Using Social media for coaching and mentoring
The use of mobile phones together with other mobile technology/social media is attracting considerable interest in the fields of VET and work-based learning. There is little doubt to the advantages of mobile learning. Surprisingly, there is relatively little systematic knowledge and documentation about how mobile technology and social media can be used effectively for mentoring purposes during work based learning.
In this section, we will introduce you to the benefits of social media in mentoring; obstacles we have faced and how we have overcome them. We will also give you tips on how to implement social media into the mentoring process.
In this section, we will introduce you to the benefits of social media in mentoring; obstacles we have faced and how we have overcome them. We will also give you tips on how to implement social media into the mentoring process.
The benefits of using social media in mentoring
- It can be used for communication with individuals or with groups encouraging group learning
- It can be used with different learners and helps problem based learning and reflection
- It uses real time communication on platforms that learners are familiar with
- Its flexibility allows fast and immediate contact with learners keeping everyone up to date
- It provides a shared ownership and different way of learning to traditional classroom based learning
- It can access a range of media resources for learning such as video, images, blogs etc
- Learning can be delivered as "bite sized" activities accessible anywhere in the world
- Distance is no longer a financial problem as it provides regular and universal sharing of information
Now, let's look at the potential benefits and obstacles encountered by the three parties. Click on the images of student; teacher; and employer
Our top 10 tips for implementing social media in mentoring
- Make sure you have a common understanding of the guidelines for using social media in the mentoring process
- Agree on what app(s) to use
- Agree on what the content should be (photos, texts, feedback, videos etc)
- Make sure everybody knows WHY you use social media in the mentoring process
- Clarify the benefits for the student, work mentor and the mentoring teacher
- Give the users the help and support they need to start using social media in the mentoring process and make sure that there is someone they can ask if they need help and/or support
- Ask the work mentor and students what app(s) they are familiar with and select one of those for the mentoring
- Start using in SMALL STEPS and keep it SIMPLE
- Remember that social media does not and should not replace face to face meetings
- STAY POSITIVE!