Time and Proximity
I was just thinking about how time and proximity play a part in the success of a mentoring relationship. I don't feel as satisified in my "official" class mentoring project I think because we haven't had the opportunity for frequent contacts. She works, I work, in different places. We do have email contact, but it's not of the type that I would call close and personal.
On the other hand, looking at some of the relationships I have with people at the college, I think that the frequent contact is a key to the success. I see the faculty on a regular basis, and the students hang out at my office all the time (they're like stray dogs... you feed them once and they keep coming back!). With several students in particular, I am in almost constant contact through AIM, email, and in person. That has allowed us to build up a common "culture", if you want to call it that. We have "inside" jokes that everyone gets (just mention hardcore or firewall and see what happens!) and a lingo that we all understand. I think these things have enriched the mentoring relationship and made it more productive.
Could this be done entirely online? Perhaps. It certainly could continue entirely online from this point onward, although we enjoy each other's company in person. The initial f2f connection was important in these cases, but I think given the right set of circumstances, this could be established online as well. Working together on a common project or for a common cause would allow for similar relationships to develop online. I think it would take more effort on both ends to get the ball rolling online. I'll have to think on this one a little longer...
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