Online Learning Communities

Online learning communities impact student learning dramatically throughout a distance learning course.  In the video about online learning communities, Paloff and Pratt (n.d.) discuss how creating a community online among students and instructors, is essential.  They point out that the interaction between learners helps create a deeper level of understanding.  They also stated that interaction between students, as well as instructor, positively affects student performance and the overall outcome of course effectiveness.  An online community is grounded in the social constructivist model, in which a learner builds knowledge through interactions with other learners and the instructor.

Online learning communities significantly impact both student learning and satisfaction within the course by allowing students to create connections.  The community members support each other and challenge one another, helping each other add to his or her prior knowledge.  The community provides safety, positive connections and a comfortable environment in which to learn (Palloff & Pratt, n.d.).  The instructor needs to provide an environment where students feel comfortable and safe to take risks and interact with other learners. Every learning experience occurs in an environment in which the learner interacts with the content, knowledge, skill or expert (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010, p. 29).   The responsibility for these experiences lies not only on the instructor, but on the students as well.

The essential elements of online community building include people with a common purpose and a process that brings them together.  Other important methods are communication among students as well as creating a presence among the community to achieve course goals.  Palloff & Pratt (n.d.) address the presence as your online persona, which is what others see you as an online individual.  The purpose of a course should be outlined so that the learner can have a clear description of what is expected of him or her.  The instructor should provide many opportunities for student interaction through the use of forums or projects, which allows the learners to respond to thought provoking questions about the material they are assigned each week.  The Instructor must also set clear goals for the course and establish those early and often. These goals provide the learner with the direction they are heading and what they will accomplish by participating in this course.

In order to create and sustain a successful online community, it’s imperative that the instructor engages the learner within the first two weeks (Palloff & Pratt, n.d.).  As a fourth grade teacher, I establish routines and try and build a positive community between all of my students, within the first two weeks of school.  This is a very crucial time for students to interact with one another and build positive relationships.  Creating that environment helps students feel comfortable and able to take risks.  Sustaining the learning community requires the achievement of individuals and commitment to the community goals and expectations.




References
Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (n.d.).  Online Learning Communities [Video].  Retrieved fromhttp://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6493411&Survey=1&47=5871191&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1