Indeed, a student can benefit from multiple mentors. Doctoral experiences should equip future faculty for the changes taking place in teaching and classrooms. For example, they will have to be competent in using technology and addressing issues presented by increasing heterogeneity among students, and they should be sophisticated about using the newer, active, collaborative, technological, and experiential approaches to teaching and learning. Professional development experiences should be thoughtfully integrated into the academic program and sequence of degree requirements. Unless leaders of doctoral education are intentional about these matters and structure these new experiences into their programs, PFF activities are likely to be haphazard.
Careful integration can avoid lengthening time to degree.
Where high-quality teaching assistant orientation and development programs are available, PFF programs should build upon them. PFF is consistent with the best practices of teaching assistant development, while also advancing another, more comprehensive level of preparation. While teaching assistant development programs are available in supporting certain faculty roles, PFF programs broaden the preparation by including teaching experience at different institutions, providing mentors for information and feedback, and stressing professional service and governance responsibilities of various sorts.