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APP TE Mentor Information

APP TE mentors play a key role in supporting new academic colleagues as they begin to teach at Warwick, and will continue to work with them as they progress to completing their probation. Mentors will usually be based in the same academic unit as their mentee, and will have strong knowledge and understanding of the UKPSF, ideally holding Fellowship or Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

A critical friend

Mentors will act as a critical friend, helping APP TE participants through the process of becoming reflective practitioners, and stimulating them to think critically about learning and teaching, and the ideas that they are encountering on the APP TE programme. In the role of critical friend a mentor might provide informal, formative feedback on draft assignments, discuss the reflections and practice documented within the ePortfolio, or comment on teaching plans, exam questions, or lectures.

A disciplinary colleague

Mentors also function as experienced colleagues able to discuss how learning and teaching happens in their academic field. This aspect of the mentor role facilitates the discussion of learning and teaching issues, specifically as it is lived through the discipline. Mentors are therefore an important source of information, advice and guidance which support new academic members of staff as they become members of departmental teaching communities.

Mentors will observe at least one of their mentees teaching session (e.g. lecture, seminar, tutorial, research supervision) and offer constructive feedback and guidance on how practice can be developed and enhanced.