Mentoring relationships in online classes

The current study utilized a three-point lagged design to examine the role of mentors during the beginning, middle, and end of undergraduate and graduate-level online courses. Using self-determination theory as a theoretical framework, findings from 358 students show that peer mentor satisfaction at the beginning of the course predicted relatedness mid-way through the semester. Relatedness predicted two facets of online classroom communities, connectedness and learning, at the end of the semester. Learning, in turn, predicted final course grades. Relatedness mediated the relationship between mentor satisfaction and connectedness. The overall pattern of results indicates that mentoring relationships may help students succeed in online classes by meeting core psychological needs. Strategies for incorporating mentoring relationships into online courses are discussed.