Rural learners’ patterns of engagement in synchronous online mentoring group chats to advance conceptions of career development

Abstract

Learners in the rural settings are deprived of necessary support mechanism (mentorship, motivation and guidance) for career consciousness and lack sufficient exposure to diverse careers. This study reports on an online-based mentoring programme designed to expose learners to multiple mentors from distinct career fields, institutions and occupations. The online mentoring program was conducted through regular WhatsApp group chats in which mentors (identified as guests) engaged with learners in sharing their social and personal backgrounds, career history and advancement. A group of 35 learners participated in the intervention and data comprised of activity logs of conversations. These were analysed using the Exchange Structure Analysis (ESA) model, and codes were generated pertaining to instances of orientation. The emergent interactional patterns suggest that in greater open and informative conversations, learners benefit from online mentors who assume roles of mediators between unique careers and the real-world situation. These interactional patterns further suggest that synchronous conversations with rural learners need to comprise of more teaching exchanges and less boundary exchanges to allow informal and spontaneous flourishing of conversations. Recommendations for good practice are emphasized for educators striving to narrow the knowledge gap between the learners in disadvantaged and advantaged settings through digital media.