Telementoring

There is a lot to be concerned with in the future of distance education, from the question of accessibility to the growing commercialization of online education. In a world of virtual promises, there's bound to be a great deal of apprehension about the future, even in the post-Y2K afterglow.

One thing that hasn't changed in this new era of education is the kids. While the trappings of childhood and adolescence today may not look anything like yours or mine, there are still a lot of the same basic worries and concerns as when we were their age. Some might even argue that there is a whole lot more to worry about today. Luckily, along with its many problems, e-communication also offers some solutions based on old-fashioned values. Telementoring is just such a solution.

Telementoring, as the name suggests, is an electronic forum for one on one mentoring between kids and adults. What does telementoring offer over traditional mentoring you ask? Let me tell you. First, telementoring (sometimes referred to as Computer Mediated Communication or CMC in the acronym-happy online world) offers independence from the time constraints which make more traditional mentoring systems unrealistic in our time-obsessed culture. Telementoring's independence from both time and place makes it a potential solution to the sense of isolation common to most distance learning scenarios. Unlike even the virtual classroom, where teachers are still responsible for multiple students and the majority of interaction is short-term, telementoring allows for sustained one to one communication. Also, the benefits of time and place independence have the potential of compounding the availability of telementors from different fields and backgrounds, thereby making the experience more relevant to students' personal and professional interests.

The Department of Energy offers a database of mentor programs sorted by state, institution, education and organization. This and other resources can be found on the Telementoring Web, which lists the types and roles of mentoring, as well as some of the realities of the tutor-mentor relationship. http://mbhs.bergtraum.k12.ny.us/mentor/i... If you have the experience to offer, or the willingness to listen to those who do, telementoring is an excellent opportunity to find real growth on the Internet.

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