The influence of mentorship in workplace on teachers' professional development a meta-analysis based on 66 experiments

Purpose This paper seeks to investigate the differences in the teachers’ professional development (TPD) by mentorship in workplace. The authors examined the role of mentorship in the PD of teachers and conducted a meta-analysis of pertinent empirical data. Design/methodology/approach Using data from over 2,900 individuals, 66 experiments and 12 countries, the authors presented a meta-analysis of the association between workplace mentorship and TPD. Findings The authors concluded that mentoring activities could boost the TPD to some extent. It contributes positively to the discipline of science and language, kindergarten, individual mentoring and curriculum research. In addition, the periodicity should not exceed 1 year. Research limitations/implications The results of the meta-analysis are restricted to short-term mentorship activities, and the sample size is modest. Building upon the findings from the literature review and meta-analysis, the authors delineated a research agenda for prospective investigations. This includes an imperative for further exploration into the nexus between mentoring and the PD of educators. Practical implications Based on the available literature and meta-analysis findings, the authors developed a framework for the “Experts in the classroom” TPD pattern. Originality/value This is the first meta-analysis evaluating the association between mentorship and TPD.