Relationships, Real and Virtual

Had a nice experience last night... Was in Calgary for meetings and at the end of a long day (long week?) I sat down for a beer with two of my former students. Both are in the same PhD program and seem to be doing well. What interested me most about the evening was the relationships that have formed - both between the two students and between them and me. In both cases, I supervised their master's work, and in both cases, this was done at a distance, entirely through our virtual campus medium/e-mail/etc. We have met for conference presentations of our work (which, incidentally, is on the experience of virtual learning in a counselling psychology context) but otherwise, have spent little time together in the RW (Real World). In spite of this (because of this?) we still seem to have a very nice personal connection. Of interest, they both said that they haven't yet developed that same sense of connection to their other in-class colleagues. Hummm...

On a note of personal vanity, I can't help but be so very proud of both of them for what they've accomplished! Way to go Debbie & Jane!

Paul