Jane Stubberfield

The mentoring process

By the end of this session you will be able to:

Identify the need for e-mentoring Assess the differences between face-to-face

mentoring and e-mentoring Evaluate the effectiveness of e-mentoring

Based on Bierema, L. L. & Hill, J. R. (2005) Virtual mentoring and HRD, Advances in Developing Human

Resources 2005 7:556

“I am, I have to admit, a converted sceptic about mentoring at a distance. Having invested so much time and research into the virtues of face-to-face developmental dialogue, I could not see how the mentoring relationship could possibly be as meaningful when the primary form of communication was e-mail. Experience as an e-mentor and interviews with participants successful e-mentoring relationships have convinced me that e-mentoring is not an inferior substitute for ‘real’ mentoring. Rather, it is simply a different approach to mentoring and can be as effective – and in some cases, potentially more effective – than traditional approaches”

Clutterbuck, D. (2004) Everyone needs a mentor, fourth edition. London, CIPD

Virtual mentoring Traditional mentoring

Communicating via computer Communicating face-to-face

Mentoring is asynchronous Mentoring is synchronous

Time is not a major issue Time can be a major issue

Location is not an issue Location can be an issue

No personal touch All personal touch

Can be inexpensive Can be expensive

Is recorded so cannot be confidential

Is not recorded so can be confidential

Based on Kirk, J.J. & Olinger, J. (2003) From traditional to virtual mentoring,

Mentoring can be carried out despite the distance between the mentor and the client

Don’t have to be in the same place at the same time Greater pool of mentors to match with More time to consider replies Can go back over conversations and re-read People sometimes find it easier to talk about difficult

situations or to give feedback in email than face-to-face

People who enjoy emails, often enjoy email mentoring Easy access to other information via hyperlinks etc Less time between communications

Depends on computer literacy Requires access to computers Can’t see body language or hear changes in

tone of voice Not so easy to help people with emotional and

deep seated issues May be less easy to build rapport Needs frequent emails to maintain relationship Matching without seeing E-mail is recorded, so can be issues of

confidentiality Training may not be so easy

Bierema, L. L. & Hill, J. R. (2005) Virtual mentoring and HRD, Advances in Developing Human Resources 2005 7:556

Clutterbuck, D. (2004) Everyone needs a mentor, fourth edition. London, CIPD

Kirk, J.J. & Olinger, J. (2003) From traditional to virtual mentoring, Washington, DC: Eric.

ReferencesReferences

This resource was created by the University of Plymouth, Learning from WOeRk project. This project is funded by HEFCE as part of the HEA/JISC OER release programme.

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The resource, where specified below, contains other 3rd party materials under their own licenses. The licenses and attributions are outlined below:

1.Slide 3: based on Bierema, L. L. & Hill, J. R. (2005) Virtual mentoring and HRD, Advances in Developing Human Resources 2005 7:556

2.Slide 5 : based on Kirk, J.J. & Olinger, J. (2003) From traditional to virtual mentoring, Washington, DC: Eric.

• The name of the University of Plymouth and its logos are unregistered trade marks of the University. The University reserves all rights to these items beyond their inclusion in these CC resources.

• The JISC logo, the and the logo of the Higher Education Academy are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution -non-commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK England & Wales license. All

reproductions must comply with the terms of that license.Author Jane Stubberfield

Institute University of Plymouth

Title What is mentoring

Description Defining mentoring

Date Created 06/06/2011

Educational Level 6

Keywords

UKOER, Learning from WOeRK, LFWOERK, UOPCPDLM, Work-Based Learning, WBL, Continuous Professional Development, CPD, Mentoring, learning, development, coaching, training, advising

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