This paper describes a faculty development model called the highly relevant mentoring (HRM)
model; the model includes a framework as well as some practical strategies for meeting the
professional development needs of faculty who teach web-based courses. The paper further
emphasizes the need for faculty and administrative buy-in for HRM and examines relevant
theories that may be used to guide HRM in web-based teaching environments.
Of note is that HRM was conceived by the instructional design staff who contributed to this
paper before the concept of high impact mentoring appeared in the recent literature (2009).
While the model is appropriate in various disciplines and professions, the examples and
scenarios provided are drawn from a Canadian university’s experience of using HRM, in
conjunction with a pedagogical approach called ICARE, in a variety of nursing courses and
programs.
