Exploring the Worth of Online Communities and e-Mentoring Programs for Beginning Teachers

Abstract: Education systems worldwide face challenges in retaining and developing beginning teachers against a widespread pattern of significant attrition. This study used interviews with beginning teachers, their mentors and other relevant staff members in the local system to investigate the potential of online communities and e-mentoring to address the problem. The findings support the hypothesis that online mentoring would effectively supplement induction procedures already in place. The initial topics or threads of discussion within the learning community should address issues identified in the study, such as behavior management, interactions and relationships with parents, and assessment and reporting. This will allay concerns by addressing issues seen as most relevant by beginning teachers. The attrition rate among beginning teachers is alarming (Herrington et al., 2006; Ingersoll & Smith, 2003; Schuck, 2003). While a high turnover can have benefits such as providing new blood to the profession and the departure of teachers who feel they are unsuited to the role (MacDonald as cited in Herrington et al., 2006), Herrington et al. (2006) suggest that attrition rates in the vicinity of 30 % must concern governments and universities, because of the high cost of training these teachers who leave the profession after a short period of time. For some time, the teacher shortage has been attributed to increasing numbers of students and teachers reachin