What Works Better? A Comparative Analysis of Virtual and Face-to-Face Mentoring Experiences Among Nursing Students and Lecturers in Namibia

For centuries, nursing has relied on the traditional apprenticeship model of mentoring. The COVID-19 pandemic forced nursing training institutions to quickly transition to online learning without adequate preparation for both students and lecturers. This sudden shift left nursing lecturers and students unfamiliar with virtual mentorship. The purpose of this study was to compare virtual and face-to-face mentoring experiences among third- and fourth-year nursing students and their lecturers during online learning. The cognitive apprenticeship model served as the guiding theoretical framework. A mixed- methods approach with a case study focus and an exploratory sequential design was utilised. The study population consisted of 211 third- and fourth-year nursing students and 51 lecturers. The qualitative phase employed purposive and convenience sampling methods, while the quantitative phase used random sampling for students and total population sampling for lecturers.
The qualitative results identified five themes among both groups of participants: preparation of crucial content for teaching, promoting student expertise and independent learning, group work, and the use of social media platforms for socialisation. Nonverbal communication, psychological support, and the use of videos during live lectures were paramount. The quantitative results revealed positive mentoring experiences with both virtual and face-to-face interfaces from nursing students and lecturers. The study concluded that although virtual mentoring for undergraduate nurses is in its infancy, students’ and lecturers’ virtual mentoring experiences were comparable to face-to-face mentoring. The study recommends further research on the development of virtual mentoring frameworks and models, as well as the effective use of cognitive apprenticeship model components during virtual mentoring.