Tutor functions in guiding teachers’ use of modeling video

Educational research shows that the most effective methods for teachers professional development are those that, by proposing practical experiences, involve teachers in cyclic processes of action and reflection—as self-observation or as observation with a peer group and/or with a mentor—that systematically provide feedback about a rendered performance. In particular, it is clear that the complex and intricate nature of this area requires to move past the one-dimensionality of the verbal channel (textual or oral) for learning to multidimensional communication, especially favored through observation, and secondly, to promote discussions with peers and experts. Observation—self-observation as well as peers’ observation—in fact, can promote the development of complex skills, integrate theory and practice, provide demonstrations and concrete examples of effective strategies, give the opportunity to focus on educational interactions between students and teacher and also stimulate self-reflection and self-analysis. Discussion with peers or a mentor, however, helps to gain awareness and activate reflective processes of key aspects of our own and other’s teaching action.In this paper, after introducing the different types of videos that support teacher professional development, we will focus on one of these, the modeling video, and will outline the functions that mentoring can take on in this particular case, looking to answer the following question: “What is appropriate and necessary for tutors to do so that teachers can benefit from the introduction of modeling videos?”.