competences. It was found that students and mentoring teachers valued feedback after each lesson more than feedback in regular meetings. Opportunities for reflection (e.g. exchange with peer students, learning diaries) were considered helpful. The mentoring program helped students to decide whether to become a teacher or not. Keywords Key elements of mentoring, student teaching, competence development, reflection, Business Education and Development, Introduction Mentoring activities and opportunities for collaboration with peers are important for the career orientation of novice teachers (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). This paper assesses the key elements of a [...]

The lack of evidence-based quantitative studies prevents further progress in mentoring research. In particular, standardized diagnostic instruments facilitating the exploration, evaluation and production of structured feedback for mentors and mentees are urgently needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors and levels that are crucial to the process of mentoring. The study has two objectives: First, to expand the present empirical knowledge of basic dimensions and mentoring styles by developing the first German-language inventory, and second, to examine how the dimensions of the inventory are related to other qualities in the mentoring process. The data were collected at three universities in Austria during and after the school practice periods (student teaching) of advanced student teachers who were under the guidance of mentor teachers. Over the course of the study, 405 mentees (future teachers) evaluated 205 mentors. In order to gather information on mentoring dimensions, a specially designed German-language questionnaire with 53 items was utilized to assess how often certain mentoring behaviors were experienced. Five factors, some of which were validated by independent variables, were identified through an exploratory factor analysis: 'Professional Support', 'Collegiality', 'Working Levels', 'Directiveness' and 'Confidence'. The resulting inventory promoted two objectives: a theory-focused goal to encourage further research on the complexity of mentoring processes; and a practical goal, the creation of a tool for collaborative reflection between mentor and mentee. The results indicated that mentoring must be conceptualized as a professional practice that should entail specific resources and guidelines. Keywords Mentoring, mentoring styles, mentoring-style inventory, teacher education, professional teacher development, Introduction Researchers have recently begun to investigate possible styles of mentoring. However, previous studies and the literature in general have rarely gone beyond observational and vague conceptual research. The outcomes [...]