1.

0 Title Of the Article

“Using e-Mentoring to Sustain Distance Training and Education”

Daniel James Homitz and Zane L. Berge

The Learning Organization Vol. 15 No. 4, 2008 pp. 326-335

2.0 Summary of the Article

The purpose of the study is to examine e-mentoring as a way to sustain distance training

and education. The study explores the role of mentors, the benefits of the programs to the

mentor and the sponsoring organizations, and ways of overcoming challenges faced by e-

mentoring in distance training and education. Distance training and education take place

as the numbers of individual who are keen to continue to advance their careers has

increased rapidly. Furthermore, many organizations have moved their training programs

out of the classroom and into computer-based offline and online formats for distance

education because of the classroom-based learning is not always practical and

economical. However, distance learning comes with its own problems especially in term

of conducting and sustaining distance learning. Due to these difficulties, monitoring or e-

monitoring system comes to surface as a new means to improve the effectiveness of

distance training and education. From the study, the researchers had concluded that good

mentors, experts in subject matter as well as support from the management are the keys

that help to sustain the effectiveness of distance training and education.

3.0 Research Design and Methodology

 The paper does not clearly describe about research design and methodology.

4.0 Review of The Research Design and Methodology

Based on the article, the researchers do not define clearly which research design and

research methodology had been adopted. From my point of view, this qualitative study

combines a synthesis of previous research with a review of literature. Generally, this kind

of study emphasizes detail with regard of the contemporary real-life situations and

provides the basis for the application of ideas and extension of methods. If the study

adopted case study research method, then the researchers should be able to determine and

define research questions and moreover select the cases and determine data gathering and

analysis techniques. But, from the articles, the researchers do not clearly state about

selected sample as well as the way how they gather data and how they analyzed them. A

study that based on a small number of cases can offer no grounds for establishing

reliability or generality of findings. Therefore, if this study only be based on a small

number of cases, then the framework described in the study might be practical to a

particular situation only.  Referring only to the previous cases or researches sometimes

does not give a general view about something. It is only others’ feeling or a perception

which is might be right and applicable at that time. For instant, previous study says that

online coaching program (e-mentoring) can benefit any employee, especially successful

for female protégé (Dartmouth University, 1999; Perren, 2003; Rossett, 2002a, 2002b,

2002c). Is this because of female nature or other aspects? Further research should be

carried out to find out why e-mentoring tend to be successful for female. Besides

adopting qualitative research design, this study can also be carried out through
 quantitative research design. A survey research method can be one of the methods to

choose from. The researchers may use either questionnaire or interview as a tool or even

combination of both in gathering data. Through this method, perhaps the finding is more

precise as all aspects of the study are carefully designed before data is collected.

5.0 Conclusion

Defining research design and methodology is vital. Research design and methodology

help researchers to arrange their research in such a well-organized plan and help

researchers support their findings with strong and good evidences. A clear and concise

statement of our research design and methodology are absolutely essential for doing good

quality research.