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Online Mentoring
What is it? 
Online mentoring refers to acting as a mentor by virtual means.
A mentor is a friend, counselor, or teacher who is usually more experienced or knowledgeable than the person being mentored. Mentors serve to help the mentored form positive attitudes, relationships, and skill sets. The mentor also serves to set a positive example and to offer advice to the mentored. In online mentoring programs this can be achieved through chat rooms, IM, Blogs, Audio Conferencing, Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, and other synchronous and asynchronous communications.
Online Mentoring
What are the educational uses and benefits?
Academic Skills
- Enhances reading, writing, key-boarding, and internet skills.
- Easy to include tutoring components thus leading to increased student success.
Motivation:
- Encourages positive activities, learning habits, and attitudes.
- Encourages students to open up in ways that they might not be comfortable in face-to-face environments.
- Gives students an outlet for emotional, academic, and motivational frustrations.
Can I see an example?
An example of Online Mentoring Programs is coming soon! Please check back!
Online Mentoring
How do I get started?
There are many organizations that support online mentoring including:
To start an online mentoring program at an organization that does not currently have a program visit the: Online Mentoring page of the Virtual Volunteering Project for tips and tricks to starting an virtual volunteering project.
Online Mentoring
Where can I learn more?
- Benefits of Online Mentoring: An article discussing the benefits of online mentoring and resources.
- Creating a Successful Online Mentoring Program: An article discussing the actions necessary to create a successful online mentoring program.
- Electronic Emissary: A Website dedicated to information on online mentoring programs.
- I Could Be: A non-profit organization that mentors teenagers to successfully transition from high school to college and/or their chosen career path.
- Sanchez Elementary School Online Mentoring Program: An example of an online mentoring program.
- Virtual Volunteering: A Website dedicated to virtual volunteering and resources.
- Virtual Volunteering: A Resource Guide.
For information on tools to help with synchronous Online Mentoring activities visit:
- Audio Conferencing
- Elluminate Live!
- IM or Chat
- Second Life
- Video Conferencing
- Web Conferencing
For information on tools to help with asynchronous Online Mentoring activities visit:
