In the good old days (i.e. 3 decades ago), I used to be mentor (or adviser or counselor, as it is called here) to about 10 students. The students would receive from me the list of courses, a study plan, and guidance about how to register properly each semester. Some of them considered me as their father so they used to tell me the hardships in their lives. I tried my best to give them the best possible advice. At present, I am theoretically a mentor to about 30 students but I practically see them when they are in trouble. The internet allowed them to register the courses online. If the process is facile, I never see their faces but when there is a problem, they will hurry to my office complaining. I try to help but, sometimes, I cannot simply because I am not given any authority in registering the credit hours which the student has paid for. So you see that the previous human relationship has gone & there is now a "mechanical" relationship "which is very bad to the academic setting".

Thanks Nizar,even with the computers,we might find a way to continue the mentorship.We are not just problem solvers.a lot of students these days do not have work plan during the semester

Nizar;

Your new role appears to be an e-mentor, which probably can  be enhanced with maximizing social presence to soften the "mechanical" relationship that you indicate is bad for the academic setting. Here's a short article on creating social presence online:

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/tips-for-building-social-presence-in-your-online-class/

Best regards,

Debra

Dear Ijeoma, Dear Debra,

Thank you both for your good comments & thanks for Debra on providing the facultyfocus website.

We have, at our university's website, means of communication between the lecturer & the students attending any course (including chat) and between the mentor & the mentees (which is more special) but the students decline to use these means in most cases. I was successful in drawing their attentions only when I sent to them samples of questions. The students requested from me to forget about our website & to join facebook "which is the focus of their attentions" but I refused because this site is like a double-edged knife which may be useful & may be harmful. In the year 2000, I was the first to suggest online teaching & e-learning but my suggestion was refused then. We are now encouraged to use these teaching-learning methods but the responses of the students are negative. Their first & foremost interest is the grade (nothing else) & you will see them responding positively & nicely if they are assured of As & Bs. For me, this equation does not apply; the As & Bs are not subject to deals and they are only gained after adequate hard work. I admit that there is an impasse & do hope to find a way out.

Please note that we have 10 office hours/week in each semester but the students only visit us one day before or on the day of an exam.

My regards.

Nizar:

Glad I could be of some help. Thank you also for sharing some background to your situation, which is very challenging and I do commend you for not giving up but determined to find a way out. It may be more sensitization needs to be done on the use of technology from the "top." Here's what's available in this regard in ResearchGate:

https://www.researchgate.net/publicliterature.PublicLiterature.search.html?type=keyword&search-keyword=Sensitisation+to+the+use+of+technology+from+the+top+of+the+University&search-abstract=&search-journal=&search=Search

Best regards,

Debra

I found that mentoring was both better sustained and more successful if we trained the mentors.  Of the 'skilled helping' models, the one that has worked best for us is Gerard Egan's skilled helper.  Mentor development programmes are skills based with a theoretical input, a demonstration of the particular skill and then practicing, using real current dilemmas and opportunities.  Connor & Pokora's Coaching and Mentoring at work is a useful text.  

The most intense experience in specialization occurs in the academic community for being a highly motivated, intelligent individual and generate specialized information about a narrow area that is new even to the august members of the graduate advisory or tenure and promotion committee. The generation of specialized information is the key to early recognition of one’s mentors from other. This process is accompanied by rites of passage that confer recognition of accomplishment and act of choosing the right person as mentor. 

http://www.int-res.com/articles/esep/2004/E49.pdf

thanks Krishnan,but can universities devise specialized information link between mentors and mentored? it seems the students prefer peer information to specialized information

@ Ijeoma, for example if some your students consider me to their mentor, the global networking is more beneficial than the local nurturing. Knowledge and research guidance are universal today, with no barriers. Equally, i will also be befitted with cross learning.

thanks Krishna

I guided a few students and researchers in 2006-7 when at Faculty of ICT, Makerere University, when Dr. Barya was the dean then.

This is a great topic of discussion for educators and scholars. Like I have in former studies, the discussion board/forum is a an excellent means of promoting lecturer-student rapport. This not only allows students to express themselves but also to use academic articles to substantiate their views. That said, this medium tend to build the lecturer-student emotional intelligence, which I believe is one way to regain and sustain mentorship in academia 

A strong sense of nurturing must prevail. Technology can aid in mentoring. Mentoring is a must , especially for young faculty.

They need to be slowly but steadily introduced to the culture of the workplace and the traditions. Today's generation of faculty  , at times, is patient. I had a senior faculty who used to attend my classes and I also used to attend his classes. Then we used to exchange notes which helped me improve .