Abstracts
Abstract
Aiming to elucidate the relationship between social capital and intergenerational practice within mentoring, this article presents data from a case study of the School Volunteer Program in Western Australia. Drawing on situated learning theory and the concept of community of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998; Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002), the discussion examines benefits and limitations of intergenerational practice. Results acknowledge the potential for intergenerational practice to build social capital for both mentees and mentors. However, further research is required to examine mentoring in school-based communities of practice where complex issues of power (see Bourdieu, 1985) may empower or restrict student voices.
Résumé
Avec pour objectif de clarifier les relations existant entre le capital social et les pratiques intergénérationnelles lors de mentorat, cet article présente les données tirées d’une étude de cas pilotée par le School Volunteer Program en Australie occidentale. S’inspirant de la théorie d’apprentissage situationnel et du concept de communauté de pratique (Lave et Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998; Wenger, McDermott et Snyder, 2002), les auteurs font l’examen des bénéfices et des limites des pratiques intergénérationnelles. Les résultats reconnaissent le potentiel des pratiques intergénérationnelles comme générateur de capital social à la fois pour les protégés et les mentors. Cependant, les auteurs suggèrent que de plus amples recherches soient effectuées pour analyser le mentorat dans le cadre de communautés de pratique en milieu scolaire où des problématiques complexes de pouvoir (voir Bourdieu, 1985) peuvent favoriser ou restreindre les voix étudiantes.
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Appendices
Remerciements
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge all participants as well as the researchers and research assistants involved in the NYARS funded 2006 intergenerational study.
Notes biographiques
Wendy Cumming-Potvin was born and raised in Canada. Wendy was awarded a BA and an English/French teaching certificate at The University of British Columbia, a MA at l’Université de Montréal and a PhD at The University of Queensland, Australia. Wendy’s research interests include promoting social justice, literacies, mentoring and on-line learning. Currently a member of an Australian Learning and Teaching Council research team investigating social justice and engineering education, Wendy aims to advance international and collaborative teaching and research communities.
JUDITH A. MACCALLUM is Dean of the School of Education at Murdoch University in Western Australia. Her research revolves around collaboration, motivation and mentoring from a sociocultural perspective. With colleagues Judith pioneered Australian research on mentoring and related strategies, such as intergenerational exchange. This research is highly regarded in Australia by government, industry and community organizations, and has been used as the basis for policy development and implementation at national, state and community levels.
Wendy Cumming-Potvin est née et a grandi au Canada. Elle a obtenu un baccalauréat en arts et un certificat en enseignement de l’anglais et du français à l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique, une maîtrise en arts de l’Université de Montréal et un doctorat à l’Université Queensland en Australie. Ses intérêts de recherche englobent la justice sociale, les littératies, le mentorat et l’apprentissage en ligne. Wendy est actuellement membre d’une équipe de chercheurs du Australian Learning and Teaching Council explorant la justice sociale et la formation des ingénieurs. Elle cherche à favoriser le développement de communautés internationales et collaboratives d’enseignement et de recherche.
Judith A. MacCallum est rectrice à l’École des sciences de l’éducation de l’Université Murdoch située en Australie occidentale. Ses recherches gravitent autour de la collaboration, de la motivation et du mentorat dans une perspective socioculturelle. Collaborant avec des collègues, Judith a mis sur pied des projets de recherche sur le mentorat et des stratégies apparentées, comme les échanges intergénérationnels. En Australie, ses recherches sont tenues en haute estime par le gouvernement, l’industrie et les organisations communautaires. Elles sont utilisées comme fondement pour le développement et l’implémentation des politiques au niveau national, étatique et communautaire.
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