How peer mentoring can be integrated with other instructional approaches, such as teacher feedback

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the future work and recommendations and limitations of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 8 journals.

Supporting evidence — 8 representative gaps

• Reframing mentoring in higher education as a cooperative system: four principles for inclusive and sustainable development (2026) · Frontiers in Education · doi

  Mentoring remains one of the most widely endorsed yet unevenly realized practices in higher education. Universities invest substantial resources in graduate supervision, faculty mentoring, peer mentoring, and equity-focused initiatives, yet similar programs frequently produce divergent outcomes across institutions, and student populations (Debray departments, et al., 2024; Nabi et al., 2025; Nuis et al., 2023). This paper has argued that such variation cannot be fully explained by mentor skill, role clarity, or program format alone. Rather, mentoring in is best understood as an asymmetric higher education cooperative interdependence, uncertainty, and vulnerability. that must manage system By reframing mentoring through a cooperation lens, this framework shifts attention from individual behaviors to the relational and institutional conditions that stabilize mentoring relationships. The four principles discussed here, Purposeful Alignment, Inclusive Belonging, Reciprocal Engagement, and Whole-Person Development, are not presented as wholly unprecedented features of mentoring. Rather, the contribution of this paper lies in synthesizing these recurring conditions from mentoring scholarship and theorizing them as mechanisms that address coordination challenges, information asymmetries, and risk in relationships characterized by power differentials and evolving developmental needs. When these conditions are present, mentoring relationships are more likely to endure and adapt; when they are absent, mentoring systems become fragile, inequitable, or performative.

  generalfuture workevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentoring conditions relationships higher education rather remains widely endorsed unevenly realized practices universities invest substantial
• Mentoring Practices in Educational Management: Pathway to Leadership Development and Capacity Building (2026) · Mentoring Practices in Educational Management: Pathway to Leadership Development and Capacity Building · doi

  Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, it is recommended that the university continuously strengthen mentoring practices through structured faculty development programs, leadership trainings, seminars, and professional learning opportunities related to educational management. A formal and sustainable mentoring system may also be institutionalized to ensure consistent implementation of mentoring practices in planning, organizing, leading, and evaluating across all academic units. Faculty development initiatives may place greater emphasis on enhancing competencies in strategic and evidence- based planning, leadership decision-making, conflict resolution, collaborative leadership, and reflective evaluation practices. Likewise, differentiated mentoring activities and leadership development programs may be provided according to academic rank and professional needs to support faculty members at various stages of professional growth and leadership experience. The university may further strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the effectiveness, accessibility, and sustainability of mentoring practices and faculty development initiatives. The utilization of digital platforms and information management systems may also improve mentoring communication, documentation, monitoring, and accessibility within the institution. Furthermore, the Proposed 5-Year Leadership Development and Capacity-Building Program on Mentoring Practices in Educational Management may be adopted and implemented to sustain and further enhance mentoring practices, leadership preparation, and professional growth among faculty members. Future researchers may also conduct related studies using additional variables, larger populations, and broader institutional settings to further validate and expand the findings of the study.

  generalrecommendationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentoring leadership practices faculty development professional management further based university strengthen programs related educational planning
• Exploring the Benefits and Drawbacks of Peer Mentoring among Teachers in Ghana: Perspectives and Recommendations for Effective Implementation (2026) · East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences · doi

  Policies should be put in place to promote peer mentorship in schools, with an emphasis on counteracting any negative effects and putting in place any additional measures needed to make it truly beneficial. The results of this research can also be useful to practitioners in that they can inform the development of peer mentoring programs that consider that were previously discovered. factors the Funding: The authors did not receive external funding Conflict of Interest: The authors indicate that there is no conflict of interest. REFERENCES Ali, A. D., & Adel, L. (2020). The impact of mentoring program on in-service teachers' perceptions and self-efficacy. Journal of Faculty of Education for Education Sciences, 44(4), 13–48. Anaman, P. D., & Ahmed, I. A. (2021). Taxation within the Transport Sector : A Ride-hailer and Sharing Economy Perspective. Account and Financial Management Journal, 6(10), 2470– 2480. https://doi.org/10.47191/afmj/v6i10.01 Araya, R. (2018). Teacher training, mentoring or performance support systems? International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics, 306–315. Barnett, E., & Friedrichsen, P. J. (2015). Educative mentoring: How a mentor supported a teacher’s pedagogical preservice biology content knowledge development. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 26(7), 647–668. Bowman, M. (2014). Teacher Mentoring as a Means to Improve Schools. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, 6(1), 47–51. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2016). (Mis) conceptualising themes, thematic analysis, and other problems with Fugard and Potts’(2015) analysis. for sample-size

  generalrecommendationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentoring journal education teacher place peer schools development factors funding authors conflict interest policies promote
• Mentorship and time management behaviors: a synergistic approach to supporting academic performance (2026) · Metacognition and Learning · doi

  Future research should consider alternative measure- ment approaches to more clearly disentangle these constructs. Future studies should examine these relationships in more diverse populations, including different demographic groups, students from other disciplines, and those with a broader range of academic performance. Moreover, the Process Model of Mentoring Interactions does not account for other important factors, such as motivation, that are emphasized in contem- porary models of self-regulated learning.

  generallimitationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: future consider alternative measure ment approaches clearly disentangle constructs examine relationships diverse populations including different
• Graduate STEM Mentoring in the United States: A Qualitative Study of Domestic and International Mentor-Mentee Perspectives (2026) · International journal of doctoral studies · doi

  The findings of this study imply that the quality of mentoring depends not only on the mentor and mentee’s characteristics and their relationship but also on overarching cultural, institutional, and social contexts. Although the context of these graduate mentors and mentees spanned a range of STEM fields, it seems likely that many of the findings may translate to graduate education more broadly. By applying the recommendations, universities could strengthen gradu- ate mentoring and enhance graduation rates. It could be enlightening to conduct a more focused study of a smaller number of students and to understand the other relationships (e.g., peers, community members) in the mentoring ecological system that support students’ develop- ment. Taking a different approach, a survey could be developed to understand all the influences on graduate students’ mentoring experiences.

  generalfuture workevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentoring graduate students understand imply quality depends mentor mentee characteristics relationship overarching cultural institutional social
• Impact of School-Based Mentorship on Students' Academic Performance in Ngororero Public Secondary Schools, Rwanda (2026) · East African Journal of Education Studies · doi

  Based recommendations are proposed: findings, on the following For the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) • Develop national mentorship policy: Create guidelines and standards for school-based mentorship programs aligned with Rwanda's education goals and Competency-Based Curriculum. • Allocate dedicated resources: Provide funding for mentorship programs, including mentor stipends, training, materials, and monitoring systems. Integrate into teacher training: Include mentorship skills in pre-service and in-service teacher education programs. • • Recognise mentorship formally: Incorporate mentorship responsibilities into teacher job descriptions with appropriate workload adjustments and professional recognition. • Develop monitoring frameworks: Create tools and systems for tracking mentorship implementation quality and student outcomes. rigorous research: Fund evaluations of mentorship programs to build evidence base and identify best practices. • Support For the Rwanda Education Board (REB) • Create mentorship curriculum: Develop structured guidance on mentorship content, activities, and approaches suitable for the Rwandan context. • Establish training programs: Provide training covering comprehensive mentor relationship-building, support strategies, psychosocial awareness, and cultural competence. academic • Develop resources: Create mentorship handbooks, activity guides, monitoring tools, and other resources for schools. 427 | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. East African Journal of Education Studies, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2026 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.9.2.4951 • Facilitate peer learning: Establish networks for mentors and school coordinators to share experiences and best practices. • Address holistic needs: Support mentors in addressing both academic and psychosocial dimensions of student wellbeing.

  generalrecommendationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentorship education programs develop create training based resources monitoring teacher support school rwanda curriculum provide
• One size does not fit all: Adaptive Mentorship in South African Primary Teacher Education (2026) · Journal of Education and Learning Technology · doi

  Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that universities and schools provide structured frameworks and institutional support to guide and strengthen mentorship practices, ensuring that mentors' responsibilities and adaptive strategies are clearly defined and executed. Notably, professional development programmes should be implemented expeditiously to upskill mentors in adaptive mentoring, student-centred approaches, scaffolding, and reflective practice. Moreover, focus should be on reducing mentor–mentee ratios to allow for sufficient guidance, observation and timely feedback. In addition, mentors should actively engage PSTs in lesson planning, goal setting, and reflective discussions to foster professional agency, critical thinking and ownership of learning. Relational and collaborative practices, such as empathy, active listening, and constructive feedback, should also be prioritised to build trust and confidence. Lastly, structural and contextual challenges, such as mentor availability, workload issues and conflicts arising from tight schedules, must be addressed to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of mentorship. This, in turn, will ultimately contribute to the professional development of PSTs and lead to improved classroom outcomes. CONCLUSION This study examined how mentor lecturers and mentor teachers modify their mentorship practices to cater to the diverse learning needs of PSTs within WIL contexts. The findings revealed that effective mentorship is adaptive, student-centred, relational, and context-sensitive. Mentors must adjust their support to match the developmental stage and confidence of PSTs. They should engage them in reflective and participatory practices, cultivating trusting relationships that facilitate learning and professional growth. The study also demonstrated that one size does not fit all – a principle that should be implemented in WIL mentorship programmes. The study emphasised that while adaptive mentorship has significant benefits for pre-service teacher development, challenges such as high mentee-mentor ratios, inconsistent mentor availability and limited formal training can hinder effectiveness. Structured frameworks, combined with adaptive and student-centred practices, can significantly enhance the quality of teacher education, ensuring that PSTs are well-prepared for diverse classroom contexts. Adaptive mentoring practice must be embedded in teacher education programmes to enhance the quality of teaching. The advocacy for differentiation should be rigorously implemented in WIL mentorship programmes. The study emphasised that while adaptive mentorship has significant benefits for pre- 42 Mphojane, “Building Professional Capital in Teacher Education: The Role of Mentoring”; Wilson, “Mentoring Pre-Service Teachers: Identifying Ten

  generalrecommendationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentorship adaptive mentor practices professional psts mentors programmes mentoring teacher development implemented student centred reflective
• Mentoring Behaviour and Professional Development among Secondary School Teachers in Jos-North Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria (2026) · International Journal of Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Education · doi

  Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made: 1. Institutionalise formal mentoring programmes in secondary schools, with clear policies, roles, and accountability structures. 2. Organise regular in-service training and workshops to equip both mentors and mentees with relevant skills and current pedagogical practices. 3. Encourage experienced teachers to mentor new staff as part of their professional responsibility and recognise this contribution formally. 4. Eliminate negative workplace practices such as nepotism that undermine fairness, morale, and trust within the school system. 5. Provide incentives for teachers engaged in mentoring activities*, whether financial, promotional, or through recognition awards. 6. Promote a research and publishing culture among teachers* to foster continuous learning, reflection, and contribution to knowledge. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This study was limited to public secondary schools and utilised a relatively small sample size. As such, the findings may not be fully generalisable to all educational contexts. Future studies should expand the scope to include private institutions and larger, more diverse populations to strengthen the evidence base. Experimental studies on mentoring effectiveness to establish causal relationships between specific mentoring practices and SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Building on the present findings, the following areas are recommended for further investigation: 1. teacher outcomes. 2. 3. to deepen our understanding of what drives effective mentorship. Comparative studies between public and private schools to identify contextual factors that enhance or hinder mentoring. Psychological factors influencing mentoring behaviour, such as motivation, self-efficacy, and organisational commitment, REFERENCES 1) Aderibigbe, S. A., Holland, E., Marusic, I., & Shanks, R. K. (2022). A comparative study of barriers to mentoring student and new teachers. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(3), 355–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2022.2070995 2) Almazroa, H., & Alotaibi, W. (2023). Teaching 21st century skills: Understanding the depth and width of the challenges to shape proactive teacher education programmes. Sustainability, 15(9), Article 7365. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097365 3) Barker, H. (2023, February 17). Recognising the power of mentoring for teacher development. Chartered College of Teaching. Recognising the power of mentoring for teacher development 4) Bowman, M. (2014). Teacher mentoring as a means to improve schools. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, 6(1), 47–51. 5) Burnaford, G., Brown, S., Doherty, J., & McLaughlin, H. J. (2007). Arts integration frameworks, research & practice: A literature review. Arts Education Partnership. 6) Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy 7) Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/122.311 Ifarajimi, M., Bolaji, S., Mason, J., & Jalloh, S. (2025). Teachers’ beliefs about mentoring practices in Nigeria’s public teacher attrition. Education Sciences, 15(5), Article 526. school system: A proposed https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15050526 framework to curb 8) Jin, B. Y. P., Md Zalli, M. M., Mohd Jamil, M. R., Hanis, N. M., & Ambon, J. (2025). The transformative power of mentorship on novice teacher success: A recent systematic literature review (2022–2024). International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 14(4), 2605–2616. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v14i4.33492 9) Mwesigwa, F., & Nakato, N. (2025). Mentorship in teacher education programs: A review of practices, outcomes, and challenges. Acta Pedagogia Asiana, 5(1), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5i1.679 IJIRME, Volume 50 Issue 06 June 202 6 www. ijirme com.

  generalrecommendationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mentoring teacher https education practices teachers schools learning public mentorship power development review following programmes

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