173 General discussion 6 Finally, we recommend two activities to support educator maturation at all stages of development. The first is the intrapersonal activity of reflection, the second is the external activity of meaningful relationships with others. Affective aspects play a major role in the learning-centred belief orientations, and also predominate in the articulation of an educational identity and mission. These affective aspects can be eminently addressed in meaningful relationships with colleagues and students. In addition, meaningful relationships can serve as an important trigger for reflection on the ‘self’ and on the process of teaching and learning. One way to embed the relationships with colleagues is through personal networks or communities of practice in the workplace, or through more formal longitudinal programmes with a group of educators who know each other,15 which can create a sense of belonging. Coaching or mentoring students can provide useful feedback on one’s effectiveness as a teacher, increase understanding in the process of student learning, and provide motivation to remain involved in teaching. Recommendations per developmental stage The development of competencies of educators can be supported by offering varied educational tasks and responsibilities, tailored to further the development of the individual educator. Activities such as mentoring, instruction and practice by experienced and respected faculty developers may also prove helpful, as are encounters and (in)formal discussions with like-minded peers about the ‘What and how’ of an effective educator. In addition, feedback from students can help to grow in educational competencies. To support the development from teaching-centred to learning-centred beliefs, reflection on the teaching and learning process has been suggested.3,5,56 The new beliefs framework (Chapter 2, Table 2.1) can assist in this reflection, helping educators become aware of their beliefs about teaching, learning, and knowledge by making them more explicit. The newly uncovered extensions to the framework are particularly relevant to the context of learning-centred medical education. Based on our findings, we recommend helping educators reflect on which knowledge is relevant to be acquired, and on the importance of creating a positive learning environment, supporting students’ professional development, and fostering students’ intrinsic motivation. One way to support this reflection process is through interaction with individual students. To promote the growth in awareness of one’s educational identity, initiatives that encourage reflection on the ‘self’ and on the teacher role can be helpful. The usefulness of reflection has been described in other studies on educational
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