Professional Role Development in On-line Graduate Programs

1. Professional Role Development in On-line Graduate Programs Jacqueline F. Byers, PhD, RN, CNAA

2. UCF MSN track history • 1999- Traditional F2F • 2000- Media- enhanced program • 2002- HRSA expansion grant • 2003- 100% on-line

3. Typical student • Adult learner • Gender and ethnically diverse • Broad geographical region • Employed full time plus • Multiple competing priorities • Motivated- career oriented

4. Professional role development • Mentoring is a powerful and popular way for people to learn a variety of personal and professional skills (www.mentors.ca/mentorrationale.html) • Men-tor: to serve as a trusted counselor or teacher, especially in occupational settings (www.dictionary.com)

5. Modeling Empowering Mentor Nurturing Teaching Observing Respecting (Brathwaite, 2002)

6. Mentorship process • Intentional, structured • Nurturing • Insightful and reflective • Supportive

7. What mentoring is not!

8. Mentorship- not just F2F anymore!

9. Faculty responsibilities • Identify the most appropriate on-line tools • Know the potential implications of the on-line support tools • Evaluate the strengths and weakness of supporting learners on-line

10. Faculty responsibilities (cont.): • Be aware of different strategies for integrating on-line learning and support with the program goals as a whole. • Be aware of strategies for monitoring and evaluating the on-line support process. • Recognize and articulate knowledge of classroom vs. virtual education/ mentoring.

11. Faculty responsibilities (cont.): • Use interpersonal skills to build mentor/learner relationships. • Provide a strategic balance of challenge and support (http://www.school.za/edict/edict/mentor.htm)

12. Who are the players?Mentorship relationships Graduate student Faculty mentor E-community peers Leadership mentor Guest experts

13. Reflective Learning Process (http://www.school.za/ edict/edict/mentor.htm)

14. Keys to success • Clear mentoring goals • Active engagement of all parties • Professional organization/ networks • Careful mentor selection • Web course development support • Distance learning pedagogical support • Feedback, communication and praise

15. Key characteristics for mentors • Advanced knowledge and skills • Committed to • Profession • Research- based practice • Colleagues • Life long learning • Excellent communication skills

16. Leadership mentor • May chat on-line or student may represent mentor in discussions • Communicate • Guide • Honesty • Vision (AONE, 2002)

17. Student/ leader mentor-Getting started • Share and discuss mentorship goals and course syllabi/ objectives • Introductory meeting/ ground rules (with faculty on conference call or F2F) • Baseline assessment of student’s needs and goals • Individualized goals and learning activities based on course objectives and career goals

18. Mentorship learning activities • On-line module learning activities • Text, hyperlinks • Critical thinking questions • Asynchronous chat • Faculty, peers, leader, guest experts, student • Experiential activities w/ leader mentor • One on one communication

19. Communication methods • F2F (if local) • Video conferencing • Phone call/ conference call • E-mail/ course mail • Asynchronous discussions

20. Ongoing faculty mentor activities • Frequent, timely feedback to individual, mentor dyad, and e-community peers • Praise all around • Challenging- pushing thinking • Current news events/ leadership issues • Leadership pearls • Check in w/ leader mentor at least 3 times a semester

21. Student responsibilities • Frequent, thoughtful communication with faculty and leader mentor • Accountable for collaboratively designing and completing mentor activities • Accountable for own learning • Provide support and insights to peers

22. Public self (known) Feedback è Blind self (unknown self) ê Self-disclosure (sharing) î Explore Dark self (undiscovered self) Hidden self (private self) Mentoring internalized (http://www.school.za/edict/edict/mentor.htm)

23. How to evaluate success? • 360 degree feedback • Achievement of course objectives • Personal satisfaction • Professional growth/ organization involvement • Development of long term collegial relationships

24. Mentors N (%) Collegiality/ collaboration/ networking 33 (20.8) Reflection 31 (19.5%) Professional development 28 (17.6%) Personal satisfaction/reward/ growth 26 (16.4) Interpersonal skill development 16 (10.1) Enjoyment/ stimulation/ challenge 16 (10.1) Top mentor outcomes (Ehrich and Hansford, 2002)

25. Mentees N (%) Support/ empathy/ counseling/ friendship 67 (42.1) Subject knowledge and skills/ resources 57 (35.8%) Discussion/ sharing ideas/ problems/ advice 51 (32.1) Feedback/ positive reinforcement 44 (27.7) Increased self-confidence 34 (21.4) Career affirmation/ commitment 31 (19.5) Top mentee outcomes (Ehrich and Hansford, 2002)

26. Effective mentoring can occur with distance learning • With prior planning • By taking a multi- faceted approach that optimizes professional leadership role development for adult learners/ professionals • Requires rethinking of traditional mentorship activities

27. Resources and web links In handout

28. Thanks