The Interpersonal Relationships of Instructors as Mentor and New Lecturer: Learning Community of Higher Education

Abstract

This article aims to present the importance of the interpersonal relationships among instructors as mentors in learning community of higher education. The mentoring system will enable new lecturers who are unfamiliar with the instruction, organizational culture, academic culture, environment and colleagues. In addition, the mentoring strategy can help them relieve confusion and anxiety in the workplace. Mentors are those with significant role in both as a coach (career function) and a guide of conduct (psychosocial function) deemed appropriate for the role of a lecturer. The periods of interpersonal relationships in the mentoring process include four phases: 1) Initiation phase 2) Cultivation phase, 3) Separation phase and 4) Re-definition phase. However, the mentoring approach is a relationship between two people by which one person will be able to learn from another or both acquire mutually new knowledge; this in addition to the existing knowledge both parties may already have which has been adjusted to fit pertinent social context.