Brown zel5003 -_4

Presented by Zoe BrownOhio Department of Education

Technology in Education ConferenceAugust 20, 2011

Alone Yet Together: Alone Yet Together: Building a Sense of Community Building a Sense of Community

OnlineOnline

What is Online

Learning?

“Online learning is an open and distributed learning environment that uses pedagogical tools, enabled by Internet and Web-based technologies, to facilitate learning and knowledge building through meaningful action and interaction.”(p. 15)

“Online learning is an open and distributed learning environment that uses pedagogical tools, enabled by Internet and Web-based technologies, to facilitate learning and knowledge building through meaningful action and interaction.”(p. 15)

Online Learning

I’m so isolated &

alone!

Online dropouts

I need to connect with

other learners!

ClassroomCommunityClassroomCommunity

Connectedness

spirit, trust, interactionLearning

An online community

sounds great!

Student satisfactionRetentionLearningLifelong affiliation

with institution & department

Increases…Flow of informationAvailability of supportCooperationSatisfaction with group efforts

They have strong feelings of community

Online Learning

What is my role as the instructor?Establishing a

healthy classroom community is the responsibility of all instructors.

ManagerProvider of support

& structure Promote

collaboration & interaction

Model, encourage & participate

Group Projects

DialogueIdentity

Social Networks

Group Projects

DialogueIdentity

Social Networks

Allow students to post profile information and pictures of themselves

Create structured online discussions and ask meaningful questions

Design group projects with assigned roles, focuses on a topic and develops social tasks

Use social networks like Ning or Facebook to further emphasize collaboration & community

Questions Instructors Should AskQuestions Instructors Should Ask

Am I aware of a community that exists among learners?

Do I value community or see the importance of community?

Do I design a learning environment that promotes community building?

How will the community communicate?What tools and applications will I use to foster

community?

I really feel a sense of

community now!

Online Learning

I play a key role in establishing online

communities

Group Projects

DialogueIdentity

Social Networks

I would like to

know…?

ReferencesReferences

Arnold, N. & Paulus, T. (2010). Using a social networking site for experiential learning: Appropriating, lurking,

modeling and community building. Internet and Higher Education, 13, 188-196.

doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.04.002.

Brown, R. (2001). The process of community-building in distance learning classes. Journal of Asynchronous

Learning Networks, 5:2, 18-34.

Cameron, B.A., Morgan, K., & Williams, K.C. (2009). Group projects: Student perceptions of the relationship between

social tasks and a sense of community in online group work. The American Journal of Distance

Education, 23, 20-33. doi:10.1080/08923640802664466.

Dabbagh, N. (2005). Pedagogical models for e-learning: A theory-based design framework. International Journal of

Technology in Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 25-44.

Dabbagh, N., & Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). Online learning: Concepts, strategies, and application. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Education.

ReferencesReferences

Morgan, C.K., & Tam, M. (1999). Unraveling the complexities of distance education student attrition. Distance

Education, 20(1), 96-108.

Ritter, C., Polnick, B., Fink, R., & Oescher, J. (2010). Classroom learning communities in educational leadership: A

comparison study of three delivery options. Internet and Higher Education, 13, 96-100.

doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.11.005.

Rovai, A. (2001). Building classroom community at a distance: A case study. Educational Technology Research and

Development, 49(4), 33-48.