Remote Mentoring

Remote Mentoring

High to Low Bandwidth

Obstacle

I was asked to mentor some trainees. They needed assistance with their writing in English. I said that that sounded easy enough, and I would enjoy the experience.

Some time past, and I realized the obstacles I would face such as – principles of ELL instructors; remote teaching; resources; cultural barriers. But, I used to teach. This would not be difficult, and it really isn't.

What is difficult? The difficulty lies in a little-known truth. Internet access is not the same across the globe. What? Yes, that is correct. In the midwest in the USA, I have broadband access. My speed is not the highest, but it fits my needs, and I can buy more speed if I want.

Across the globe in Kenya, for example, speeds are slower; partially unreliable; expensive; and you cannot necessarily purchase a faster connection.

Well, at least you can connect. True. But, remember those resources? Yes. Well, those resources become high hurdles in other countries. What looks to me to be a simple video or pdf turns into a major difficulty.

Why can't more lines by laid? Good question.