What are tips for making online mentoring successful?

E-mentoring or online mentoring occurs when computers and networks are used as communication tools between mentors and proteges. This format has many advantages such as eliminating the time, geographic, and social constraints of in-person communication.

Although there are many benefits to e-mentoring, there are also negative aspects of electronic communication. Difficulties include clearly expressing ideas and feelings, managing high volumes of messages, gaining access to technology, and encountering technical difficulties.

Following are links to tips provided by DO-IT to help mentors create a successful online mentoring relationship with their proteges.

• Mentoring Guidelines
• Communication of Emotions
• Positive Reinforcement
• Listening Skills
• Questioning
• Disabilities
• Guiding Teens
• Conversation Starters
• Do’s
• Don’ts

More tips for successful e-mentoring can be found in Creating an E-Mentoring Community: How DO-IT does it, and how you can do it, too.

Additional resources and information about the DO-IT e-mentoring community, can be found in Opening Doors: Mentoring on the Internet and the DO-IT Knowledge Base article What is the benefit of e-mentoring to students with disabilities?