The document describes ENDAPT, an online mentoring program for novice teachers. ENDAPT aims to improve teacher preparation, induction, effectiveness, retention, leadership, and student learning through asynchronous group mentoring. A pilot study of the program involved 13 novice teachers and 11 experienced mentor teachers engaging in online discussions. Content analysis of the discussions found that mentors' posts focused on support, modeling, and instruction, while novices sought information and shared experiences. The program provides an alternative to traditional site-based mentoring and has the potential to create online professional learning communities for teachers.

2. ENDAPT
• Electronically
• Networking to
• Develop
• Accomplished
• Professional
• Teachers
• ENabling new teachers to…
• ADAPT to—and to adapt
—the complex, ever-
changing contexts of
education as teacher
leaders and in service of
student learning.

3. 1-to-1
Group
http://endapt.wm.edu/modules/emissary-admin/info.php?template=home_page.html
Info on demand

4. Through ENDAPT, we aim to…
1) Improve pre-service preparation
2) Improve novice induction
3) Improve teacher effectiveness
4) Improve teacher retention
5) Foster teacher leadership
6) Improve K-12 student learning

5. Overcomes some recognized limitations of site-
based mentoring:
• Access to highly experienced,
communicative mentors
• Scheduling mentoring sessions
• School politics
(Abbott, 2003; Schlager, Fusco, Koch, Crawford, & Phillips, 2003)
Why Online Mentoring for Novice Teachers?
Telementoring
e-mentoring
Online
m
entoring
Virtual learning community
Computer-mediated communication

6. How ENDAPT Began…
Group Mentoring
Instructional Technology course
On-site Mentoring
Clinical Faculty Program
1-to-1 Mentoring
WINGS Online

7. Tapped In
http://www.tappedin.org

8. Novice
Mentor
Mentor
Novice
Mentor
Threaded Discussion in Virtual Room

9. The Pilot
September-October
• Recruited novices
• Recruited mentors
• Oriented novices individually
• “Trained” mentors
October
• Launched group mentoring
December
• Survey #1
May-June
• Content Analysis
• Survey #2
• Concluded group mentoring

10. Pilot Participants
13 Novices
• 5 elementary
• 2 middle
• 4 high
• 2 reading specialists
• 11 in VA
• 1 in FL
• 1 in AZ
11 Mentors
• 6 elementary
• 3 middle
• 2 high
• AL, CA, FL, MI, MO, NC, VA
• 5 - 31 years experience
• 20 years experience on average
• TOY—school, district, region, state,
national
• NBPTS certified
• Danforth fellow
• Officers/president of state
professional associations
• State/national commissions
• Department/team/grade-level chairs
• Awards from professional assn.

11. Research Study
The purpose of our study is to identify the:
 nature
 evident outcomes
of professional conversations among master (i.e., mentor)
and novice teachers in an asynchronous, group-based,
online mentoring environment.

12. Research Questions
• Flow: What is the flow (i.e., direction) and frequency of
the posts among mentor and novice teachers?
• Function: What is the function (i.e., purpose) and
frequency of the posts among mentor and novice
teachers?
• Content: What is the content (i.e., topics) and
frequency of the posts among mentor and novice
teachers?

13. Content Analysis Methodology
• Created function categories*
• Identified content
categories**
• Developed codebook
• Pilot coded
• Trained coders (6)
• Calculated inter-rater
reliability
* Adapted from Bonk & Kim's (1998) 12 forms of mentoring communication.
** Adapted from William & Mary (2002) student teacher competencies

14. Content Analysis
Unit of Data Collection
 Discussion thread within an online mentoring forum
Unit of Data Analysis
 Individual posting to discussion thread within an online mentoring forum
Type of Evidence: Manifest vs. Latent
 Manifest or explicit meaning that can be objectively derived from the
words used and the thoughts expressed in the postings.

15. Frequency & Direction of Posts
Specific
Mentor
Specific
Novice
Broadcast
Mentor
Specific
Novice
Specific
Mentor
Broadcast
Novice

16. Mentor Function Categories
(1) Support/Confirmation -- The mentor makes a supportive statement and/or confirms the
actions of a novice teacher or another mentor: “You’re doing great…”, “Don’t doubt yourself…”, "You're
really growing as a professional...", "That was a good decision..."
(2) Guided Advice -- The mentor provides specific direction, instruction, or advice to the novice
teacher or another mentor: “You may want to try…”, “I suggest using…”
(3) Modeling -- The mentor describes his or her own experience or thinking but does not give direct
advice, answers, or interpretations of a given situation: “The way I’ve handled that situation is to…”,
"Once I...", "I remember...", "In my classroom..."
(4) Seeking Clarification/Direct Questioning -- The mentor poses a direct question or
makes a statement inviting explanation or clarification: “How are you currently grading homework?”,
“Have you discussed this with your principal?”, "Tell me more about..."
(5) Prompting Reflection -- The mentor prompts or otherwise creates an opportunity for a
novice to think about, share, and evaluate his or her own thinking: "What do you think your actions
resulted in?", "How might your students have taken what you said to them?", "What do you think the
parent was thinking during the conference?"
(6) Professional Growth -- The mentor makes an explicit statement about his or her own
professional growth, new understanding, or change in practice resulting from online forum: “I’m starting
to see…”, “I feel more confident…”, “I used to think…but now...”

17. Novice Function Categories
(1) Acknowledgement/Thanks -- The novice acknowledges his or her understanding
someone else's ideas, or indicates acceptance of new ideas, or expresses thanks for someone else's
thought: “I see what you’re saying…”, "That's good advice...”
(2) Guided Advice -- The novice provides specific direction, instruction, or advice to another
novice teacher or mentor: “You may want to try…”, “I suggest using…”
(3) Sharing Experience, No Problem -- The novice describes an experience, but there is no
indication that the experience is problematic: "Today was great! I had my class doing...", "I had my first
parent conference yesterday and it went really well." , "In our school use..."
(4) Specific Question/Seeking Specific Information -- The novice teacher poses a
question or invites others to provide him or her specific information: “How do you use manipulatives in
middle school math?”, "What reading series do you use?", "What should I expect during my first
observation?", "I need to know more about...", "Anything you can tell me is appreciated..."
(5) Explicit Issue/Problem -- The novice specifically describes a situation that he or she is
confronting or has confronted in his or her practice, but does not pose a question or specifically seek a
response: “I’m having trouble with…”, “In my school…”, "Yesterday was awful. I had a student..."
(6) Reflection/Professional Growth -- The novice teacher makes an explicit statement
about his or her own professional growth, new understanding, or change in practice, either resulting
from the online forum or not: “I’m starting to see…”, “I feel more confident…”, “I used to think…but
now...”

18. Mentor and Novice Functions
Mentor Novice
(1) Support / Confirmation Acknowledgement / Thanks
(2) Guided Advice Guided Advice
(3) Modeling Sharing Experience,
No Problem
(4) Seeking Clarification /
Direct Questioning
Seeking Information /
Specific Question
(5) Prompting Reflection Explicit Issue / Problem
(6) Professional Growth Reflection /
Professional Growth

19. Content Categories
(1) Planning for Instruction
• Plans lessons that align with local, state, and national standards.
• Selects appropriate instructional strategies/activities.
• Selects appropriate materials/resources.
(2) Instructional Delivery
• Teaches based on planned lessons.
• Provides for individual differences.
• Uses motivational strategies to promote learning.
• Engages students actively in learning.
• Uses a variety of effective teaching strategies.
• Helps students develop thinking skills that promote learning.
• Monitors student learning.
(3) Assessment for Learning
• Creates and selects appropriate assessments for learning.
• Implements assessments for learning.
• Interprets/uses assessment results to make instructional decisions.
(4) Classroom Management
• Builds positive rapport with and among students.
• Organizes for effective teaching.
• Demonstrates use of effective routines and procedures.
• Demonstrates efficient and effective use of time.
• Maintains a safe learning environment.
• Responds appropriately to inappropriate behavior.
(5) Professionalism
• Demonstrates professional demeanor and ethical behavior.
• Participates in and applies professional development.
• Demonstrates effective oral and written communication.
• Cooperates, collaborates, and fosters relationships with members of the school
community.

20. Content Analysis: Inter-rater Reliability
Coder Direction
Mentor
Function
Novice
Function Content Range
Average
Reliability
CS 0.9 0.917 0.833 0.92 .833 - 1.0 0.9
PA 1 0.917 0.917 0.9 .75 - 1.0 0.925
SN 0.9 0.833 0.833 0.72 .583 - .917 0.817
TF 1 0.833 - 0.94 .75 - 1.0 0.892
TS 1 0.938 0.833 0.84 .833 - 1.0 0.9
VW 1 0.857 0.944 0.74 .583 - 1 0.833
TOTALS 0.9666 0.8825 0.872 0.8433 .583 - 1.0 0.8778

21. Mean Median Mode SD
Mentors 33.81 35 25, 35 23.37
Novices 11.77 5 20 13.71
Number of Postings by Individual Novices and Mentors
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
NumberofPosts
Mentors
Novices

22. Direction of Mentor Posts
mentor to
novice
41%
mentor to
broadcast
46%
mentor to
mentor
13%
Direction of Novice Posts
novice to
mentor
33%
novice to
broadcast
56%
novice to
novice
11%

23. Percentage of Novice Posts
Including Each Novice Function
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Percentage 30% 11% 42% 37% 39% 12%
Acknowledge/
Thanks
Guided
Advice
Sharing
Experience
Questions
Issue/
Problem
Reflection/
Growth
Percentages exceed 100 because a single most may have multiple functions.
Percentage of Mentor Posts
Including Each Mentor Function
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Percentage 41% 38% 63% 12% 11% 3%
Support/
Confirmation
Guided
Advice
Modeling Questions
Prompt
Reflection
Professional
Growth

24. Comparison of Percentage of Posts
Containing Each Content Category
by Mentors and Novices
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Mentors 26% 35% 15% 36% 30%
Novices 41% 36% 17% 36% 26%
Planning for
Instruction
Instructional
Delivery
Assessment
Classroom
Management
Professionalism

25. Perspective
“Like Alice in Teacher Wonderland virtual
communities allow my teacher world to grows
[sic] larger and smaller at the same time!”
Susan
middle school teacher
Virginia
Friday, June 9, 2006

26. posted by Matt November 2006
The longer I do this (a whopping 11 weeks now!), I'm realizing that to be an
effective teacher, it will take my all. My ALL! I constantly think about school: what
I've done, all that still needs to get done, the handfull [sic] of students that try to
make the classroom miserable, the other handful that are the reason I get out of
bed (some kids are in both groups)…. I guess my question is: is it always like this?
I like teaching (I think), but I'm tired of working 12 hours a day, 5-6 days a week for
questionable results. Jobs that you can walk away from at the end of the day, and
not think about until you return the next seem mighty enticing right now….I amI am
honestly not trying to be pessimistic, but why teach?honestly not trying to be pessimistic, but why teach?
Matt

27. The end.The end.
posted by Matt on Jun 1, 2006, 3:05 PM
Today it ends. When the bell rang at 11:28 am, the students walked out the door
for the last time this academic year. Tonight is graduation. Tomorrow is a work-
day. Done. And my friends, what a ride it has been. Ask me how it was. MyAsk me how it was. My
response: I have no clue- I'll let you know in a week or two.response: I have no clue- I'll let you know in a week or two.
Regardless, from a deep place inside, thank you all. It was very reassuring toIt was very reassuring to
know that you were available to run to when my world was collapsing. Yourknow that you were available to run to when my world was collapsing. Your
input has been internalized and has shaped my approaches this year.input has been internalized and has shaped my approaches this year. As I
look forward to reflecting this summer, know that your input and our conversations
will be one of my primary sources for material.
Again, my sincerest thanks.
Matt
2nd year teacher.2nd year teacher.

28. Future Research Questions
NATURE
of online mentoring
• Flow
• Function
• Content
• Similar to, different from,
and/or complementary of on-
site mentoring
EFFECTS
of online mentoring
• Teacher Leadership
• Teacher Retention
• Teacher Practice
• K-12 Student Learning
• What types of online support are most effective for pre-service and
novice teachers?
• What makes these supports effective and why?

29. Lessons Learned (Process)
• Market and recruit early
• Platform exposure
• Training for Mentors
• Choose your champion carefully
• Incentives for both mentor and
novice

30. Lessons Learned-(Outcomes)
• Group Online mentoring allows for both
group and 1-1 mentoring
• Virtual professional learning communities
encourage professional development
across the continuum (mentor-mentor and
novice-novice)
• Their conversations are professional and
around competencies related to teaching
and learning
• Mentors used effective, traditional
mentoring behaviors (e.g., modeling rather
than directing)
• Novices shared experiences as often as
they asked questions