Third Reflection

 Third Reflection

The feedback I received from the last adobe session focused on:

(1)   The suggestions that I should also include a collaborative blog for mentees and mentors

(2)  That students could use the blog to include the study tips

(3)  Questions arose about what would motivate students to be part of this programme?

(4)  Questions also arose about the affordance of the cell phone? And how it would be used?

(5)  Questions arose about what information could be posted on the cell phone?

These questions and suggestions probed me to think more deeply about how I will use the Blog and IM. It was very useful as it helped me to organise my prototype more effectively, to think deeply about the affordances of the tools and to improve the communication between myself as the lecturer and the students.

·         First, the a blog will be used between myself and the mentors as on- going training and reflection about the mentoring and how the first year students are coping with the various skills they need to cope in their first year. Every week I will post questions relating to for example, report writing or referencing in order to coach students about what aspects to highlight in their conversations with mentees.

·         I will assign a Head Mentor to oversee a collaborative blog between mentors and mentees where they (mentors and mentees) are allowed to post on various issues that come up as they are engaging with academic life. This may be academic aspects such as how to approach lecturers for a consultation, the lecturers’ teaching styles and expectations, tips on how to study effectively for test and how to approach assignments. The socials aspects that mentors and mentees encounter such as, coping with peer pressure, resident life, travelling long distances and financial issues should also be commented on in the blog. Students will be allowed to find you tube videos on topics and post images.

·         Mentors will stay in contact with mentees via the cell phone. They will be allowed to use MXit, What’s App, BBM and should form groups on these application. The cell phone would be used as motivational tool and as a form of social presence. I will encourage mentors and mentees to use the emoticons on IM platform. Mentors will send encouraging messages to mentors and encourage them to persevere, stay focused and adopt strategies to solve problems. As Sonja suggested they will use IM to set up meetings.  

·         The affordances of the tool would thus be that IM would serve as a motivational tool between mentors and mentees. I do not want to overload this tool with academic content as the blog would be used for those purposes. Rather the IM would deal with the affective issues that students encounter as their engage with their studies. This tool should be very effective in the mentoring process and could deal with the social issue which is quite crucial in mentoring first year students.

·         Mentors and mentees do not always have time to meet face to face and have difficulty maintaining contact with mentees. IM would thus circumvent the time constraints and enable more contact between mentors and mentees. Previous mentors informed me about the ‘nightshift’ available form some networks. Mentors could stay in contact via IM after twelve if they prefer, it is much cheaper and sometimes more convenient for some students.

·         I also want mentors to stay in weekly contact with me via IM.I will pose one or two crucial questions about the mentoring process, e.g. what did you like/not like about your discussions today? What aspect of your relationship is really going well? What is not working at all? The purpose of the discussion is to get regular feedback about the mentoring processes and relationships rather than the actual socio-academic issues as the blog will deal with those issues. I am also interested in the nature of IM and its impact on e-mentoring.

·         Motivation to be part of this programme? Students will be asked to volunteer to be part of the six week e-mentoring programme. I will also ask lecturers to suggest suitable students. This will be part of an enrichment or student leadership programme. Mentors will be paid through the ‘Workstudy’ fund of the university. They will also get a certificate if they complete the six week programme.