Mentoring and coaching in education practitioners’ professional learning: Realising research impact

Abstract

Purpose

Mentoring and coaching are key strategies employed in workplace learning and are perceived as effective ways to provide learner support. However, there is a paucity of evidence of how research outcomes may have influenced these practices and to what extent they have benefited those involved in this process. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that research on mentoring and coaching can in fact result in beneficial impacts on education professionals’ learning and development.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper critically reflects on the process of developing an impact case study submitted to the UK Research Excellence Framework 2014. It seeks to make explicit the close relationship that exists between research and professional practice and how evidence of any resulting impact of research on user communities can be identified, collected and verified.

Findings

In describing the process of developing such an impact case study the article focuses on three key aspects: identifying a suitable case; meeting the criteria of high quality research; and evidencing impact. It highlights the importance of a collective, cross-professional approach and draws attention to the nexus that needs to be established between user and research communities, between academics and professional practitioners, in order to generate evidence of research impact in the field.

Originality/value

This paper brings to light the benefits research in mentoring and coaching can have on policy and practice, specifically in terms of education professionals’ workplace learning and continuing professional development in a local and international context.

Citation

Jones, M. (2015), "Mentoring and coaching in education practitioners’ professional learning: Realising research impact", International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 293-302. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-09-2015-0027