Both the professor and a mentor have a role to play in nurturing a learner to acquire the
necessary skills and competencies. However, there are specific points where the roles of the two
diverge. According to the APA Standard 7.01 of Education and Training, a professor has a role
of administering and discharging the right content and which is within the requirements of a
given program. The intention is to impart new knowledge and skills (Committee on Science,
Engineering, and Public Policy, 1995).
Further, one is supposed to guide the learner on education and research activities. On the same
line, a professor is expected to promote the right attitudes and ensure that the leaners provide
appropriate mental health interventions to the clients. On the other hand, a mentor is charged
with the role of providing academic advising, supervision, informal support, evaluation, and
coaching. Their work goes beyond normal teaching and learning to include other social and
personal elements which are important during practice. Such elements include planning, acting,
reflecting, questioning, and solving problems that pertain to the learner's work.
However, there are possible problems when the instructor and the mentor is the same person.
Firstly, it is possible to be biased. The instructor may want to mentor what he is teaching and not
giving adequate attention to the problems that a learner will face in the real world. Secondly, it is
also possible that the instructor will not be able to shift the roles and separate the content to use.
Finally, the learner will not be motivated. That is because of the perception one may have about
the instructor. It is, therefore, unlikely the learner will acquire much. The practice is common,
where there are not enough resources.
In that case, the problem can be solved by doing group mentoring. Instead of having individual
mentors, learners can be in groups and attended to, by one mentor (National Institute of Health,
n. d.). Also, the process of mentoring can be made information. That will help set a clear
distinction between classwork and mentorship activities. Also, learners can be encouraged to
engage themselves and learn how to solve various problems.
References:
Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy. (1995). On being a scientist: Responsible
conduct in research. Retrieved from: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/obas/
National Institute of Health. (n.d.). NIH. Retrieved from: http://www.nih.gov