e-Mentoring Possibilities for Online Doctoral Students: A Literature Review

A growing number of adult learners invest time, energy, and financial resources in completing online doctoral degrees. Several factors, other than the program itself, influence a person's decision to pursue a degree online. Many also choose online learning because they are faced with challenges often typical for adult learners that prohibit them from attending a land-based college campus regularly. A few of these challenges include full-time work (the need to work, and, perhaps, to work shifts or multiple jobs), socioeconomic status, family obligations, physical challenges, and residence in remote geographic locations (Lorenzetti, 2005; Allen & Seaman, 2006; Truluck, 2007). Some research suggests that students may also select online learning after feeling they have experienced racially discriminatory treatment in the land-based classroom (Nance, 2004). The choice to complete an online degree, perhaps for some of the reasons stated, may be evident in rising enrollment and graduation figures for women and people of color in online doctoral education. Recognizing the need for advanced credentials, many private institutions offering online degrees have positioned themselves to meet the educational demands of this growing and diverse population. For example, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education lists Walden Virtual University, which boasts a 30% persons of color population (Nance, 2004), as seventh in the nation for awarding business doctorates to African Americans and in the top 20 for awarding doctorates in psychology to Hispanics (Tosto, 2006). Forty-five percent of Capella students are enrolled in doctoral programs with approximately 66% of that portion comprised of women and 39% people of color (Capella.edu, 2007). Castro (2007) writes, "Clearly an online university degree program is a great way to improve your chances of success in your career, but for many minorities, an online degree program is a stepping stone to a better life" (para. 5). Among this rising population, several of these online doctoral students expect a sound return on educational investment in the form of a career in higher education. However, studies by Adams and DeFleur (2005), Flowers and Baltzer (2006), Guendoo (2007), and Columbaro (2008) have found that many college and university search committees harbor significant concerns when considering online doctoral degree recipients for academic employment. Throughout these studies, academic employers attributed much of their skepticism to a perceived lack of sufficient faculty-student mentoring in online doctoral programs (Adams & DeFleur, 2005; Columbaro, 2008; Flowers & Baltzer, 2006; Guendoo, 2007). These concerns are reflected in participant comments. One study participant stated, "I believe mentoring is critical to developing research skills and I am skeptical that adequate mentoring can occur at a 'virtual university'" (Adams & DeFleur, 2005, p. 81). This reticence was echoed in a later study: "I am aware there is potential for several people to pursue an online doctoral program. How will this on-line program prepare the graduates for the professorship without mentorship? " (Flowers & Baltzer, 2006, p. 52). As research suggests, academic employers value a candidate's mentoring experiences, while many online doctoral degree students value the convenience of completing their programs from a distance. This article explores the possibilities of e-mentoring for doctoral students completing online programs. Problem Statement and Purpose Research suggests that public perception regarding lack of mentoring opportunities in online doctoral degree programs may create barriers for their graduates' ability to obtain academic employment (Adams & DeFleur, 2005; Columbaro, 2008; Flowers & Baltzer, 2006; Guendoo, 2007). However, there is little research regarding how effective any pre-existing e-mentoring programs are and how well they prepare online doctoral students (particularly women and people of color) for faculty employment. …