Becoming A Better Mentor

Becoming A Better Mentor

This module is a resource for self-directed study for Doctoral Capstone site and faculty mentors.

Tufts Department of Occupational Therapy

Module Content

All About Mentorship

Mentorship in the Literature

Intro to the Doctoral Capstone

Reflection

Module Objectives

Apply

Evaluate

Understand

Identify

Evaluate research in mentorship including theories and frameworks

Understand mentor/mentee relationship and responsibilities

Apply module material to mentor/mentee relationship

Identify purpose of mentorship and create mentorship goals

01

All About Mentorship

A mentor enables the mentee to move toward their chosen goals with the benefit of their own insight and (possibly) advice or input based on the mentor's experience

Ann Rolfe

Author of Mentoring Mindset, Skills and Tools: Make It Easy for Mentor and Mentees

Supervision vs. Mentoring

Shared Qualities

Supervision

Mentoring

Mentoring Defined in the Literature

Planned, generative, developmental, reciprocal relationship based on trust

Technical guidance interwoven with affirming relationship to create “working alliance” (eby et. al., 2012 p. 463)

Interdependent, mutual endeavor (Barker, 2006)

Facilitates work within plan/timeline (Rice, Suh, Yang, & Davis, 2016)

Source of feedback, motivation & empowerment for achieving tasks & goals

Process of growth/learning for mentee & mentor (Ragins, 2005; 2012)

Involves instrumental & emotional support

Phases of Mentorship

Stretching

Starting

Growing

+ info

Parting

+ info

+ info

Nurturing

Directive

Non-Directive

Building a Mentoring Relationship

Identify Availability (time/types/methods of communication) Discuss expected behaviors & outcomes

Step 1

Define the relationship

Be clear about what each party does, what the relationship provides, how relationship functions (what relationship ‘looks like’

Touches upon values/beliefs, worldviews, personal lives; authentic, ideal, & ‘best selves’ Need plans for how to address when conflict or unmet expectations occur

Step 2

Dynamic quality

Mentor Roles & Dimensions of Helping

Liaison for professional networking/socialization​

Role model, cultural guide to nuances of organizations (academic/workplace/research)​

Coach, Advocate, Counsel

Help mentee stay on track

Mentor Model & Conversation

Top 5 Qualities of Mentors

Shares Information

Confidentiality

Open & Honest

Active Listener

Motivator

Top 5 Qualities of Mentees

Confidentiality

Open & Honest

Interested & Enthusiastic

Accepts Challenges

Shares Information

Career Advancement

Educational & Personal Fulfillment

Outcomes of Mentoring

Goal Attainment

Reveal

Role Fulfillment

Self-efficacy

Is My Mentoring Effective?

Reflect on & document meaningful changes

Evaluate my mentoring goals & objectives set at outset of mentoring relationship; What changed? Why? What was achieved? How?​

Plan for the “next steps” in relationship (Ending? Shifting?)​

Formal & Informal Evaluation Tools

The Mentoring Guide (paperback)

University of Wisconsin

Communicate Those Results to...

Acknowledge & Appreciate Impact

Set New Goals & Objectives

Plan for the Future

Document Outcomes to Justify Time & Resources

Develop New Mentoring Relationships

02

Mentorship in the Literature

03

Introduction to DEC

What is a DEC?

Introduction to the Doctoral Experiential Component of the EL-OTD Capstone

Tufts OT Department | 2024

DEC IS A...

Collaborative

Iterative

Mentored

Scholarship and practice journey that involves a co-constructed capstone project.

Tufts OT Department | 2024

PROJECT TOPICS

Involve in-depth exploration of occupational therapy roles in these areas:

• Education

• Administration

• Intra- or interdisciplinary Research

• Leadership

*Relate to Faculty/Site needs!

• Advocacy

• Program Development
• Program Evaluation/Outcomes

Tufts OT Department| 2024

DEC IN THE EL-OTD CURRICULUM

DEC Courses

OTS 213 Intro to DEC

OTS 294/295 Mentorship

OTS 210 Proposal Planning

OTS 214 Prof Dev for Capstone

Year 2

Supports capstone proposal refinements & detailed planning for OTS 216

Professional Identity Development

Central capstone project planning process & relationship

Supports/guides capstone proposal planning

OTS 215 DEC Seminar

OTS 216 DEC

Year 3

Doctoral Experience Component of Capstone

Supports students while on DEC

The Main Focus of OTS 213

• Professional identity development as budding scholar-practitioners & educators

• Matching process between faculty mentors/projects & students

Tufts OT Department | 2024

OTS 294/295 Faculty-Student-Site Collaborations

Faculty:

Student:

• Work to secure & maintain site relationship
• Help define feasible project
• Support regular follow up each semester (including check in when student on LII FW)

• Work to develop relationship with site
• Self directed process (lit review, needs assessment, aims/goals/objectives, & evaluation plan to assess project results/outcome)
• Maintain regular communication w/ site (1x/month & check in during LII FW)

OTS 294/295 Faculty Mentor Relationship

Faculty:

Student:

• Provide clear proposal guidance, feedback, task & emotional support, resources, referrals (e.g., writing help, statistical help, self care/self-managment)
• Approve & oversee IRB process in e-IRB system
• Bimonthly meeting minimum in 1:1 or small group

• Initiate & self direct proposal development & IRB process, integrate feedback, be open/honest re: needs for support, engage in professional development activities, stay accoutnable with meeting structure/follow-up
• *Use OTS 294/295 Syllabi & Mentorship Contract to define expectations of relationship

Other Courses that Support DEC...

Year 1

OTS 209 Research Methods

OTS 232 Health & Community Systems

Scoping review, literature review

Program proposal, grant writing

BIG PICTURE OF DEC: IMPLEMENTATION

Start with the end in mind:

OTS 216: Doctoral Experience Component of capstone (Year 3)

A 448 hour experience (32 hours/week x 14 weeks)

A collaboratively designed between Student/Faculty/Site Mentor during which student implements proposed project

Tufts OT Department | 2024

BIG PICTURE OF DEC: IMPLEMENTATION

Preparing for DEC...

During DEC...

ACOTE Standard D.1.3:

ACOTE Standard D.1.5

Student must spend 80% of time dedicated to DEC project related activities “to ensure a concentrated experience in the designated area of interest” (Research, Education, Program/policy development, Leadership, Advocacy

Before starting, student must have completed:

1. Literature review
2. Needs assessment
3. Goals/objectives
4. Evaluation plan to assess project results/outcome
5. MOU Addendum: Student/Faculty/Site Mentor

20% of time can be completed ‘off project focus’ (112 hours) & engaged in non-DEC project related tasks such as professional development opportunities, independent study or supporting site needs not specific to project focus (e.g., service delivery, developing resources..)

DEC: THE BIG PICTURE

Dynamic, iterative process

Exemplars exist from your colleagues, look to their work!

Tufts OT Department | 2024

Collective effort; students, staff, site, faculty all contribute

We are learning & continuing to learn about what the DEC process entails

COVID impacted DEC implementation timing

MENTORSHIP: WHAT TO EXPECT

• Learning about self, self-direction, reciprocal nature of mentoring relationships
• Collaborative relationships & giving back to agencies & advocacy for occupational therapy contributions
• Learning to consume & apply literature to work/professional reasoning
• Learning to integrate faculty/site mentor feedback & discovering iterative process of scholarship
• Building skills for dissemination & in reflective practice

Tufts OT Department | 2024

Holistic mentoring also includes providing support with self direction, self care, self advocacy, overall well being

04

Reflection