On-line mentoring reflective learning

John Dewy wrote, “the experience alone does not necessarily lead to learning; it is the reflection that makes sense of the experience to us and hence makes the experience meaningful for us”.

Experience does not equal learning.  We do not learn from experience we learn from reflection on experience. Experience does not equal knowledge.

Reflection is a structured deliberate process for considering, examining, or evaluating situations, decisions, actions, or events in a constructive way (Finlay, Linda - 2008).

In the past 3 years, there has been exponential growth in the use of video conferencing. With varying degrees of confidence, we have become more comfortable with video conferencing.

How can we use our experiences with video conferencing to enhance reflective learning?

Online video conferencing facilitates mentoring or coaching relationships which can enhance reflective learning.

Coaching and Mentoring Concept. Chart with keywords and icons on white background

A mentor is someone who shares their knowledge, skills, and experience, to help another to develop and grow. A coach is someone who provides guidance to a client on their goals and helps them reach their full potential.

E-mentoring (Online mentoring; digital mentoring; internet mentoring; cybermentoring) is a computer-mediated mutually beneficial relationship between a mentor and a mentee which provides learning, advising, encouraging, promoting, and modeling that is boundaryless, egalitarian, and qualitatively different than face to face mentoring (Griffiths, M - 2005)

The zoom revolution is a sea change for reflective learning and online mentoring/coaching it:

• Facilitates mentoring relationships that might not otherwise be available
• Enhances cost-effective reflective learning through mentoring
• Facilitates personalize reflective learning
• Brakes down geographic barriers and facilitates global connections for mentoring
• Increases access to people who may have previously been unable to access without face to face
• Facilitates opportunities to seek mentoring from the best of the best on a particular topic area
• Can facilitate obtaining second opinions on complex patients
• Facilitates opportunities to seek mentoring not available in your work environment
• Can be beneficial in certain matters if there are issues that cannot be discussed with one’s local mentor(s)
• Can be recorded for subsequent review and reflection

If you are like me and are tired of paying for education and continuing education programs, use your wealth of experience and create a reflective mentoring experience online.  Mentoring is like dating, either party can initiate. Swipe left, swipe right. Send a nod, get a match, start a conversation, and make a date.

As a mentee during over the past 2 years, I was able to video conference with mentors in Auckland, Cape Town, Vancouver, and Scotland to produce and publish continuing education webinar 2D Motion Analysis, and Gait Analysis & Training.

Peer-to-peer mentoring with a Physical Therapist in Jerusalem on the topic of 2D slow-motion video analysis of movement disorders, I learned of the challenges presented by Kocher Smartphones.

As a mentor, I was able to provide a second opinion on complex patients in Iran, and Tanzania.

Reach out to me if you are interested in developing and participating in online mentoring, and we can discuss possibilities and options.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
― Benjamin Franklin

The information on this website is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You are encouraged to perform additional research regarding any information contained available through this website with other sources and consult with your physician.