Module 4, Session 3: Coaching and Mentoring

[Mary Juma]

#5830

Couching and mentoring can be used interchangeably in supervision role. A supervisor as a couch does most of the work and expects the student to do the same whereas in mentorship the supervisor is just a guide and a student is let to do most of the research work. Both are important in supervision.

[Philomena Ngugi]

#5836

Coaching and mentoring are all essential in supervision. Reflecting on my supervised experience, I had one of my supervisors playing a coaching role and at times it was not easy as the focus was more on the ‘project’ success with so many whys. However, the second supervisor balanced the harsh environment and was very good as a mentor. I believe the students benefit more when supervisors oscillate between the two roles depending on the issue and the stage of the research.

[Faith Kandie]

#5840

In my opinion, coaching and mentoring are quite different aspects in post graduate supervision, however their differences is not clear cut line between black and white. As a supervisor, you are able to coach and mentor your students to be better researchers in future. There should be fluidity when it comes to supervision.

[Gideon Rotich]

#5845

Coaching and mentoring are both required for PhD supervision. Both aims at bettering the student. A student needs to look at a supervisor as a mentor to allow him or her to be a coach. During supervision, the supervisor will oscillate from being a mentor sometimes and a coach most of the time. A blend of the two will make supervision better and achieve better results. A supervisor will mentor the student on life issues during the research period because of the wealth experience he/she possesses and coaches the student on the subject matter because he/she is an expert on the matter.

[Stella Onyiego]

#5851

The terms coach and mentor are used interchangeably . They are similar since they are all focused on the individual and they are relationship based. They are highly interactive and the relationship can be said to be ongoing. Coaching is different form mentoring because coaching is goal driven and for that reason coaches are assigned. On the other hand mentoring is voluntary and it might not be goal driven. Coaching is short term as it can last 3,6,12 months while mentoring is long term as the relationship can continue even after the formal mentoring. IN the case of the relationship between the supervisor and supervisee i think the supervisor can be both coach and mentor.
some of the problems of mentoring can be mismatched expectations between mentor and mentee and lack of available mentors since the service is voluntary.

[Quinter Migunde]

#5853

To become a good supervisor i believe one has to take on both roles. You need to develop a good relationship with your student and at the same time help them in achieving their goals interms of research. However all these come with challenges. Our expectations of the student may sometimes be unrealistic and sometimes there are supervisors who misuse their students in the name of mentoring by asking them to perform tasks required of the mentor. This often puts the student in an awkward position. There is need to match students with coaches that they can work with comfortably.

[Washika Okonda Michael]

#5859

To coach versus to mentor? I believe there is a thin line between the two. Ultimately, there is the element of inspiration, and direction to given purpose even though one, coaching, is conscious and active while mentoring is rather silent and unconscious. What is agreeable is that the two are great tools in sharpening young scholars into the academia.

[Tshilidzi Munzhelele]

#5888

In my opinion, coaching has to do with encouraging, instilling certain skills upon students on research and giving them the courage to be on the winning team of completing their research and at the same time enjoying the journey.
Mentoring is quite the opposite because it has to do with carrying along student with challenges in embarking on research and how the supervisor go about it. This requires the supervisor to develop certain skills on how to engage with students with difficulties and give the proper and maximum attention they need to complete their research studies.

[Emily Bomet]

#5902

Mentoring is a long term process based on mutual trust between the supervisor and supervisee. Coaching, on the other hand, is a short term process which is structured and is focused on improving the behavior of the student. Mentorship optimizes on having a helping nature of interaction between the supervisor and supervisee. Mentoring focuses on the individual while coaching focuses on performance. Coaching is a formal approach and has a specific agenda.
Both coaching and mentoring are used by the supervisor in the process of supervision. Each of the two complements each other. The supervisor comes with authority and a specific agenda to guide the student in the research process. The supervisor acts as a role model, a mentor and a coach as he/she does his/ her supervision which may be a short or long term process.

[Stephen okumu Ombere]

#5905

Coaching and mentoring are different, they are however used interchangeably in most cases because there has been a lack of understanding of what each constitutes. From this course, today I have learned the differences between the two. A majority of senior researchers are either too mean or are not just willing to mentor the upcoming scholar. It is mind-boggling when a young researcher tries to get a connection with the senior researcher and the end result is obstacles along the way that is kind of frustrating and the young scholar gives up.

Mentoring is a voluntary aspect that only a few researchers/supervisors have

[Peter Kamoni]

#5910

effective supervision of a post grad student requires one to be a mentor and a coach…in essence a supervisor plays both roles (coaching and mentoring). the most difficult part then would be deciding when to mentor, when to apply coaching.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Peter Kamoni.

[Hellen wafula Kamwele]

#5915

Mentoring and coaching are different but are both required by supervisors to help help build confidence and raise aspirations and eventually improvement of the students behaviour. However, one would be lucky to find a supervisor who is ready to mentor and coach. The supervisors put a shield between themselves and students reasons best known to themselves.

[Lilian Diana Awuor Wanzare]

#5944

As a supervisor, one needs to wear both hats, as a mentor and as a coach. Being a coach involves helping the student sharpen their skills through listening and providing feedback and direction.
Whereas as a mentor, a supervisor provides encouragement to the student and guides the student in what it means to do research and be a voice in their field.

[Isabella Lutzili Asamba]

#5958

Mentoring and coaching are very critical in post graduate supervision. The ability of a supervisor to identify which of the two to use or how to combine the two along a student’s journey becomes an enriching process. One on one mentoring is often preferred by supervisors yet group mentoring which is rarely used in very powerful in generating new perspectives

[Wangamati Murumba]

#5970

As a supervisor, the role becomes messy when the student seems not to be making progress. At this point, a supervisor changes his or her role into a coach in order to probe progress and journey for long academic mentorship becomes interlocked within this process.

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