scholarly journals Building Sense of Community at a Distance

Author(s):  
Alfred P. Rovai

<P class=abstract>This article challenges the belief that strong sense of community is limited to the traditional classroom and proposes that the virtual classroom has the potential of building and sustaining sense of community at levels that are comparable to the traditional classroom. Drawing on research literature, the concept of learning community is applied to the virtual classroom by taking on the issue of how best to design and conduct an online course that fosters community among learners who are physically separated from each other. Course design principles are described that facilitate dialogue and decrease psychological distance, thereby increasing a sense of community among learners. <BR></p> <p><B>Key Terms</B><BR> Distance education, community, spirit, trust, interaction, learning, persistence, attrition, ALN, online</P>

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Shattuck

One of the dilemmas faced by today’s faculty is assuring quality in online courses. As one solution to that dilemma, Quality Matters (QM), a program of MarylandOnline, built a rubric of design standards informed by existing research literature and best practices. The rubric was implemented within a faculty-centred, peer review process in which colleagues share their expertise to facilitate course design improvements and to achieve an established level of quality in online course design. This article will describe the basic tenets and processes of QM as an inter-institutional quality assurance program for online learning.


Author(s):  
Marc R. Robinson

Student perceptions of online courses are likely influenced by two overarching aspects of quality: instructor quality and course design quality (Ortiz-Rodriguez, Telg, Irani, Roberts & Rhoades, 2005). Both of these forces in online education may be analyzed using a well-known model of instructional design - Gagnés instructional design and cognition theory, the centerpiece of which are the nine events of instruction (Gagné, Wager, Golas, & Keller, 2004). Multiple studies positively correlate learner attitudes and perceptions of the online course to instructor quality. Early studies evaluating instructor quality attempted to correlate instructor quality with the attitude and perception of the learner, but not directly to learner success or course design quality. Researchers of online courses, such as Palloff & Pratt (2003), discussed the role of the instructor in depth while neglecting the roles of the learner, the institution, and course design. The main focus remained instructor-centered, and highlighted key instructor tasks such as understanding the virtual learner in terms of roles the learner plays, fostering team roles for the learner, designing an effective course orientation, and identifying potential legal issues the instructor might face (Palloff & Pratt, 2002, p. 16). A distant secondary focus was on effective course design. This highlighted instructor tasks in building an effective online learning community without highlighting the roles effective communication tools would play.


Author(s):  
Chi P. Diep ◽  
Giang T.L. Nguyen ◽  
Nga T. Vo

Online teaching or e-learning allows learners to participate in a virtual classroom environment based on web and based on digital applications or digital tools, to interact with learning content and (possibly) with teacher and other peers from a long distance to achieve learning goals defined by their learning needs. The article provides some theoretical backgrounds of online teaching related to the advantages and limitations of online teaching, the forms of online teaching (synchronous learning, asynchronous learning, blended learning), structure of implementing an online course supporting dialogical and deep learning. The article also shares the experiences of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE) in implementing online teaching, especially asynchronous teaching on learning management systems (LMS, FHQLMS) and gives some recommendations for lecturers to improve the quality of organizing online courses. Based on the theoretical analysis method with the literature review and the synthesis of practical education experience from HCMUTE, a four-step and 5W-1H online course design process is suggested


2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain McAlpine ◽  
Tony Koppi ◽  
Elaine Pearson ◽  
Jan McLean

Academic developers of online courses may not have experienced this mode of learning and teaching from the learner perspective. This article makes a comparison between suggestions for online course design from research literature and user perspectives from a focus group, responses to questions on the most and least effective aspects of online study and lasting impressions, and from reflective diaries kept by two of the authors while they were engaged in study from online courses. This direct evidence is used to highlight key issues in the literature from the viewpoint of the learner.DOI: 10.1080/0968776042000216200


2021 ◽  
pp. 83-98
Author(s):  
Chi P. Diep ◽  
Giang T.L. Nguyen ◽  
Nga T. Vo

Online teaching or e-learning allows learners to participate in a virtual classroom environment based on web and based on digital applications or digital tools, to interact with learning content and (possibly) with teacher and other peers from a long distance to achieve learning goals defined by their learning needs. The article provides some theoretical backgrounds of online teaching related to the advantages and limitations of online teaching, the forms of online teaching (synchronous learning, asynchronous learning, blended learning), structure of implementing an online course supporting dialogical and deep learning. The article also shares the experiences of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE) in implementing online teaching, especially asynchronous teaching on learning management systems (LMS, FHQLMS) and gives some recommendations for lecturers to improve the quality of organizing online courses. Based on the theoretical analysis method with the literature review and the synthesis of practical education experience from HCMUTE, a four-step and 5W-1H online course design process is suggested


Author(s):  
Michele M. Hampton

Immediacy represents the psychological distance experienced by individuals who are remotely located. Interaction between students, instructors, and content are tied to increased immediacy. Verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors underpin immediacy and creating a sense of community among online course participants. Culture is a critical component that determines how students communicate verbally and nonverbally. Recognizing student differences and similarities can be a powerful community builder. Designing online courses that promote cultural openness and understanding is an essential piece of the learning landscape. Rather than viewing culture as something to avoid, culture should be viewed as an immediacy, community, and learning enabler.


2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Pincas

The argument in this paper is based on the view that, even though traditional classroom teaching and lecturing are likely to remain the norm, there is a recognized and growing place for the use of technology in educational provision in schools and universities. Online course design is still very much open to discussion, since traditions of delivery have yet to develop. But new software developments are arriving so quickly, that educators have barely time to experiment with one mode of delivery before they are overtaken by another.DOI:10.1080/0968776000080208 


2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Ginsberg

Abstract This qualitative study examined student perceptions regarding a hybrid classroom format in which part of their learning took place in a traditional classroom and part of their learning occurred in an online platform. Pre-course and post-course anonymous essays suggest that students may be open to learning in this context; however, they have specific concerns as well. Students raised issues regarding faculty communication patterns, learning styles, and the value of clear connections between online and traditional learning experiences. Student concerns and feedback need to be addressed through the course design and by the instructor in order for them to have a positive learning experience in a hybrid format course.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Gmeiner

This project aims to provide students with disabilities the same in class learning experience through virtual reality technology, 360-degree video capture, and the use of Arduino units. These technologies will be combined to facilitate communication between teachers in physical classrooms with students in virtual classrooms. The goal is to provide a person who is affected by a disability (which makes it hard to be in a traditional classroom) the same benefits of a safe and interactive learning environment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (169) ◽  
pp. 15-33
Author(s):  
Penny Ralston‐Berg ◽  
Heather Braatz

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