Mentoring, coaching, counseling

Short Description

Mentoring, coaching and counseling are three typologies of one-to-one relationship in a work environment in order to foster personal development (there is also team coaching but, usually, these three kind of tools foster individual learning).

Tools

Sometimes coaching can happen via telephone or online.

Scenario

One example of academic coaching experience is described in a book published by the Research Department of Fondazione Rui (Il coaching universitario per competenze), where the main features of this type of coaching are analyzed. It is a tailored program aimed at developing skills starting from self-assessment. This coaching model is based on positive psychology (Scarlatti, Arborea, Cinque,2015).

Coaching is a service targeted at each student, which helps them to plan and to identify their path towards personal and professional growth. The coach helps students, who are about to access university, and gives them useful directions to enhance their human and professional talents and, at a second stage, introduces them to the dynamics of the labour market.

The factor that facilitates the creation of a particular harmony between the coaching and students’ sensitivity is the fact that it is path of change that leaves the students’ freedom untouched: the coachee must not achieve a predefined set of goals in a prescribed way; on the contrary, it’s the students themselves that identify both the objectives and the useful resources towards change, while the coach only supports them in this process.

Assessment

Self-assessment, peer assessment.

Additional Resources

RUI Fondazione University Coaching

University of Groningen, Future Learn What is the role of a mentor?

Università di Torino Counseling

University of Iowa Conseling Services

Connection with other methods

Problem Based Learning