Source: Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, Volume 16, Issue 3,
p. 311 - 327, (August 2008).
The paper presents a reciprocal model of mentoring as an alternative approach to more traditional mentoring models. A mentor, experienced with online course delivery and pedagogy, worked with six online instructors over two academic terms within a reciprocal mentorship model. The model was designed to build a collaborative learning relationship which would benefit each partner.
The mentoring was scheduled on a just-in-time basis in response to each online instructor's needs.
The results show that the time commitments required to accomplish the goals of the mentoring project were challenging for participants. Furthermore, post-secondary institutions have a responsibility to provide multiple supports (including, for example, mentoring assistance) for faculty members teaching online. The study results also show that developing a structured mentoring program could facilitate a more effective reciprocal mentoring process, with benefits for both mentors and mentees.