Studies suggest that online discussions complement teaching and students' learning. However, research also indicates that some tutors and students are uncertain about the value and quality of the learning process in online discussions. The debate and uncertainty necessitate more studies on students' learning quality and depth in online discussions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how the quality of students' learning and posts are influenced by the deep learning approach in General Education classes through the online discussions. Data collection and analysis were done using both qualitative and quantitative strategies. For the qualitative part, students' posts were retrieved verbatim and mapped deductively with the deep and surface learning approaches, while the number of students' post were collected and analyzed descriptively. The findings indicate that most students' posts are of high quality and are grounded in the deep learning approach through their engagements in online discussions and a reflective assignment. The study concludes that online discussions can foster deep learning if instructors provide students with clear guidelines and reasonable time to engage with colleagues.

Purpose Mentoring is widely recognised as an effective strategy for supporting the professional learning of teachers and student teachers across different educational contexts. Yet, its effectiveness in initial teacher education (ITE) may be more widely conceived to take account of mentoring as a cultural practice, contributing to a change of professional learning habits and relationships towards collegiate and collaborative reflexivity. The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of mentoring experiences between teachers and student teachers, how these are embedded within the established professional learning culture of the school and the opportunities for mentoring to affect professional learning. Design/methodology/approach Set within the context of a teacher education reform project in Scotland, involving student teachers, mentors and university tutors, the study adopted a critical constructivist theory stance to explore mentoring relationships. A sequential mixed methods approach informed the collection and analysis of data. Findings Quantitative data point to a diversity of experiences of mentoring amongst teachers and student teachers. Qualitative data provide a nuanced account of participants’ views of their mentoring experiences, pointing to opportunities for revisiting assumptions about learning in the classroom as well as questioning established professional learning patterns. Practical implications The authors conclude that mentoring relationships cannot be disentangled from a critical interrogation of the modes of relationships and values supporting professional learning in ITE. Practical implications centre upon preparation and resources to develop mentoring as a tool for learning, embedded within the professional culture of the school. Originality/value This study reframes the concept of mentoring as a practice that does not simply reinforce professional expectations but seeks to redefine teacher professional learning, pedagogy and social relationships in school contexts.

Research suggests that students are skeptical about the values of General Education courses. This revelation calls for different strategies to improve students’ engagement in the classes, including the use of online learning platforms. This study documents students’ experiences of the online discussion forum as a tool for strengthening their engagement in the Social Sciences context of General Education. Data collection and analyses were conducted using quantitative and qualitative strategies involving learning analytics and critical incident questionnaire. The findings revealed that the forum aided students’ engagement and learning in the courses, especially when reading and responding to colleagues’ posts and relating topics to their personal experiences. Despite this, the findings showed that students’ engagement was hampered while interfacing with each other on the platform when colleagues repeated ideas, and discussions were inconsistent with their personal experiences. The results suggested that constructive feedback, clear guidelines, and reflective questions can strengthen students’ engagement and learning in online discussions. Based on the findings, implications for practice and stakeholders are discussed.

This article explores the views of teachers, student teachers and university tutors about the opportunities of the collaborative mentoring relationships between teachers and student teachers. A qualitative approach was employed to conduct the study using a semi-structured type of interview with teachers, student teachers and university tutors. Data collected were analysed thematically and discussed. Findings indicate that the collaborative mentoring relationships provide opportunities for learning from different perspectives and learning opportunities for children, among others. The article concludes by highlighting some implications of the findings for the collaborative mentoring relationships between teachers and student teachers to be enacted effectively without limiting children’s learning.

Research on mentoring indicates that prior experience and beliefs about learning and teaching held by practicing and pre-service teachers contribute significantly in shaping their mentoring relationships and, more broadly, their career outlook and aspirations. While mentoring is commonly seen as a form of support for pre-service teachers, mentoring can be pivotal in the creation of enabling environments in which collaborative, professional dialogues are undertaken. Yet, there lies a tension between enculturation into the norms of schools and promoting selfbelief, participation and collaboration. Drawing on a qualitative methodology, this study focuses on the conceptions and expectations of classroom mentoring within the context of a teacher reform initiative in Scotland. Findings indicate that participants in the study held a mixture of beliefs regarding mentoring practices. Implications for partnership arrangements in initial teacher education and teachers' career development were discussed.