This symposium series, consisting of three consecutive symposia, is organised by the European network Ecologies of Teacher Induction and Mentoring in Europe (TIME) which has been organised as a network project of the Network 1 “Professional Learning and Development” of EERA since 2021. The aim of the network is to bring together researchers interested in supporting and mentoring new teachers during the induction phase. The network has organised various meetings of researchers to promote cooperation between researchers working on mentoring and induction practices, not only at the ECER conference, but also, for example, at the NERA conference. The network is also in the process of editing a European anthology of this research.

A variety of research and development work on induction and mentoring is explored as a part of teachers’ continuing professional learning and development within a broader ecosystem of educational practices. The research is based on the assumption that induction and mentoring are seen as part of teachers' ongoing professional learning and development and as part of a wider set of practices that can be called an ecosystem of professional development.

The Part 2 of this three-part symposium presents three studies on innovative mentoring programs and their impact on mentors, mentees, and the educational community at large, with a special focus on education of mentors as a common unifying element.

The first study, part of the NEST project, investigates a mentoring program across seven European education systems, specifically targeting teachers in disadvantaged schools. The adaptive mentor training was designed to address the unique needs of mentored teachers. The study, involving 229 mentors and 1,603 beginning teachers, assesses changes in mentor practices and the perceived fit between mentoring practices and mentee needs. Results show a positive shift in mentor practices over time, with the intervention group reporting higher satisfaction in the alignment between practices and needs.

The second paper explores the experiences of teachers participating in a school-based mentor education program within a University-School partnership project. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study reveals insights into professional learning (PL) and the application of mentoring competence in practice. The findings highlight the positive influence of school-based and collective mentor education on individual and collective professional learning, emphasizing the integration of mentor education into schools and its potential as a form of continuing professional learning for teachers.

The third study delves into context-based mentoring training through nine case studies from the Promentors EU Erasmus+ project, involving collaboration between Israeli colleges and European universities. Drawing on Social Emotional Competence (SEC) and Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, the study explores the unique characteristics and objectives of mentor courses developed in the program. The findings underscore the crucial role of sociocultural context in creating effective and sustainable mentor training programs, emphasizing the need for context-sensitive interventions tailored to diverse cultures and contexts.

Aspfors, J., & Fransson, G. (2015). Research on mentor education for mentors of newly qualified teachers: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 48, 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.02.004 Crasborn, F., Hennissen, P., Brouwer, N., Korthagen, F., & Bergen, T. (2011): Exploring a two-dimensional model of mentor teacher roles in mentoring dialogues. Teaching and Teacher Education 27 (2), S. 320–331. DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2010.08.014. Fredriksen, L. L., & Halse, E. (2022). Uddannelse til kompetente mentorer for nyuddannede lærere. Studier i læreruddannelse og -profession, 7(2), 53–76. https://doi.org/10.7146/lup.v7i2.132894 Ingersoll, R. M., and T. M. Smith. (2004). “Do Teacher Induction and Mentoring Matter?” NASSP Bulletin88: 28 40.10.1177/019263650408863803 Kraft, M. A., Blazar, D. & Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of teacher coaching on instruction and achievement: A meta-analysis of the causal evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88 (4), 547-588. Olsen, K.R., Bjerkholt, E., & Heikkinen, H.(Eds.). (2020). New teachers in Nordic countries - Ecologies of induction and mentoring Cappelen. Damm Akademisk. Pennanen, M., Bristol, L., Wilkinson, J., and Heikkinen, H.L.T (2015). What is ‘good’ mentoring? Understanding mentoring practices of teacher induction through case studies of Finland and Australia. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, Tonna, M.A., Bjerkholt, E. and Holland, E., (2017), Teacher mentoring and the reflective practitioner approach. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 6(3), 210-227.