Journal articles on the topic 'School-wide mentoring'

Preventing first-time offending youth from repeating delinquent behavior is of interest to society. Empirical evidence indicates that high-quality mentoring can prevent a wide array of negative outcomes for at-risk youth. This study examines the perspectives of 87 first-time offending youth, ages 10 to 18 years (M = 15), who participated in Campus Connections: Therapeutic Mentoring of At-Risk Youth. Through in-depth individual interviews, youth reported that mentoring helped them: (a) improve school experiences and performance, (b) create healthier relationships, (c) feel better about themselves, (d) think more positively about their future, and (e) decrease engagement in delinquency. The mentees attributed program components as well as the relationship with their mentor as important. These program components can be integrated into other mentoring programs.

In this thought experiment, we explore how to make access to individualized instruction and academic mentoring more equitable by taking tutoring to scale as a permanent feature of the U.S. public education system. We first synthesize the tutoring and mentoring literature and characterize the landscape of existing tutoring programs. We then outline a blueprint for integrating federally funded and locally delivered tutoring into the school day. High school students would serve as tutors/mentors in elementary schools via an elective class, college students in middle schools via federal work-study, and 2- and 4-year college graduates in high schools via AmeriCorps. We envision an incremental, demand-driven expansion process with priority given to high-needs schools. Our blueprint highlights a range of design tradeoffs, implementation challenges, and program costs. We estimate that targeted approaches to scaling school-wide tutoring nationally, such as focusing on K–8 Title I schools, would cost between $5 and $16 billion annually.

Women make up the majority of personnel in today’s school systems yet few are employed in the highest position-superintendent. In one southern state, the State Department of Education (2009) reported 22 % of superintendents were women. Nationwide, the percentage is 24.1% (Kowalski, McCord, Petersen, Young, & Ellerson, 2011). However, in comparison to the number of women who begin their careers in education, there is still a wide inequity between the percentages of those in the ranks and those in positions of superintendent (Katz, 2012). One of the reasons for the lack of women in upper level administration is the lack of mentoring, both formal and informal. Therefore, mentoring becomes an essential element in providing the guidance and support for women who aspire to be in a leadership position.This study examined the effects of career and psychosocial mentoring functions on the careers of women superintendents currently serving in a southern state by exploring both informal and formal mentoring relationships and the way these relationships serve as effective tools on the position attained and career development. The results of this study showed that the career mentoring functions and psychosocial mentoring functions had a statistically significant impact on the careers of female superintendents. Findings from this research indicate that mentoring relationships have the potential for female administrators to make successful career advancement.

The article reflects the regional approaches developed by the author when working with rural schools with low educational results. Special attention is paid to rural schoolsthat are moving into an effective development mode. For rural schools as one of the open self-organizing systems, from the point of view of the synergetic approach, it is necessary to determine the resonant factors that will allow managers of various levels to build effective work. Mentoring is one of these factors that has significant potential. It is considered as an integral part of the regional system, the principles of which apply to the relevant management levels – regional, municipal and educational organization level. This article describes the management model of transferring educational organizations with consistently low educational results to an effective mode, which was finalized in 2020, and which corresponds to system-wide regional approaches and principles, and includes the implementation of mentoring levels. This model describes an original «Strategic system of interaction between the main subjects of mentoring activities in the transition to an effective development mode», which allows us to determine the most important areas of interaction between a rural school that is moving to an effective development mode and a partner school. Special attention is paid to the recommendations that are given at the level of the educational space of the region to schools participating in both regional and federal projects. The described approaches have been used in rural schools in the Ryazan Region since 2020. According to a number of background indicators, all ten rural schools that are switching to an effective development mode have showed positive dynamics.

Mason's college access program, Early Identification Program (EIP), houses the Academic Mentoring Program (AMP): a platform that provides mentoring and advising to over 575 first-generation college students in grades 8-12 in the Northern Virginia area from seven local public school systems. AMP provides academic enrichment and support to complement coursework taught at students' base schools. AMP creates a positive learning environment that embodies a student-centered approach that is holistic. AMP offers outreach support to engage students one-on-one to allow them an outlet for self-expression that contributes to their well-being. AMP provides students with over 50 academic mentors: current Mason undergraduates, graduates, international students, and alumni from a wide range of majors across Mason's schools and colleges. Academic mentors play a leadership role in mentoring and advising students regarding college access issues to promote academic development, self-advocacy, and major/career exploration. Blooms taxonomy, inquiry-based learning, and StrengthsFinder are implemented as tools for mentor-mentee engagement. In addition, AMP actively seeks collaborations with Mason units around leadership training and curriculum around study skills, learning styles, and metacognitive strategies and the ways in which these practices contribute to the science of learning.

In this discussion of professional learning communities (PLCs) in North American public schools, we examine three theoretical frames – leadership, organization, and culture. Issues related to learning are infused throughout our presentation of the frames. Based on our analysis of the current literature on this topic, PLCs offer a promising tool for system-wide change and collaborative mentorship in public schools. Implications for collaborative mentorship within PLCs are uncovered in relation to the professional learning of teachers and leaders and their community development. We dovetail the literature on learning, learning communities, and mentoring in order to identify such expanded possibilities for school teams that are supported by practical examples of change.

The importance of mentorship in the field of education is disclosed by the projects under implementation or already implemented where the activities related to the development of mentorship in the educational system of Lithuania are depicted. However, the activity of the mentor himself/herself is prevailing in the mentorship researches as well as in practice. The activity and possibilities of manager in the process of mentorship are not analyzed or analyzed only episodically. The aim of this study is to find out whether the schoolmasters manage the process of mentorship and which possibilities of it they use and to prepare recommendations for schoolmasters in the field of mentorship based on the results obtained. The following scientific problem is formulated: what are the possibilities of the managers to manage the process of mentorship as the tool to implement the aims of the organization and the effect to the employees; what would be the use of it, what are the forms of possible organization. This attitude to mentorship from the position of manager is not much analyzed until now. The aim of the study – to disclose the activity of the manager in the process of mentorship in secondary schools of Vilnius city. Tasks: 1. Describe the process of mentorship under analysis. 2. Review the possibilities and needs of the manager to use mentorship as the tool of education of employees and formation of microclimate of school. 3. Reveal the activity of the manager in the process of mentorship in secondary schools of Vilnius city. Object: the activities of managers of secondary schools of Vilnius city in the process of mentorship in 2013–2014. Hypothesis: H1 – in cases mentorship is regulated at school the results achieved are clear and can be evaluated. H2 – in cases the manager is prepared and participates in the process of mentorship the results achieved correspond to the targets set. Methods of research: analysis of scientific literature and documentation of the field of education, questionnaire, partly structural interview, data analysis, summarizing and explication. The process of mentorship and the possibilities of the manager to use it in his/her activities are described in the study. The quantitative and qualitative research revealing the spread of mentorship its forms, target group, participation of managers and attitude to the possibilities of mentorship in the secondary schools of Vilnius city. The research showed the following: • The mentorship process for the young as well as experienced employee at school is wide spread, nevertheless, the level of this activity is different; • The mentorship could be used for the development of young as well as experienced employees (in the problematic or new fields), also for the development of mentors and formation of microclimate. • Active participation of the manager in the process of the mentorship determines focused mentorship, more precise compliance of the results to the ones planned; During the research hypothesis H1 and H2 were confirmed.

Using occupational socialization theory, this investigation describes the socialization of Janet, an induction phase physical education (PE) teacher. Special attention was given to the forms of induction assistance Janet was exposed to during her first two years at Liberty Middle School. Data were collected through seven interviews with Janet and interviews with Janet’s mentor, principal, and assistant superintendent. Analyses were conducted using inductive analysis and the constant comparative method. Results indicate that Janet was exposed to several forms of assistance including a state wide induction assistance initiative called the State Mentoring and Assessment Program (S-MAP). She found the informal assistance provided by her teaching colleague and the community of practice they formed to be among the most important elements of her induction, and she was critical of the formal support she received through the S-MAP.

<p>In this study, the purpose was to study what kind of supervision supports inclusive teacherhood the best. Inclusive teacherhood means a teacher’s professional development and the school culture’s change toward participatory school for all students. The study investigated the perceptions of supervisors with a teaching background. This was a qualitative research in which the data were obtained using the focus-group interview method. The interviews were conducted in five places in Finland. The analysis involved a combination of phenomenography, particularly the application called the variation theory, and the classic analysis of the focus-group research method. According to the findings, supervision that supports inclusive teacherhood can be viewed from two wide perspectives that represent its special features. They are the principles of supervision and the practical execution and special methods of supervision that differ from other mentoring forms. The principles of supervision are awareness of similar methods, careful planning of supervision, regularity, and long-term duration. The special practices of supervision are varied methods, attention to the supervisees’ needs, and appreciation of the supervision process. At its best, supervision supports inclusive teacherhood by supporting and empowering teachers’ in their work.</p>

Assessment literacy (AL) has emerged as an important research field during the past decade, yet it remains a great challenge for secondary school EFL teachers in China to appropriately enact their assessment literacy. Due attention needs to be paid to research upon teachers&rsquo; conceptions of assessment (CoA) and assessment practice. Based upon a semester&rsquo;s observation of the English classes in a secondary school in China, weekly meetings on English teaching and research, a focus group interview, individual interviews, documents such as the participants&rsquo; lesson plans and reflective journals, this qualitative study aims at exploring: (1) what are the conceptions of assessment of the participating secondary EFL teachers? (2) what is the teachers&rsquo; assessment literacy in practice (TALiP)? (3) How could their assessment literacy be enhanced?&nbsp; Self-reported findings show that the EFL teachers have a wide scope of conceptions of assessment and individual variations in their assessment practices. The former range from knowledge of assessment purposes and criteria to regarding assessment as learning (AaL), and the latter from giving instant feedback of nodding or simple comments to practicing assessment for learning (AfL) in classroom teaching. Findings from observation also reveal that when tempting AaL, the participants could generally achieve AfL to some extent. Implications for further teacher professional development are discussed concerning how to enhance assessment literacy mentoring in internship and in-service training.

The monograph under review presents a five-year experience of building and functioning of a model of organizing scholars’ research at the Derzhavin Tambov State University. The problem areas of the development of scholars’ research in a classical university indicated in the work are accompanied by proposals for overcoming them. The goals and objectives of the development of scholars’ research in a classical university are outlined. The level model and the main vectors of development of scholars’ research in a classical university, theoretical foundations for the development of the mentoring institute, goals and objectives of the development of the univer-sity-wide student research society are developed. A description of the most striking projects of student self-government in the research area “School of Competencies”, “Youth Entrepreneurship” and “I Want to Be a Post-Graduate Student” aimed at attracting students to research and innovation activities is given. This monograph is a practical guide for building an effective model for organizing scholars’ research in a classical university, contributing to the involvement of a larger number of students in research and innovative activities.

Considerable attention is now paid to the education of looked after children in the UK, but the criteria used to judge success tend to focus on GCSE passes and university entry. The further education (FE) sector has been largely overlooked in these discussions even though it provides a wide range of non-school based courses for large numbers of disadvantaged 16–19-year-olds. Evidence from a typical college in England with 6200 students shows that a third of all older adolescents living in the area, most of them with modest academic achievements, have some connection with the college, and that around 700 of them require special mentoring. In addition, over 50 students, 70% of them female, are looked after – the same number of older teenagers as would be in the care of a medium-sized local authority. The article seeks to alert practitioners and carers to the contribution that FE can make to the welfare of older looked after children as participation in college life and the specialist help received can help mitigate some of the widely reported problems facing care leavers.

Graduate students and postdocs in science, technology, engineering, and math fields are faced with a wide range of career paths to employment, but they are often not trained to effectively pursue these opportunities. The lack of career management skills implies long tenures in graduate school for many students, especially as tenure-track positions in academia dwindle. At our university, we used a cohort model in which graduate students and postdocs were encouraged to apply to the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training program (BEST under the aegis of the National Institutes of Health) that provided opportunities to gain career management skills, engage in career exploration, and complete at least one formal internship. In this interview study of the BEST trainees, we investigated the efficacy of internships as career exploration tools and associated outcomes. Our findings show that internships were seen as effective career exploration and self-development vehicles that influenced participants’ long-term career goals. Graduate students and postdocs reported gaining transferable knowledge and skills, in addition to receiving valuable industry mentoring and networking opportunities.

The aim of this narrative enquiry was to explore the transition experiences of Maldivian teenagers as they transition from GCSE to Advanced Level Studies. Ten recent alumni of a higher secondary school in Male’ were selected based on purposive sampling to represent a wide range of experiences and challenges. Data was collected in 2018, using one on one, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with boys and girls separately. This paper chronicles their transition experiences in four inter-dependent domains (1) preparedness, (2) fitting in, making friends and belonging, (3) personal grit, and formal and informal support available to meet the higher demands of advanced level studies, and (4) intense pressures the students experienced due to the social structural forces and inequalities which underline their higher secondary education experience as they work toward competitive scholarships for higher studies. Poverty, living away from home communities, lack of effective communication between parents and children, and lack of supportive mentoring relationships between teachers and students negatively influenced the transition experience. Poverty, lack of time management and independent study skills were the most important factors in failure to succeed. The findings of this study have implications for policy level change to ensure higher secondary school students are provided the support required to succeed in their studies.

Purpose – This paper argues that in a well-organised school with strong leadership and vision coupled with a concerted effort to improve the teaching performance of each teacher, student achievement can be enhanced. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that while macro-effect sizes such as “whole of school” metrics are useful for school leaders in their professional development roles, there are important micro-conditions that can be uncovered in a more detailed analysis of student achievement data. Design/methodology/approach – Evidence of student achievement in a variety of standardised and non-standardised assessment tasks was subjected to examination in a post hoc, case study design. The assessment tasks were the South Australian Spelling Test Waddington Reading Test, a school-wide diagnostic writing task, teacher running records and National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy. Performance in selected classrooms was compared on these tests utilising a variety of parametric quantitative statistics. Findings – School-based reform initiatives require external criteria on which to base decision making. Without such criteria based on data and the capacity to interpret it, interactions in the school culture have unanticipated consequences that have the potential to neutralise school improvement strategies. Further, findings suggest that fewer but sharper and quicker data collection tools are more valuable in such teacher decision making, but these require expertise to produce and interpret them. Research limitations/implications – This paper provides insights from one school, but the reported data are embedded in a sustained five year school reform programme. Practical implications – This paper documents a whole school organisational reform model devised by a school head and leadership team to improve student academic performance. The paper offers a process for developing a data-based school reform strategy for professional development to enhance both student achievement and school outcomes. Social implications – The paper outlines a model for school reform that is focused on all students increasing their academic outcomes. By emphasising collaborative teacher work based on research-justified teaching approaches, the model shows that social inequalities can be reversed. Originality/value – The paper outlines a whole of school reform model focused through a combination of distributed leadership, data-driven decision making, within a context of a coaching, mentoring and feedback regime for teachers. Together this model is an application of theoretical ideas to school reform.

Serious gaps are found when evaluating the recognition and inclusion of gender aspects in transport strategies, research and innovation. Similar issues can be spotted in the transport labor market, where only 22% of workers are women at the European level. The roots of these limitations are in the low participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) studies and, therefore, in the traditionally male-dominated transport field occupations. Stemming from the European project TInnGO, the current paper proposes a descriptive analysis to evaluate the gender gaps in educational provision and research in ten European countries. Specific indicators, such as percentages in the gender composition or the presence of university courses dealing with mobility and transport, have been defined and their availability in different countries is verified. In addition, a desktop review of practices for encouraging and supporting women in STEM studies is operated, underling characteristics such as the kind of initiative, the methods and tools used, the target group or the type of promoter. The results of this activity show that a wide network of associations and mentoring operates in various European nations, mostly targeting secondary school students, trying to make females aware of their potentialities in a deeply gender-biased field like the STEM one.

Girl-child education and school attendance are the focus of the United Nations agencies in recent years because education is the key to the advancement of girls and women, as World wide Hasli (2006) noted that globally, world vision has joined with communities to ensure that neither violence; disability nor other terms of discrimination will prevent women and girls from enjoying their rights. The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN, 2004) in the national policy on education stated that education is a right and not a privilege for every citizen, whether male or female. It is against this backdrop that this paper attempts to appraise the girl-child education on the basis of improved life condition, healthy living and general development of individual and society. In pursuing the goals of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), many nations of the world have put machinery in place, to encourage the girl-child education. This paper is interested in emphasising on girl - child education so as to actualise women potentials and those significant areas that contribute to the welfare and sustainability of the girl - child. The paper also advanced counselling strategies such as mentoring, modelling and value orientation which could serve as a panacea for encouraging girl-child education in Nigeria.

A graduate school of education contains a wide range of disciplinary models for the training of scholars and practitioners. I encounter these models as they come up in conversation with colleagues and students, or I confront them more directly as I pass a clinical psychology laboratory space each morning on the way to my office. I often see small groups of doctoral students at work, huddled around a computer monitor or deep in discussion. As my psychology colleagues are more likely to research and write in teams rather than individually, I read this scene as a sign of collaboration built into graduate training. It also contrasts with my experience of collaboration, or the lack thereof, in my own graduate training in history. In my own education, the most collaborative spaces—in which people come together around a common text and problem—existed in the earliest phases of graduate school. A few students and a professor gathered around a seminar table to analyze a book or article. But later, as students developed their own research agendas and proceeded into the archives, they researched and wrote largely in isolation. Writing groups and other venues for sharing work were sustaining, but the content of research remained an individual affair. (There were hints, though, of new spaces for collaboration—as in the History of Education Society's research mentoring sessions begun in 2009—and likely others existed, but were unknown to me as a graduate student.) Once in a faculty position, reflecting on my graduate training and juxtaposed with what I perceived at the psychology laboratory led me to ask where collaboration fits and how it might matter in graduate training in the history of education.

Purpose Aim of our study was to evaluate the motivation of medical students in their final year of medical school to choose radiology for further specialization by means of a Germany-wide survey. Materials and Methods The survey was performed during the 2015/16 semester among German medical students in their four months radiology elective during the final year. Invitations for the study were distributed by the Student Secretariats of each university. The survey was web-based with EvaSys 7.0 software. Questions on radiology contents during medical studies and “practical year” were part of the survey. Plans for residency and possible advantages and disadvantages of radiology as medical specialty were inquired. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were used as analysis methods. Results 89 students participated in the survey at the beginning and 60 students at the end of the practical year. Of these 39 students could be identified who answered both questionnaires. Most students were satisfied with their final year radiology elective (mean 1.8 on a range from 1 to 5). Nevertheless, they criticized mentoring during routine work (mean 2.1) and a lack of educational courses (mean 2.1). Most students (83 %) were uncertain about their residency choice at the beginning of their “practical year” and about one fifth changed their plans. From the students’ point of view main advantages of radiology included contact with many other clinical disciplines (87 %) and the working conditions (68 %). The reduced patient contact (42 %), the large amount of work at a computer (43 %), and the dependency on referring physicians (42 %) were regarded as the main disadvantages. The students regarded the way radiology is taught during the studies as not practical enough. With regard to radiology the majority of students (63 %) felt poorly prepared for their future work. Conclusion The “practical year” is important regarding the choice of future specialization. There was a high degree of satisfaction with the “practical year” in radiology. The mentoring during routine work and a lack of educational courses was mildly criticized. These factors provide room for improvement to foster students’ interest in radiology. Key Points Citation Format

Abstract. The purpose of this service is to increase the creativity of elementary school teachers and students through Learning Media in the form of a Mathematics Teaching Tool "Flat Flat Build" made of paper for elementary school teachers and students at SDN Kenari. The methods used in analyzing data are Socialization, practical training, mentoring and evaluation. The development of learning technology that is in line with technological advancements affects all aspects of human life including the learning process in elementary schools. Implementation of teaching aids in the learning process as part of learning technology must be carried out, especially for primary schools in the NKR-Timor Lest border area. The use of mathematics teaching aids on the broad material of flat shapes as aids in the learning process to understand basic concepts has experienced a lot of development, especially at the elementary school level. This service was carried out for two weeks. The results of the analysis showed that teachers and elementary school students at SDN Kenari were able to make wide visual aids from flat paper. This can be seen from the results of the workshop evaluation on the first day and the results of peer teaching, which is 90% of teachers are able to make a wide flat visual aid and based on the observation and evaluation of peers from three teachers who were randomly selected to do peer teaching, that the average the average practice score is 85 including the excellent category.Keywords. Props, Flat Build, Elementary Teacher.Abstrak. Tujuan Pengabdian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan kreativitas guru dan siswa Sekolah Dasar Melalui Media Pembelajaran berupa Alat Peraga Matematika “Luas bangun Datar” berbahan kertas bagi guru dan siswa Sekolah Dasar di SDN Kenari. Metode yang digunakan dalam menganalisis data adalah Sosialisasi, pelatihan praktik, pendampingan dan Evaluasi. Perkembangan teknologi pembelajaran yang seiring dengan kemajuan teknologi mempengaruhi semua aspek kehidupan manusia termasuk dalam proses pembelajaran di sekolah dasar. Implementasi Alat peraga dalam proses pembelajaran sebagai bagian dari teknologi pembelajaran harus dilakukan, terutama untuk-sekolah-sekolah dasar di daerah perbatasan NKR-Timor Lest. Penggunaan alat peraga matematika pada materi luas bangun bangun datar sebagai alat bantu dalam proses pembelajaran untuk memahami konsep-konsep dasar telah banyak mengalami perkembangan, terutama pada tingkat sekolah dasar. Kegiatan pengabdia ini dilakukan selama dua minggu. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa guru dan siswa sekolah dasar di SDN Kenari mampu membuat alat peraga luas bangun datar dari bahan kertas. Hal ini dapat dilihat dari hasil evaluasi workshop pada hari pertama dan hasil peer teaching, yaitu 90% guru mampu membuat alat peraga luas bangun datar dan berdasarkan hasil observasi dan evaluasi teman sejawat dari tiga orang guru yang dipilih secara acak untuk melakukan peer teaching, bahwa rata-rata nilai praktek adalah 85 termasuk kategori sangat baik.Kata Kunci. Alat Peraga, Bangun Datar, Guru SD.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the power to improve our lives through a wide variety of applications, many of which fall into the healthcare space; however, a lack of diversity is contributing to limitations in how broadly AI can help people. The UCSF AI4ALL program was established in 2019 to address this issue by targeting high school students from underrepresented backgrounds in AI, giving them a chance to learn about AI with a focus on biomedicine, and promoting diversity and inclusion. In 2020, the UCSF AI4ALL three-week program was held entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, students participated virtually to gain experience with AI, interact with diverse role models in AI, and learn about advancing health through AI. Specifically, they attended lectures in coding and AI, received an in-depth research experience through hands-on projects exploring COVID-19, and engaged in mentoring and personal development sessions with faculty, researchers, industry professionals, and undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom were women and from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds. At the conclusion of the program, the students presented the results of their research projects at the final symposium. Comparison of pre- and post-program survey responses from students demonstrated that after the program, significantly more students were familiar with how to work with data and to evaluate and apply machine learning algorithms. There were also nominally significant increases in the students’ knowing people in AI from historically underrepresented groups, feeling confident in discussing AI, and being aware of careers in AI. We found that we were able to engage young students in AI via our online training program and nurture greater diversity in AI. This work can guide AI training programs aspiring to engage and educate students entirely online, and motivate people in AI to strive towards increasing diversity and inclusion in this field.

Abstract Women in Focus: Be Inspired was a unique programme held at the 2019 European Congress of Radiology that was structured to address a range of topics related to gender and healthcare, including leadership, mentoring and the generational progression of women in medicine. In most countries, women constitute substantially fewer than half of radiologists in academia or private practice despite frequently accounting for at least half of medical school enrolees. Furthermore, the proportion of women decreases at higher academic ranks and levels of leadership, a phenomenon which has been referred to as a “leaky pipeline”. Gender diversity in the radiologic workplace, including in academic and leadership positions, is important for the present and future success of the field. It is a tool for excellence that helps to optimize patient care and research; moreover, it is essential to overcome the current shortage of radiologists. This article reviews the current state of gender diversity in academic and leadership positions in radiology internationally and explores a wide range of potential reasons for gender disparities, including the lack of role models and mentorship, unconscious bias and generational changes in attitudes about the desirability of leadership positions. Strategies for both individuals and institutions to proactively increase the representation of women in academic and leadership positions are suggested. Key Points • Gender-diverse teams perform better. Thus, gender diversity throughout the radiologic workplace, including in leadership positions, is important for the current and future success of the field. • Though women now make up roughly half of medical students, they remain underrepresented among radiology trainees, faculty and leaders. • Factors leading to the gender gap in academia and leadership positions in Radiology include a lack of role models and mentors, unconscious biases, other societal barriers and generational changes.

African American Heritage a database for African American family history research, provided by ProQuest. Here, the user has access to a wide variety of military, birth, marriage, cohabitation, death, and census records. Also included are records from the Freedman’s Bank and various registers of slaves and free(d) persons of color. The former was a bank chartered by the federal government to encourage and guide the economic development of African American communities in the period following the end of slavery in the U.S. The latter refers to records, maintained by a number of states prior to 1865, of slaves and free(d) persons of color. Also available to the user are contacts to a community of genealogy researchers, who can provide assistance and mentoring. The readability of the documents available here can vary. Some are too faded to read easily, even with magnification, and others are handwritten, which can make them difficult to interpret. Navigating, enlarging, and reducing documents can be done without difficulty, though the range of movement and magnification is somewhat limited. Documents can be browsed and/or searched for by title, author, publisher, date, subject, language (although, at present, English is the only language available), surname and personal name, and location.The search and browse options here are understandable and can produce useful results, though the number produced by any one query is usually not extensive, so multiple queries may be needed for any research project. Pricing for this database is determined by library or school size and the number of potential users, and consortia discounts are available (contact ProQuest for a specific price quote). Its licensing agreement is the same as those used for all ProQuest databases, and in its length and composition is quite average. The quality and quantity of content in this resource is not exceptional, but it will certainly be of use to those researching African American family history, and more generally Africana Studies, especially in the states indicated in this review.

Music Production of De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde is a program first of its kind in the Philippines. Oriented to trail-blaze for 21st century Filipino musicians, the Music Production program is to be found not in a conservatory, but in a School of Design and Arts. As such, the program ensures responsiveness to the needs of the Creative Industries. With the government’s Long-term Development Plan, wherein culture and the arts are seen as key social and economic capitals, something is to look forward for people who innately possess a certain degree of musicality whether in traditional, folk, popular, indie or in other formats. The program, to a certain extent, makes its own contribution in realizing this governmental thrust. Situated in an amalgamation of cultural expressions as a result of historical determinations, sound and music culture in the Philippines feature a fusion of genres which also naturally results to distinct forms in the fusion and weaving processes. Recognizing this rich context, the program offers a wide variety of training to its students, and sensitive to the needs of the industry, outputs are always made relevant to the demands of the market and the society at large. The capstone projects of the students as well as their other outputs from immersions and on-the-job trainings are in need of safeguarding and proper documentation. In the program’s over two decades of existence, there is no good reason to wait for these outputs to become archaic in the future, acquiring the status of becoming objects or pieces of curiosities. The archival initiative is premised on the idea that these productivities entail a wealth of contemporary musical expressions nurtured in an emerging field of formal learning and mentoring. Offhand, there is a felt necessity of tracing the development of works. At the same time, as prompted by trends, the question to be asked now: What direction must the program take in order to be truly responsive to the industry as well as to actively engage in cultivating contemporary practices of music in the Philippines and in the world? Lastly, the archive is also a soundscape. Akin to the recording of varied sounds simultaneously present in an environment, the archive becomes an instrument of digitizing culture and pedagogy – of recording thought and learning processes of young people as well as educational approaches and methodologies in the part of the program. The initiative seeks to explore the charting of pedagogical outputs – its domiciliation and consignation, and processes involved in its retrieval and dissemination.

This, our second in a series of Special Issues highlighting undergraduate research abroad, continues a fruitful collaboration between Frontiers and the Forum on Education Abroad. Our purpose is to publish what we believe are some of the very best examples of study abroad learning. Our shared hope is that students, faculty, and education abroad professionals will find inspiration in these pages and consider ways that they might incorporate research into study abroad programming. The selection of the papers for this volume began with the Forum’s Undergraduate Research Award. The two winners of the award were Emily Kanstrom and Colin Smith, and they were invited to submit their papers to Frontiers for consideration. An additional 12 students who were ranked highly by the selection committee were also asked to submit their papers to Frontiers. The Frontiers editorial board recommended those included in this volume for publication. This volume includes impressive articles that reflect the variety of learning experiences in which our students abroad are engaged. The research paradigm is a powerful one for engaging students actively in a host culture and society. The students represented in this volume utilized a wide range of interpersonal, intercultural and analytical skills to carry out their research, and in the process it is clear that they learned a tremendous amount about their topics, the host nationals with whom they lived, and about themselves. What comes through in reading these papers is the way in which study abroad can be a process of maturation during which students discover confidence in themselves as learners. Readers will recall that in our first Special Issue we asked on-campus faculty advisors to write about the importance of the students’ research within the context of the home campus curriculum and the students’ academic major. For this volume we wanted to take a different approach and ask on-site directors and faculty familiar with the students’ work to write about the research from their perspective. These reflections appear after each student article, and together they help us to understand the framework for each student’s research. We are committed to tracing the outcomes of these students’ learning by asking previous student authors to provide updates about their lives and how their experience abroad continues to impact them. As we might have predicted, these students have continued to engage the world in very interesting and valuable ways. We hope that you enjoy these updates and the ones that will appear in future volumes. Special thanks to Lee Miller of Sam Houston State University who coordinated the Undergraduate Research Awards and the mentoring of the students who presented at the 2005 Forum conference. Lee worked with the selection committee that chose the winners and that nominated the other students who were invited to submit their papers. A full description of the selection process is available on the Forum web site at www.forumea.org. Thanks also to Paul Houlihan of the School for Field Studies for his thoughtful introduction to this volume, which helps us to look at study abroad from the perspective of the on-site faculty and staff who receive students. Paul points out several useful ways in which home campuses can better prepare students for research abroad The Forum Undergraduate Research Awards are now in their third year and is a project of the Forum’s Committee on Outcomes Assessment. We believe that honoring students for their research and publishing fine examples of study abroad academic work helps both to raise the bar for rigorous study abroad and to document learning outcomes. The Committee welcomes nominations and applications for the Undergraduate Research Awards from all Forum member institutions. This volume would not have been possible without funding from the IFSA Foundation, which provided a grant to publish this and our other Special Issues. The continued support of the institutional sponsors of Frontiers, especially Dickinson College, which provides a home to both the Forum and to Frontiers, is very much appreciated. Brian Whalen, Editor Dickinson College The Forum on Education Abroad

This article describes recent efforts by Wake Forest University to develop a campus-wide mentoring culture to support holistic student development, to assist with the critical transition from high school to college to life after college, and to develop skills and practices that will be valued by employers and graduate schools. The article describes how the University’s Mentoring Resource Center has been developed and uses a decentralized model of mentoring to support mentor and mentee skill development with online and in-person tools and strategies. The article in particular describes several key peer mentoring programs as examples of diverse program goals and participants that are supporting student transition and development. Finally, the article looks at measures of success and lessons learned that can be applied in the future.

School-university partnerships are purported to develop the collegial support needed for any educational change. They may also surmount barriers between pre-service and in- service teacher education. In this school-university partnership study involving staff wide mentoring of pre-service teachers as a change agent, the writer outlines the benefits to pre- and in-service teachers and the barriers encountered that prevented them from fulfilling partnership promise. Pre-service teachers achieved desired internship outcomes and change-resistant teachers developed collegiality and support. Central administration interference and lack of principal leadership created barriers. Suggestions for overcoming the barriers are offered.

This article describes the tiered mentoring approach to undergraduate research at a regional comprehensive university. In addition to mentorship of undergraduate student researchers by faculty and graduate students, tiered mentoring includes high school student researchers. The high-impact practice of student research is particularly impactful at this institution, where 40% of first-year students are first-generation college students, and the campus houses a residential science, technology, engineering, and mathematics high school. The wide variety of opportunities for student research involvement, including opportunities for students to serve in both mentee and mentor roles, has contributed to tiered mentorship becoming a prominent component of our university culture. Strategies for beginning and expanding the involvement of high school students as researchers in postsecondary settings are discussed.

Teacher attrition, a startling problem internationally, can be fruitfully disrupted with comprehensive mentoring/ induction in place. The purpose of this study was to describe a division-wide, systems-embedded mentoring/ induction program in three US elementary schools that determined key features/practices influencing experience during a crisis. Research questions were: How do elementary practitioners involved in a mentoring/induction program describe it? What was the perceived effect of COVID-19 on this program? Support–Accessibility–Collaboration (SAC) provided leverage as program features for new teacher professional development and retention. A theoretical framework, SAC adds to school-based mentoring research by offering an integration of key elements in the literature. In 2021, mentor teachers, principals, and new teachers in northeast Virginia completed a demographics survey and participated in interviews. The analyzed data produced seven specific findings and three program features influencing mentoring quality and stakeholders’ experience. The issue of equity in mentoring contexts is raised. As concluded, mentoring proved problematic, with variability in quality. Even in an emergency, there was movement toward comprehensive approaches that support novices.

Research shows that school administrators’ engagement is vital in creating a structure supportive of induction and mentoring for early career teachers. This article details a mixed-method research study that examined the role and impact of school administrators’ engagement in four teacher induction programs in the United States (two statewide and two district-wide) supported by the New Teacher Center. The results identify administrator role expectations and participants’ perceptions of the programs, and they indicate how vital school administrators’ leadership and commitment are to a successful program. The article concludes with implications for theory, practice, policy, and further research.

Mentoring in Medicine, Inc (MIM) is a nonprofit health and science youth development organization based in the Bronx, NY. Founded in 2006 by three physicians and an engineer- trained entrepreneur, MIM’s organizational goal is to expose socioeconomically disadvantaged students to the wide variety of health and science careers and to increase the health literacy of their communities. It is aligned with the outreach mission of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) whose former Director, Donald A.B. Lindberg M.D., fostered an enduring relationship. Technical assistance, evaluation, and financial support provided under his leadership helped MIM to become a nationally recognized organization leading the field to diversify health careers and to increase health literacy in often hard to reach populations. Through live and virtual programming, MIM has impacted nearly 58,000 students, parents, and educators in urban epicenters in the U.S. The MIM Team has helped 503 students who were discouraged to build a competitive application and matriculate in health professional school. MIM has 88 press features highlighting its work in the community.

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. — William Arthur WardIntroductionThe first documented use of the term Mentor can be traced back to the 8th century BC poem by Homer entitled Odyssey (Hay, Gerber and Minichiello). Although this original representation of Mentor is contested in the literature (Colley), historically the term mentor has evolved to imply a wise and trusted other who advises, teaches, protects and supports someone younger who is inexperienced and not so knowledgeable with the ways of the world. The mentor within a 21st century construct still aligns to this historical portrayal, however the evolution of society, the influence of technology, the growth of entrepreneurship, and a greater understanding of the impact of our interactions with others has forced us to consider mentoring in contemporary ways. As such, popular culture, through books, film and images, provide many impressions of the mentor and what it means to mentor in both historical and contemporary circumstances. Similarly, popular culture provides us with a variety of impressions of the teacher. Throughout old and new history, teaching is considered to be a honourable profession, one that is complex and involves specific skills and knowledge to be effective (Marsh). Society has high expectations of teachers as they are entrusted with shaping the future generation (Parkay). Although the levels of respect and trust of teachers changes within different cultural circumstances, society allows teachers to be one of the most influential figures in a child’s life. Popular film often picks up on this theme and portrays teachers as inspirational figures, pillars of society and those that can have a major influence over the development of the student’s in their care. Within the brief story that a film provides, teachers are more often than not, positioned as a ‘mentor type’ figure to the students entrusted in their care, who guides and supports them to become who they want to be. This paper explores the constructs of the mentor and mentorship through a popular culture lens. Culture is broadly described as the “bricks and mortar of our most commonplace understandings” (Willis 185) and our understandings are shaped by what we see, hear and do. The paper is framed by and seeks to answer the following question: To what extent is the teacher as mentor portrayed in popular film a realistic image? Accordingly this paper will examine the rise of the teacher as mentor and determine what images are portrayed through the medium of film. In order to answer the question, the paper will briefly examine current literature for the characteristics and roles of mentors and teachers. The paper will then delve into the way that teachers are portrayed in film and will be followed by an examination of a selection of films that portray teachers as mentors. A comparison will be made between the characteristics of mentors and the characteristics that the movie teachers display. Analysis through the use of reader-response theory will provide insight into the extent of the reality of the teacher as mentor that are portrayed. Mentors and Teachers: A Review of Selected Literature Mentoring consists of a series of interactions that can be of a social, intellectual or emotional nature (Lentz and Allen). Mentoring can be described as a helping relationship whereby two or more people work together in order to achieve personal and professional goals (Johnson and Ridley). Effective mentoring is also known to be mutually beneficial to all participants (Ambrosetti, Knight and Dekkers). When scanning the literature there are a number of common descriptors that are used consistently to situate the interactions a mentor undertakes: supporter, guide, advisor, teacher, protector and counselor (Sundli; Hall et al.). Such descriptors indicate that a mentor performs a series of roles that change according to the needs of those being mentored (Ambrosetti and Dekkers). If the mentor has a series of roles to perform, then it is logical that the mentee also will also have a number of roles to play, however these are lnot well documented in the literature. The roles that both mentors and mentees play during a relationship can be identified and underpinned through the three dimensions of mentoring: the relationship itself, the developmental needs of the participants and the integration of the context in which the mentoring is situated (Ambrosetti, Knight and Dekkers). The interactions that a mentor engages in with a mentee span over a number of dimensions and are often reactive in nature. The three dimensions of mentoring can assist in describing a mentor and the roles they play. The relational dimension includes such roles as supporter, protector, friend and counselor. The roles of guide, teacher/trainer, collaborator, facilitator and reflector can be classified as developmental whereas being a role model can be both a developmental role and contextual role (230). There are a number of characteristics that are common to a mentor. Johnson and Ridley summarize them to include the following traits: exuding warmth, listening actively, showing unconditional regard, tolerating idealization, embracing humor, not expecting perfection, being trustworthy, having interpersonal competence, respecting another’s values and not being jealous of the mentee (43-62). The above list of traits are personal and often linked to personality, thus can be connected explicitly to the relational dimension of mentoring. The possession (or non-possession) of such traits can impact on the interactions that occur within mentorship. Accordingly it can be assumed that the characteristics, in conjunction with the roles that mentors play, that not everyone is suited to the role of mentor. Most people have experienced schooling at some stage in their life and is therefore familiar with the role of a teacher. Teaching is one most well known professions and can be described as a “creative act in which teachers continually shape and reshape lessons, events and the experiences of their students”(Parkay 45). The role of a teacher is to teach both knowledge and skills to their learners in order to prepare them as citizens for the future. More specifically, the role of the teacher is to design and deliver learning experiences that cater for and challenge the learners, that develop skills and knowledge both inside and outside of the classroom, and help them become confident, creative and responsible citizens. Despite this important role, the image of teachers is split between two types: one that is bitter, spiteful and egocentric, and the other being caring, accepting and reflective (Connell). We remember teachers according to such categories. The types of characteristics that teachers hold are extensive, however the following encompasses those that are key within the literature. Teachers generally have compassion, empathy and a caring nature. They can be flexible, creative, personable, humorous, positive, knowledgeable, motivational and dependable. Teachers are often well organised people, fair minded and resourceful (Howell). When examining the characteristics of teachers and the traits of mentors, similarities can be seen indicating that a particular type of person may be more suited to being a teacher and/or mentor. Teachers as Mentors in Film Teachers seem to be a popular subject of feature films. Films such as Goodbye Mr Chips (1939), Blackboard Jungle (1955) and To Sir with Love (1967) provide us with insight into the way teachers are portrayed in society and the role they play. Film however, has the specific ability to shape the cultural understanding we develop and allows us to make comparisons to our own experiences and those that are played out in fictional circumstances (Delamarter). While there are some films that provide a negative portrayal of teachers, generally they provide a view that teachers are positive influences on the students in their care.A search of the World Wide Web about the teacher as mentor brings up a treasure trove of film titles that span from the 1930s to the present day. Despite such a choice of titles, the following films have been selected to examine in this paper: Dead Poets Society (1989), Dangerous Minds (1995), Freedom Writers (2007) and the Harry Potter series of films (2001-2011). Selection of these films was based on the following two criteria: 1) they occurred within in a school setting and 2) are embedded within a contemporary theme of struggle where rebellion and/or other teenage angst are highlighted. Reader-response theory will underpin the analysis of the teachers in each of the films selected, so that an answer to the earlier posed question can be illuminated. Broadly speaking, reader-response theory is concerned with how readers, or in this case viewers, “make meaning from their experience with the text” (Beach 1). There are many perspectives on reader-response theory and how one might focus upon when responding to a text. In this instance the author will highlight the transaction that occurs between the reader, the text and the context. The transactions will include the social, cultural, experiential, psychological and textual viewpoints (Beach 8). Firstly, each film will be briefly described. This will be followed by an analysis of the teachers portrayed in the films. Dead Poets Society (1989) is set at a conservative secondary boys academy in the late 1950s and focuses on a group of students completing their senior year. Mr Keating is a new English teacher who uses unconventional teaching methods in the classroom. He inspires his students to ‘seize the day’ and ‘make your lives extraordinary’ and does this through the teaching of poetry. He encourages them to stand on desks during his lessons and to throw out tradition. It is Keating’s messages to his students to question what they believe that permeates the film and inspires his students to pursue what they want to do and become. The film Dangerous Minds (1995) is set in a low socio-economic area, where un-privilege and protecting yourself is a way of life. The teacher in this film is new and young, but is an ex US Marine. The class the film centres on is a difficult one to teach. This teacher uses unorthodox methods to gain the attention and trust of her students. The film makes a point to show us that she makes particular effort to relate the curriculum to the students’ interests in order to engage them in learning. Emphasis is also on the fact that she takes an interest in the students and many become her ‘personal projects’ and helping them to realize who they can become. Freedom Writers (2007) is set in the years directly following the Los Angeles riots of 1992 whereby issues of racism, segregation and inequality along with the changing view of the world is the focus. The students in the classrooms of this film are from diverse backgrounds and un-trusting of the education system. Their teacher is new and young and her first attempts to earn their trust fail until she begins to get to know the students and make links between what is being taught to their own lives. She inspires her class to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue further education. In the Harry Potter (2001-2011) series of films, there are several teachers who make an impact upon the young wizards. Although set in a fantasy world, the audience is treated to both inspirational teachers looking to nurture, protect and develop their charges, and teachers who are painted as egocentric and suspicious. Inspirational teachers include Dumbledore and McGonagall who offer subtle life lessons, specific skills and knowledge and protect the young wizards from danger. Egocentric and somewhat suspicious teachers include Snape and Quirrell who look to thwart the wizard’s time at school, however they too offer subtle life lessons to their students. The theme of good versus evil is paramount throughout the film series and the teachers are aligned with this theme.Teachers as Mentors – An AnalysisAlthough only a brief description of each film has been offered, the teachers as mentors to their students is the focus. Mr Keating (Dead Poets Society) and LouAnne Johnson (Dangerous Minds) are both described as unorthodox as they each use teaching methods that are frowned upon by others. However their purposeful and different teaching methods draw their students into their lessons so that life learning can occur. In each film, the unorthodox teaching touches the students in ways unknown to them before and in both cases the students demonstrate intellectual and personal growth. The unorthodox methods provide an avenue for a different relationship that is far from the traditional. In some scenes friendship is hinted at where guiding and supporting the students towards their hopes and dreams is highlighted. Aspects of mentoring can be seen through relational, developmental and contextual domains as the students are supported, guided and provided explicit role modeling. The young teacher in Freedom Writers, Erin Gruwell, uses a teaching approach that includes taking time to get to know her students. This approach, like Keating and Johnson, provides the opportunity to tweak the curriculum to the interests of the students and thus engage them in academic learning. They teach skills and knowledge in ways which relate to the students’ lives and interests. They guide, support the students towards the unfamiliar and facilitate opportunities for success. They help them to set goals and make them realise that they have a future and can be successful in their lives. The transformations that occur due to the teaching approaches used by the teachers cause their students admire and want to be like them. In Harry Potter, teachers Dumbledore and McGonagall are wise in years and life experience. They offer wisdom, protection and guidance to the young wizards throughout the series. These teachers, like Keating, Johnson and Gruwell, are role models in that they represent what life can be like and how best to achieve that life. Snape and Quirell also take an interest in their students, but represent an alternative view of life and learning. The difference between the four Harry Potter teachers can be drilled down to the traits of effective teachers. Two of which emulate the traits and two whom do not readily display any of the traits. Dumbledore and McGonagall can be considered as teacher mentors whereas Snape and Quirell cannot. In each film the student can be seen as central to the teacher as mentor and this in turn influences the way in which they behave. The teachers in these films pass on life lessons through their teaching. Throughout the films the teachers are guiding, supporting, befriending, protecting and training their charges. Interactions that occur between the teachers and the students are followed by a reflective phase by the teachers, whereby solutions to problems are sought or self-realisation occurs. In many instances the films show the teacher learning from the student and thus learning their own life lessons through reflection. From a social and cultural perspective, what is portrayed within the storylines are often close to the reality of what is expected from teachers. In many instances these lead towards a stereotyping of who teachers are and how they behave. However, from an experiential point of view, our expectations of the actions that teachers undertake do not usually take such form. In reality, teachers are busy people with a complex job to do (Connell) and often do not have time to take personal interest in all of their students individually. The teachers within the films chosen seem to have one class to prepare for, whereas in reality, a school teacher will have many classes to consider. Psychologically, some teachers and the style they embrace appeal to a particular a type of student or group of students. In the case of Dead Poets Society, Dangerous Minds and Freedom Writers, the storyline painted the students as those needing a particular type of teacher, someone who would save them from their circumstance and visa versa. The textual perspective was well highlighted by the teachers in the Harry Potter films as the viewer expects to see teachers with rather unusual but interesting teaching styles. However the text (within all films) included insight into mentor characteristics such as warmth, humour, tolerance, respect and unconditional regards. Generally, the films examined highlight two different types of teachers, challenging the categories written about by Connell. The first type of teacher highlighted was one who was seen as being more contemporary. One who is individual, unorthodox, and maybe a little rebellious; this teacher highlights that you need to be ‘different’ to make a difference. The second type was one who aligns to the traditional form of teacher; one who uses their knowledge, wisdom and life experience to break through to their student. Each of the films were underpinned by the relationship, the developmental needs and the context in which the narrative was played out, however the relationship between the students and the teacher was highlighted as being central to the storyline. Thus films of this nature often portray teachers as those who help their students in the emotional sense rather than the intellectual sense (Delamarter). Conclusion Several understandings about the teacher as mentor have been brought to light through the examination of the teacher as mentor in film. Firstly, in revisiting the mentoring definitions offered within this paper, it can be said that the teachers highlighted in the discussed films were mentoring their students in a way unique to the relationship developed between teacher and student. In each instance the teacher worked with their students to identify teaching approaches that would be successful in the context in which they were situated. Each film demonstrated that the teachers were committed to creating a relationship that met the developmental needs of their students. Interestingly, it was observed that the relationships were mutually beneficial in that the teachers grew along with the students with many coming to realisations about themselves through reflection and self thought. Secondly, the teachers within the films were portrayed as playing several important roles within their students’ lives. The teachers were role models inside and outside of the classroom. Each film’s storyline positioned the teacher as an influential other, whether they be portrayed as rebellious and unorthodox, evil and suspicious or inspirational and wise. The teachers in these films can be considered as mentors as they were supporting, guiding, protecting and nurturing the students to become better versions of themselves. However, the question that this article sought to answer was: to what extent is the teacher as mentor portrayed in popular film a realistic image? In looking back at the image the teacher in society and the role that they play in developing citizens of the future, it can be said the image presented has slivers of realism. In the real world, teachers must conform to society’s expectations, educational policies and codes of professionalism. Professional relationships with students do not encompass them in behave a student as a ‘personal project’, although catering to their needs is encouraged within the curriculum. It would be thought that if teachers did not encourage their students to be the best they can be, then they would not be doing their job. Many figures throughout our cultural history have been viewed as a mentor due to the role they play and how these roles align to societal beliefs and values. Thus, the portrayal of mentors and mentorship through a popular culture lens provides insight into our understanding about what mentorship is and how this may develop in the future. Both in the past and present, teachers are seen as inspirational figures and pillars of society, and are often considered a mentor by default. Films portray teachers in a variety of fashions, however there are many films that subtly position the teacher as a mentor to their students and it is this that this article has focused on. ReferencesAmbrosetti, Angelina, and John Dekkers. “The Interconnectedness of the Roles of Mentors and Mentees in Pre-Service Teacher Education Mentoring Relationships.” Australian Journal of Teacher Education 35.6 (2010): 42-55.Ambrosetti, Angelina, Bruce Allen Knight, and John Dekkers. “Maximizing the Potential of Mentoring: A Framework for Pre-Service Teacher Education.” Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning 22.3 (2014): 224-39.Beach, Richard. A Teacher’s Response to Reader-Response Theories. Illinois: National Council Teachers of English, 1993.Blackboard Jungle. Directed by Richard Brooks. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1955.Colley, Helen. “Righting Rewritings of the Myth of Mentor: A Critical Perspective on Career Guidance Mentoring.” British Journal of Guidance & Counselling 29.2 (2001): 177-197.Connell, Raewyn. “Teachers.” Education, Change and Society. Eds. Raewyn Connell, Anthony Welch, Margaret Vickers, Dennis Foley, Nigel Bagnall, Debra Hayes, Helen Proctor, Arathi Sriprakash, and Craig Campbell. South Melbourne: Oxford, 2013. 261-275.Dangerous Minds. Directed by John N. Smith. Hollywood Pictures/Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Via Rosa Productions, 1995.Dead Poets Society. Directed by Peter Weir. Touchstone Pictures/Silver Screen Partners IV, 1989.Delamater, Jeremy. “Avoiding Practice Shock: Using Teacher Movies to Realign Pre-Service Teachers’ Expectations of Teaching.” Australian Journal of Teacher Education 40.2 (2015): 1-14.Freedom Writers. Directed by Richard LaGravenese. Paramount Pictures, 2007.Goodbye Mr Chips. Directed by Sam Wood. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Denham Studios, 1939.Hall, Kendra M., Rani Jo Draper, Leigh K. Smith, and Robert V. Bullough. “More than a Place to Teach: Exploring the Perceptions of the Roles and Responsibilities of Mentor Teachers.” Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning 16.3 (2008): 328-45.Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Directed by Chris Columbus. Heyday Films/1492 Pictures, 2001.Hay, Terence, Rod Gerber, and Victor Minichiello. “Mentorship: A Review of the Concept.” Unicorn 25.2 (1999): 84-95.Howell, Jennifer. Teaching and Learning: Building Effective Pedagogies. South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press, 2014.Lentz, Elizabeth, and Tammy D. Allen. “Reflections on Naturally Occurring Mentoring Relationships.” The Blackwell Handbook of Mentoring: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. Eds. Tammy D. Allen and Lillian T. Eby. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2007. 159-162.Johnson, W. Brad, and Charles R. Ridley. The Elements of Mentoring. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Marsh, Colin. Becoming a Teacher: Knowledge Skills and Issues. 5th ed. Frenchs Forest Pearson, 2010.Parkay, Forrest W. Becoming a Teacher. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.Sundli, Liv. “Mentoring: A New Mantra for Education?” Teaching and Teacher Education 23 (2007): 201-14.To Sir with Love. Directed by James Clavell. Columbia British Productions, 1967.Willis, Paul. “Shop-Floor Culture, Masculinity and the Wage Form.” Working Class Culture: Studies in History and Theory. Eds. John Clarke, Chas Critcher, and Richard Johnson. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2007. 185-200.

AbstractFuture teachers agree to meet a pupil once a week to engage in cultural, social and educational activities within the framework of two mentoring projects conducted at the University of Kassel. The students are supported at the University by an educational science seminar and by professional supervision (Garlichs et al., 2000; Heinzel et al., 2007). At the end of the project the students write a case study. Since 2015 these projects are part of PRONET, a government-funded bundle of various projects in the field of educational research, located at the University of Kassel, which are part of the nation-wide research initiative “Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung”. This initiative aims at the improvement of teachers' education regarding inclusion by continuous evaluation of the projects. The mentoring projects promote students' inclusive attitude by stimulating their reflexive and cooperative skills and by raising their awareness for habitus-sensibility. Previous research has shown that mentoring projects can, for example, facilitate teachers' acceptance of heterogeneity of childhood experiences by providing insights into different social environments and by improving reflection on prejudices and stereotypes (Kottmann, 2014; Maas, 2007; Wenzler-Cremer, 2016). Following these findings, the actual research focuses on which kind of reflection students use and if they develop or strengthen inclusive orientations. With regards to data analysis, the qualitative content analysis of the case study is accompanied by sequential interpretation of audio statements, which the students produce at three points in time during their mentoring year. First results show that different kinds of reflection take place, that the students get confronted with inclusive and exclusive inconsistencies, and that they begin to reconceptualize ideas about normality.

"The Gulf Comparative Education Society (GCES) held its eighth biannual symposium under the sponsorship of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research from April 7th to 9th, 2018. Guided by the theme “Public, Private, and Philanthropy: Exploring the Impact of New Actors on Education in the GCC,” attendees presented research and discussed developments in the field of education in the Gulf. The symposium was held at the Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates and consisted of a pre-conference workshop, three keynote addresses, four featured panels, two special panels, and six breakout sessions with over 40 presentations by invited speakers, as well as by those who submitted abstracts that had been selected by a blind review. In its eighth year, the symposium continued the tradition of convening a diverse group of guests and attendees from across the globe. This year’s presenters came from a wide variety of countries including the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Canada, Spain, Australia, Germany, Sweden and the United States, representing different voices in the education sector, such as policymakers, academics and researchers, school providers and leaders, consultants, and teachers. The theme for 2018 drew upon the growing involvement of emerging actors in GCC education and put a spotlight on the impact of philanthropy on education in the Gulf. In 2015, reports estimated a combined $34bn worth of private donations to foundations. Philanthropic contributions, closely intertwined with private and public education, therefore hold the power to shape GCC education ecosystems, through scholarships and mentoring, as well as the creation of entire school systems and universities. While the philanthropic sector is still in its infancy in the GCC, this years’ symposium took the opportunity to apply a comparative lens through keynote speeches delivered by Professor Bob Lingard (University of Queensland), Professor Megan Tompkins-Stange (University of Michigan), and Professor Antoni Verger (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). The speakers discussed topics, such as the emergence of philanthropists, edupreneurs, and consultants as new policy actors in education, the power and influence of elite private philanthropies in the US, and the main omissions and shortcomings of translating public- private partnerships (PPPs) into the educational policy field. The featured panels and breakout sessions addressed the following key topics, among others:  Higher Education in the GCC  Informing Education Policy and Transforming Systems through Evidence  Motivation, and Alternative Approaches to Learning 2  Evaluating the Emergence of Private Actors in Education  The Challenges and Prospects of Philanthropy in Education in the GCC  Internationalization of Education: Effects on Students, Educators, and Institutions  Globalization in Philanthropy and Human Resources In addition, the symposium brought together over 80 participants working in a range of organizations across the Gulf and beyond, all of whom shared an interest in comparative education in the GCC countries. This year’s symposium was further enriched by a special panel discussion joined by representatives from UNESCO, UNDP, and the Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND). The discussion revolved around the Sustainable Development Goal 4 in the Gulf States and how partnerships can ensure quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Following the symposium, speakers were asked if they would like to submit an approximately 3,000-word paper on their presentation. This volume is the compilation of those papers that were submitted. While it does not cover all of the presentations that were given at the symposium, slides for some of the other presentations are available on the GCES website (www.gces.ae). Dr. Abdullah Alajmi, President Dr. Ahoud Alasfour, Vice President Dr. Natasha Ridge, Secretariat Representative David Dingus, Max B. Eckert, and Elizabeth Bruce, Proceedings Editors"

OPSOMMING Party nieregeringsorganisasies (NRO's) help werklose mense om in diens geneem te word of om vir hul eie sak te werk. Sulke NRO's bied gewoonlik opleiding en ondersteuning aan werklose mense met die doel om hulle vermoë te ontwikkel op terreine waar hulle dit dalk nodig het. Die doel van hierdie verkennende navorsing was om te bepaal hoe geskoolde en hooggeskoolde werklose persone wat by 'n NRO in Pretoria, Gauteng, betrokke is, hulle eie vermoë sien om hulle indiensneembaarheid en selfwerksaamheid te verbeter. Die kapasiteitsbenadering van Sen en van Kolbe is in hierdie studie as teoretiese raamwerke gebruik, soos ook interpretativisme, fenomenologie en 'n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode. Twee semigestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude is gebruik om inligting van die deelnemers te bekom. Die bevindinge kan in drie hooftemas saamgevat word, naamlik die kognitiewe, of denke (selfbeeld, nuwe denke en vaardighede); die affektiewe, of emosies (motivering, negatiewe emosies ten opsigte van verhoudings); en strategieë om kapasiteit te bou (erkenning van vorige leer en werkskaduwing). Die konatiewe (strewe, gedrag) as deel van Kolbe se teorie is nie in die narratiewe gevind nie. Op grond van die navorsingsbevindinge en die literatuur is 'n raamwerk saamgestel om die "hoe" (watter strategieë) en die "wat" (watter kapasiteit) van kapasiteitsontwikkeling van geskoolde en hooggeskoolde werklose persone uit te lig. Trefwoorde: kognitief, affektief, konatief, strategieë, kapasiteitsontwikkeling, geskoolde en hooggeskoolde werklose persone, Gauteng, nieregeringsorganisasie ABSTRACT One of the objectives of some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is to assist unemployed persons to become employed or self-employed. In Pretoria, Gauteng, one such NGO gives training and support to unemployed persons with the purpose of capacitating them in certain areas of need. This exploratory research was aimed at determining how skilled and highly skilled unemployed persons involved in this NGO's programme view their own ability to become employed or self-employed. The capacity approaches of Sen and Kolbe served as theoretical frameworks for this study. Interpretivism as a research philosophy and a phenomenological approach guided the study. Interpretivism, phenomenology and a qualitative research method were therefore used. Two semi-structured focus group interviews were used to obtain rich data from the participants. Forty-two unemployed persons were involved in the NGO programme at the time, and eleven persons volunteered to participate in the study. Seven persons with a post-school qualification participated in one focus group interview, and four persons with a Grade 12 certificate in the other. The purpose of this division was to attain a wide variety of perspectives in the dynamics of each focus group interview. The trustworthiness of the data was essential; this was achieved by considering credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data into meaningful themes and categories. Saturation of data was taken into consideration. Verbatim extracts were used to substantiate the themes. The themes yielded by the findings were categorised according to Kolbe's capability approach based on the three faculties of the mind (cognitive, affective and conative), as well as the strategies to develop capacity. The findings can be summarised in three main themes, namely the cognitive, or thoughts (self-image, new thinking, skills); the affective, or emotions (motivation, negative emotions relating to relationships, dealing with depression and despondence); and strategies to develop capacity (recognised prior learning and job shadowing). The conative part of Kolbe's approach did not feature in the findings. Recommendations were drafted by combining the findings of the study and the literature review. This combination resulted in the development of a framework to improve employability and self-employability of the skilled and highly skilled unemployed persons. This framework consisted of the "what" (capacities) that should be developed and the "how", that is, strategies to follow in order to develop the capacities of the skilled and highly skilled unemployed persons. Training in making online job applications, writing a curriculum vitae, computer skills, how to brand and market oneself, how to network, job interviewing and entrepreneurship should be offered. Coaching and mentoring should be made available, especially to persons who want to be self-employed. Financial assistance should be considered as start-up funds for a new business venture. To improve employability and self-employability, the cognitive, affective and conative parts of the person should, therefore, be taken into consideration when developing personal capacity. It is recommended that, in future research, this study be extended to other skilled and highly skilled unemployed persons and to unskilled unemployed persons in South Africa. The constraints on employability and the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on unemployment in South Africa should also be researched. Keywords: cognitive, affective, conative, strategies, capacity development, unemployed skilled and highly skilled persons, Gauteng, non-governmental organisation

IntroductionThis paper is concerned with recent attempts to develop the creative economy in rural Scotland. Research shows that the creative economy is far from self-organising, and that an appropriate institutional landscape is important to its development (Andersson and Henrekson). In Scotland, there is a proliferation of support mechanisms – from those designed to help creative entrepreneurs improve their business, management, or technical expertise, to infrastructure projects, to collective capacity-building. In rural Scotland, this support landscape is particularly cluttered. This article tackles the question: How do rural creative entrepreneurs negotiate this complex funding and support landscape, and how do they aid the development of the rural creative economy ‘from below’? From Creative Industries to the Creative EconomyThe creative industries have been central to the UK’s economic growth strategy since the 1990s. According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research the creative industries contributed £5.9bn to the economy in 2013 (CEBR 17). In the last five years there have been significant improvements in ICTs, leading to growth in digital creative production, distribution, and consumption. The established creative industries, along with the nascent ‘digital industries’ are often grouped together as a separate economic sector – the ‘creative economy’ (Nesta A Manifesto for the Creative Economy).Given its close association with creative city discourses (see Florida 2002), research on the creative economy remains overwhelmingly urban-focused. As a result of this urban bias, the rural creative economy is under-researched. Bell and Jayne (209) note that in the last decade a small body of academic work on the rural creative economy has emerged (Harvey et al.; White). In particular, the Australian context has generated a wealth of discussion as regards national and regional attempts to develop the rural creative economy, the contribution of ‘creativity’ to rural economic and social development, sustainability and resilience, and the role that individual creative practitioners play in developing the rural creative economy (see Argent et al.; Gibson, Gibson and Connell; Waitt and Gibson).In the absence of suitable infrastructure, such as: adequate transport infrastructure, broadband and mobile phone connectivity, workspaces and business support, it often falls to rural creative practitioners themselves to ‘patch the gaps’ in the institutional infrastructure. This paper is concerned with the ways in which rural creative practitioners attempt to contribute to the development of the creative economy ‘from below’. ICTs have great potential to benefit rural areas in this respect, by “connecting people and places, businesses and services” (Townsend et al. Enhanced Broadband Access 581).The Scottish InfrastructureSince 1998, cultural policy has been devolved to Scotland, and has fallen under the control of the Scottish Government and Parliament. In an earlier examination of a Scottish creative business support agency, I noted that the Scottish Government has adopted a creative industries development strategy broadly in line with that coming out of Westminster, and subsequently taken up worldwide, and that the Scottish institutional infrastructure is extremely complex (Schlesinger et al.). Crucially, the idea of ‘intervention’, or, the availability of a draw-down programme of funding and support that will help creative practitioners develop a business from their talent, is key (Schlesinger).The main funder for Scottish artists and creative practitioners is Creative Scotland, who distribute money from the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) also offer funding and support for creative practitioners working in the Highlands and Islands region. Further general business support may be drawn down from Business Gateway (who work Scotland-wide but are not creative-industries specific), or Scottish Enterprise (who work Scotland-wide, are not creative-industries specific, and are concerned with businesses turning over more than £250,000 p.a.). Additionally, creative-sector specific advice and support may be sought from Cultural Enterprise Office (based in Glasgow and primarily serving the Central Belt), Creative Edinburgh, Dundee or Stirling (creative networks that serve their respective cities), the Creative Arts and Business Network (based in Dumfries, serving the Borders), and Emergents (based in Inverness, dealing with rural craftspeople and authors).MethodologyThe article draws on material gathered as part of three research projects, all concerned with the current support landscape for creative practitioners in Scotland. The first, ‘Supporting Creative Business’ was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the second, ‘Towards a model of support for the rural creative industries’ was funded by the University of Glasgow and the third, ‘The effects of improved communications technology of rural creative entrepreneurs’ funded by CREATe, the Research Council's UK Centre for the Study of Copyright and New Business Models in the Creative Economy.In all three cases, the research was theoretically and practically informed by the multi-sited ethnographies of cultural, creative and media work conducted by Moeran (Ethnography at Work, The Business of Ethnography) and Mould et al. Whilst the methodology for all three of my projects was ethnography, the methods utilised included interviews (n=23) – with interviewees drawn from across rural Scotland – participant and non-participant observation, and media and document analysis. Interviewees and study sites were accessed via snowball sampling, which was enabled by the measure of continuity between the three projects. This paper draws primarily on interview material and ethnographic ‘vignettes’. All individuals cited in the paper are anonymised in line with the University of Glasgow’s ethics guidelines.Cities, Creativity, and ‘Buzz’As noted earlier, cities are seen as the driving force behind the creative industries; and accordingly, much of the institutional infrastructure that supports the rural creative industries is modelled on urban systems of intervention. Cities are seen as breeding grounds for creativity by virtue of what Storper and Venables call their ‘buzz’ – consider, for example, the sheer numbers of creative practitioners that congregate in cities, the presence of art schools, work spaces and so on. Several of the creative practitioners I spoke to identified the lack of ‘buzz’ as one key difference between working in cities and working from rural places:It can be isolating out here. There are days when I miss art school, and my peers. I really valued their support and just the general chit chat and news. […] And having everything on your doorstep. (Visual artist, Argyll)Of course, rural creatives didn’t equate the ‘buzz’ of activity in cities with personal or professional creative success. Rather, they felt that developing a creative business was made easier by the fact that most funders and support agencies were based in Scotland’s Central Belt. The creatives resident there were able to take advantage of that proximity and the relationships that it enabled them to build, but also, the institutional landscape was supplemented by the creative ‘buzz’, which was difficult to quantify and impossible to replicate in rural areas.Negotiating the Funding and Support LandscapeI spoke to rural creative practitioners about whether the institutional infrastructure – in this case, relevant policy at national and UK level, funding and support agencies, membership bodies etcetera – was adequate. A common perspective was that the institutional infrastructure was extremely complex, which acted as a barrier for creatives seeking funding and support:Everything works ok, the problem is that there’s so many different places to go to for advice, and so many different criteria that you have to meet if you wanted funding, and what’s your first port of call, and it’s just too complicated. I feel that as a rural artist I fall between the cracks […] am I a creative business, a rural creative business, or just a rural business? (Craftsperson, Shetland) Interviewees suggested that there were ‘gaps’ in the institutional infrastructure, caused not by the lack of appropriate policy, funders, or support agencies but rather by their proliferation and a sense of confusion about who to approach. Furthermore, funding agencies such as Creative Scotland have, in recent years, come under fire for the complexity of their funding and support systems:They have simplified their application process, but I just can’t be bothered trying to get anything out of Creative Scotland at the moment. I don’t find their support that useful and they directed me to Cultural Enterprise Office when I asked for advice on filling in the form and tailoring the application, and CEO were just so pushed for time, I couldn’t get a Skype with them. The issue with getting funding from anywhere is the teeny tiny likelihood of getting money, coupled with how time-consuming the application process is. So for now, I’m just trying to be self-sufficient without asking for any development funds. But I am not sure how sustainable that is. (Craftsperson, Skye, interview) There was a sense that ‘what works’ to enable urban creative practitioners to develop their practice is not necessarily sufficient to help rural creatives. Because most policymakers, funders and support bodies are based in the Central Belt, rural creatives feel that the challenges they face are poorly understood. One arts administrator summed up why, statingthe problem is that people in the Central Belt don’t get what we’re dealing with up here, unless they’ve actually lived here. The remoteness, poor transport links, internet and mobile access […] it impacts on your ability to develop your business. If I want to attend a course, some organisations will pay travel and accommodation. But they don’t account for the fact that if I travel from Eigg, I’ll need to work around the ferry times, which might mean two extra nights’ accommodation plus the cost of travel … we’re excluded from opportunities because of our location. (Arts administrator, the Small Isles) A further issue identified by several participants in this research is that funding and support agencies Scotland-wide tend to work to standardised definitions of the creative industries that privilege high-growth sectors (see Luckman). This led to many heritage and craft businesses feeling excluded. One local authority stakeholder told me,exactly what the creative industries are, well that might be obvious on paper but real life is a bit more complicated. Where do we put a craftsperson whose craft work is done in her spare time but pays just enough to stop her needing a second job? How do we tell people like this, who say they are in the creative industries, that they aren’t actually according to this criteria or that criteria? (Local authority stakeholder, Shetland, interview)Creating Virtual ‘Buzz’? The Potential of ICTsAccording to 2015 OFCOM figures (10-12), in rural Scotland 85.9% of households can receive broadband, and 6.3% can receive superfast. The Scottish Government’s ambition is to deliver superfast broadband to up to 90 per cent of premises in Scotland by March 2016, and to extend this to 95 per cent by 2017. Whilst the current landscape as regards broadband provision is far from ideal, there are signs that improved provision is profoundly affecting the way that rural creatives develop their practice, and the way they engage with the institutional infrastructure set up to support them.At an industry event run by HIE in July 2015, a diverse panel of rural creatives spoke of how they exploited the possibilities associated with improved ICTs in order to offset some of the aforementioned problems of working from rural and remote areas. As the event was conducted under Chatham House rules, the following is adapted from field notes,It was clear from the panel and the Q&A that followed that improved ICTs meant that creatives could access training and support in new ways–online courses and training materials, webinars, and one-on-one Skype coaching, training and mentoring. Whilst of course most people would prefer face-to-face contact in this respect, the willingness of training providers to offer online solutions was appreciated, and most of the creatives on the panel (and many in the audience) had taken advantage of these partial solutions. The rural creatives on the panel also detailed the tactics that they used in order to ‘patch the gaps’ in the institutional infrastructure:There were four things that emerged from the panel discussion, Q&A and subsequent conversations I had on how technology benefited rural creatives: peer support, proximity to decision-makers, marketing and sales, and heritage and provenance.In terms of peer support, the panel felt that improved connectivity allowed them to access ‘virtual’ peer support through the internet. This was particularly important in terms of seeking advice regarding funding, business support and training, generating new creative ideas, and seeking emotional support from others who were familiar with the strains of running a creative business.Rural creatives found that social media (in particular) meant that they had a closer relationship with ‘distant’ decision-makers. They felt able to join events via livestreaming, and took advantage of hash tagging to take part in events, ‘policy hacks’ and consultations. Attendees I spoke to also mentioned that prominent Government ministers and other decision-makers had a strong Twitter presence and made it clear that they were at times ‘open’ to direct communication. In this way, rural creatives felt that they could ‘make their voices heard’ in new ways.In terms of marketing and sales, panel members found social media invaluable in terms of building online ‘presence’. All of the panel members sold services and products through dedicated websites (and noted that improved broadband speeds and 3G meant that these websites were increasingly sophisticated, allowing them to upload photographs and video clips, or act as client ‘portals’), however they also sought out other local creatives, or creatives working in the same sector in order to build visible networks on social media such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. This echoes an interview I conducted with a designer from Orkney, who suggested that these online networks allowed designers to build a rapport with customers, but also to showcase their products and build virtual ‘buzz’ around their work (and the work of others) in the hope their designs would be picked up by bloggers, the fashion press and stylists.The designer on the panel also noted that social media allowed her to showcase the provenance of her products. As she spoke I checked her Twitter and Instagram feeds, as well as the feeds of other designers she was linked to; a large part of their ‘advertising’ through these channels entailed giving followers an insight into life on the islands. The visual nature of these media also allowed them to document how local histories of making had influenced their practice, and how their rural location had influenced their work. It struck me that this was a really effective way to capture consumers’ imaginations. As we can see, improved ICTs had a substantial impact on rural creatives’ practice. Not only did several of the panel members suggest that improved ICTs changed the nature of the products that they could produce (by enabling them to buy in different materials and tools, and cultivate longer and more complex supply chains), they also noted that improved ICTs enabled them to cultivate new markets, to build stronger networks and to participate more fully in discussions with ‘distant’ policymakers and decision makers. Furthermore, ICTs were seen as acting as a proxy for ‘buzz’ for rural creatives, that is, face-to-face communication was still preferred, but savvy use of ICTs went some way to mitigating the problems of a rural location. This extends Storper and Venables’s conceptualisation of the idea, which understands ‘buzz’ as the often-intangible benefits of face-to-face contact.Problematically however, as Townsend et al. state, “rural isolation is amplified by the technological landscape, with rural communities facing problems both in terms of broadband access technologies and willingness or ability of residents to adopt these” (Enhanced Broadband Access 5). As such, the development activities of rural creatives are hampered by poor provision and a slow ‘roll out’ of broadband and mobile coverage. ConclusionsThis paper is concerned with recent attempts to develop the rural creative economy in Scotland. The paper can be read in relation to a small but expanding body of work that seeks to understand the distinctive formation of the rural creative industries across Europe and elsewhere (Bell and Jayne), and how these can best be developed and supported (White). Recent, targeted intervention in the rural creative industries speaks to concerns about the emergence of a ‘two tier’ Europe, with remote and sparsely-populated rural regions with narrow economic bases falling behind more resilient cities and city-regions (Markusen and Gadwa; Wiggering et al.), yet exactly how the rural creative industries function and can be further developed is an underdeveloped research area.In order to contribute to this body of work, this paper has sketched out some of the problems associated with recent attempts to develop the creative economy in rural Scotland. On a Scotland-wide scale, there is a proliferation of policies, funding bodies, and support agencies designed to organise and regulate the creative economy. In rural areas, there is also an ‘overlap’ between Scotland-wide bodies and rural-specific bodies, meaning that many rural creatives feel as if they ‘fall through the cracks’ in terms of funding and support. Additionally, rural creatives noted that Central Belt-based funders and support agencies struggled to fully understand the difficulties associated with making a living from a rural location.The sense of being distant from decision makers and isolated in terms of practice meant that many rural creatives took it upon themselves to develop the creative economy ‘from below’. The creatives that I spoke to had an array of ‘tactics’ that they used, some of which I have detailed here. In this short paper I have focused on one issue articulated within interviews – the idea of exploiting ICTs in order to build stronger networks between creatives and between creatives and decision makers within funding bodies and support agencies. Problematically, however, it was recognised that these creative-led initiatives could only do so much to mitigate the effects of a cluttered, piecemeal funding and support landscape.My research suggests that as it stands, ‘importing’ models from urban contexts is alienating and frustrating for rural creatives and targeted, rural-specific intervention is required. Research demonstrates that creative practitioners often seek to bring about social and cultural impact through their work, rather than engaging in creative activities merely for economic gain (McRobbie Be Creative, Rethinking Creative Economies; Waitt and Gibson). Whilst this is true of creatives in both urban and rural areas, my research suggests that this is particularly important to rural creatives, who see themselves as contributing economically, social and culturally to the development of the communities within which they are embedded (see Duxbury and Campbell; Harvey et al.). ‘Joined up’ support for this broad-based set of aims would greatly benefit rural creatives and maximise the potential of the rural creative industries.ReferencesAndersson, Martin, and Magnus Henrekson. "Local Competiveness Fostered through Local Institutions for Entrepreneurship." Research Institute on Industrial Economics Work Paper Series (2014), 0-57. Argent, Neil, Matthew Tonts, Roy Jones and John Holmes. “A Creativity-Led Rural Renaissance? Amenity-Led Migration, the Creative Turn and the Uneven Development of Rural Australia.” Applied Geography 44 (2013): 88-98.Bell, David, and Mark Jayne. 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