TOWARDS TEACHER PREPARATION AT THE COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION: MENTORS’ CHALLENGES AND MANAGING STRATEGIES

Abstract

This study was aimed at exploring mentors’ experiences at the College of Distance Education (CoDE), University of Cape Coast. The study adopted qualitative approach to bring out mentors’ insights into the mentoring process. Researchers employed census sampling techniques for the study. In all, 145 participants were used for the study. The main data collection instrument was open-ended questionnaire. The study revealed that mentors face professionalrelated, institutional-related and transportation challenges. Again, it came out that mentors adopted effective communication, guidance and counselling, orientation and sacrificial approach to manage the challenges they faced. The study recommended that the management of CoDE should consider adopting advance payment plan for mentors to reduce their financial burden. Also, College should consider adopting a cluster system where mentees are grouped based on their distribution in a particular location so that mentors would not have to travel far for supervision.