“An incentive for innovation”: the impact of being a subject-specific secondary ITE mentor on the professional learning of teacher mentors

Crooks, V., London, L., & Snelson, H. (2025). “An incentive for innovation”: the impact of being a subject-specific secondary ITE mentor within an HEI partnership on the professional learning of teacher mentors. Professional Development in Education, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2025.2580324

This paper used a case study approach across three Higher Education Institution (HEI) Initial Teacher Education (ITE) partnerships to explore how the subject-specific professional learning of secondary history teachers is supported by mentoring a preservice teacher within a subject-specific HEI ITE partnership. The study found that subject-specific mentoring stimulated history mentors’ intrinsic professional motivation for continued subject-specific learning and their sense of obligation to undertake this. It also revealed the role of mentoring in stimulating mentors’ engagement with professional learning communities, providing mentors with a sense of belonging and opportunities for collaboration.

The framework developed from the research, provides a valuable insight for policymakers and ITE stakeholders seeking to identify and evaluate effective mechanisms for supporting the subject-specific professional learning of teachers. It suggests that secondary HEI–ITE partnerships can be leveraged as brokers of professional learning potentially providing opportunities for both the recruitment and retention of teachers.