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The Encouraging Mentor – A guest blog series by Dr. Brian Raison, The Ohio State University

 

The Extension Foundation and Dr. Raison are partnering to present this series offering self-study materials and advice for career growth. The series will focus on early, middle, and later career stages. We are proud to share this series with the Cooperative Extension System!

The ideas shared in this series are extracted from Dr. Raison’s 2024 book, The Encouraging Mentor: Your Guide to 40 Conversations that Matter. This is a how-to manual for mentors, teachers, coaches, and anyone interested in becoming a better mentor. All the materials (the “40 Conversations'') are being posted for free at: http://encouragingmentor.com. There are also 50 free e-book codes available for educators or nonprofit professionals. When visiting the website, click on the “Free Stuff” tab.

About the Author

Professor and author Dr. Brian Raison offers this blog series with suggestions on how you can clarify your purpose, advance your career, and create the future you envision. His materials are extracted from graduate courses he teaches and current research and practice. The approach is grounded in nonformal mentoring. Each post will feature question prompts to help you grow personally and professionally, regardless of age or career stage.

Connect with Dr. Raison on LinkedIn!

About Nonformal Mentoring

In early 2022, Dr. Raison crafted the nonformal mentoring framework by drawing upon established methodologies in adult development and learning literature (Kegan, 1994; Knowles, 1968, 1980, 1984; Knowles, Holton & Swanson, 2014), and included a component of motivation theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). The nonformal mentoring construct parallels Coombs & Ahmed’s (1974) concept of nonformal teaching practice.

The nonformal approach effectively addresses disconnections often encountered in traditional formal mentoring programs, while avoiding pitfalls associated with informal conversations that seldom incorporate goal-setting or evaluation components. In brief, nonformal mentoring meets individuals where they are and engages with them at their own pace, fostering personal and professional growth.

Check out our visit with Dr. Raison on our Podcast HERE!

References

  • Coombs, P. H., & Ahmed, M. (1974). Attacking Rural Poverty: How Nonformal Education Can Help. A Research Report for the World Bank Prepared by the International Council for Educational Development.
  • Kegan, Robert (1994). In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  • Knowles, M. S., et al. (1984). Andragogy in action: Applying modern principles of adult education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall/Cambridge.
  • Knowles, M. S. (1968). Andragogy, not pedagogy. 1968.
  • Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2014). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. Routledge.
  • Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (2002). The development of competence beliefs, expectancies for success, and achievement values from childhood through adolescence. Development of achievement motivation, 91-120.

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About the Extension Foundation

This website is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation. For more information, please visit extension.org. You can view the terms of use at extension.org/about/terms.

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