Online Learning Communities

In today’s world, distance learning continues to increase and impact the education field and professional learning. Due to this rise, online learning communities play an important part in student learning and engagement. Online learning communities (OLCs) are an increasingly prominent aspect of the education field. An online learning community is a group of people who interact and learn from each other through a digital platform, where they share knowledge and experiences related to a common learning goal (Ke & Hoadley, 2009).

As an educator, I have created and taught online courses. Therefore, I have learned that creating an effective online learning community can influence student engagement, retention, and overall student success in distance learning courses. Distance learning courses can make learners feel socially isolated from their peers (Huett et al., 2008). However, I have found that by creating an online community through weekly discussion board posts, students can discuss that week's content with their peers, ask questions, and receive feedback. Weekly discussion board posts are one way to help students learn and deepen their understanding of the material (Simonson et al., 2019). Likewise, having students involved in collaborative projects can encourage students to interact and engage with one another like a face-to-face course. When students feel that they are a part of a supportive online community, they feel a sense of belonging and are more likely to stay motivated throughout the course (Tang & Lam, 2014). The ability to interact with their peers and the instructor can contribute to a successful learning experience for the students. Community building and effective online instruction are linked to one another. A strong online community can help enhance and support student learning and success by fostering engagement, motivation, and collaboration (Burns, 2011). 

As an instructor, the goal is not only to deliver the content but also to create an environment where students can learn from each other and interact with their peers and instructors. There are different elements that are essential to effective online community building. These elements are 1) clear communication and guidelines, 2) frequent interaction, 3) collaborative tools, and 4) peer support (DeNisco, 2013). For example, as an instructor of the course, I must set clear expectations and guidelines for communication and participation for the students. In addition, as an instructor, I can complete regular check-ins with the students, especially those I see falling behind on assessments, and give immediate feedback on assessments and discussion board posts to help keep the online community engaging (Simonson et al., 2019). Lastly, I can give my students the tools to interact and collaborate with me, their instructor, through virtual office hours. These elements will help sustain the online learning community throughout the course. 

Throughout my experience teaching distance learning courses, I have found that as an inspector, I need to create opportunities for my students to interact with each other and myself to help fill the void of seeing one another face-to-face. This can be done through weekly discussion boards, group work, or setting up synchronous meetings throughout the semester. In addition, as an instructor, I must create an environment where my students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Lastly, I must regularly interact with the students to keep the online community engaged.

In my teaching career, I need to focus on community-building strategies that foster my student's academic success and personal fulfillment as they navigate their learning journeys.


References:

 

Burns, M. (2011). Distance education for teacher training: modes, models, and methods. Retrieved from http://idd.edc.org/resources/publications/modes-models-and-methods

 

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008).The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63-67.

 

Ke, F., & Hoadley, C. (2009). Evaluating online learning communities. Educational Technology Research and Development, 57, 487–510.

McDonald, J. (2007). The role of online discussion forums in supporting learning in higher education.

Simonson, M., Zvacek, S., & Smaldino, S. (2019). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (7th ed.) Information Age Publishing.

 

Tang, E., & Lam, C. (2014). Building an effective online learning community (OLC) in blog-based teaching portfolios. The Internet and Higher Education, 20, 79-85.

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