FACULTY MENTOR PROGRAM
What is the Faculty Mentor Program?
The Faculty Mentor Program matches new and adjunct, online and hybrid instructors with seasoned peers from their departments or broader disciplines to coach them on distance learning at NCTC. The program does not replace any training, support, or other services provided by the eLearning Department.
What does a mentor do specifically?
Mentors assist mentees, i.e., protégés, with various concepts and processes related to online and hybrid learning at NCTC. They identify opportunities for modeling and enabling effective use of learning technologies, and address best practices for effective digital pedagogy. If deemed fitting by the mentor, areas where the mentee feels support is most needed may be the primary focus.
The mentor and mentee also collaborate on the creation of a set of mentorship outcomes that are kept on file by the eLearning Department. These outcomes serve as a guide to assess and review the quality of the mentor-mentee relationship throughout the process. Mentor pairings are reviewed at random throughout the semester using a variety of observational methods to confirm minimum requirements are being met, as well as the overall quality of mentorship. Brief preliminary and post program evaluations are administered to mentees at the start and close of the assigned semester. Mentors will also complete a brief exit survey.
Mentors are responsible for at least one (1) mentee per semester, but are not assigned more than five (5) mentees a semester. Pairings may be carried on to the next semester the mentee has online or hybrid course sections. However, mentees may not remain in the program for more than two (2) long semesters. The aforementioned limitations keep the mentor-mentee ratio reasonable.
Is this program voluntary?
All NCTC faculty eligible for the mentorship role are encouraged to apply. The mentor must actively engage in activities and instruction with an individual mentee each week of the semester, with the exception of holidays. Mentors are compensated the final week of each semester they participate in the program.
How do I become a mentor?
Eligible mentors must be a full time faculty member, possess at least four (4) long semesters of online and/or hybrid instructional experience at NCTC, and have developed at least one (1) online or hybrid course currently offered at NCTC. To participate in the program, prospective mentors should contact either their department chair or coordinator, or Michael Robertson in the eLearning Department. Prospective mentors will then receive a packet that summarizes the program, reviews responsibilities, addresses logistics and compensation, and includes a standardized commitment letter. Prospective mentors must subsequently submit the commitment letter to the eLearning Department where it will be kept on file permanently.
What about mentees?
Mentees are assigned to the program by their department chairs or coordinators. Prospective mentees may also contact Michael Robertson in the eLearning Department for more information.
Additional information
Michael J. Robertson, Ph.D.
Director of eLearning
eLearning Department
North Central Texas College
1500 North Corinth Street
Corinth, TX 76208
(940) 498-6239
mrobertson@nctc.edu