For individual students, the challenges include a geographically dispersed community of learners and a mentor who is accessible only from a distance. Learning at a distance can be a lonely and isolating experience (Erichsen & Bolliger, 2011), especially for doctoral students who may become disengaged when the demands of careers and families keep them from interacting regularly in a community of scholars. Doctoral learners in online programs also work with dissertation chairs and committee members whom they may have never met in person. With no regularly scheduled seminars or classes, both student and mentor need to find other ways to engage proactively for progress to occur. The idea of cognitive apprenticeship provides a useful framework with which to discuss cloud technology tools that facilitate the mentoring of doctoral students in an online program.
Elements of cognitive apprenticeship are modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploring (transfer of learning) (Austin, 2009). Embedded within these methods of cognitive apprenticeship are also the building of trusting relationships and the importance of writing feedback. The benefits of cognitive apprenticeship necessarily extend beyond graduation for new scholars. Ideally, they will be able to conduct research without the close mentoring that was provided during the dissertation