Online but not alone

Image Source: Marie E. Arriaga



Attending college online has several advantages. You never have to fill up the tank, bunny slippers are encouraged and commute times are decreased significantly. With all great things, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, but in a chosen academic environment when is it OK to discuss the inherent difficulties without seeming too whiny?

At the outset, online learning can seem like a solo journey.  The information is online, the course syllabus dictates the assignment deadlines and all one has to do is follow along…right?  Well, in theory that sounds like it would work, but there is much more to learning than simply following the module prompts.   Whenever people come together seeking a common learning outcome, a community is created.  In a classroom the community is sustained through procedures, social norms, and interactions.  In an online classroom the same items sustain community building, but it doesn’t happen organically.  It must be nurtured. 

Pratt and Palloff are quick to remind us that everyone, including administration, support teams, faculty and even the students all play a role in building a learning community (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012).   Effective online instruction begins with a strong platform capable of providing the instructor with the tools necessary for observing student interaction with the online system.  Also necessary are support teams from IT to library to writing staff and advisory.  The supportive teams are in place to fill in the blanks when students need more than the instructor can provide.  The most prominent player in the online classroom is the instructor, however in an online course; the instructor becomes more of a guide for the students’ self-directed journeys.  The final collective players are the students themselves.  They must learn to reach out to each other through feedback channels so that all can utilize the interactive environment to construct new knowledge.

So how does this classroom where each person enters solely become a learning community?  It begins with simple actions to create a more personalize online learning environment.  Beginning with the instructor, it is important to inject a bit of humanity from the get-go.  I would highly recommend a video introduction and a short welcome message on the announcements page.  What a better way to bridge the internet gap than allowing students to see you in person.  Secondly, the instructor could facilitate social connections through an optional ice breaker activity.  By getting students posting online right from the very beginning, the students begin to see that they are connected to each other and the online platform even when an assignment isn’t due.

Students themselves are a supportive source for one another.  In their welcome messages, students can let the group know if they are new to online learning or are a veteran of many classes.  Those that have several online classes under their belts can reach out to the newbies and answer questions posted in the contact the instructor area.  Often veteran students have great tips and one idea would be to keep a discussion thread open for tips, techniques and suggestions to share.  In an ever changing technical setting, divide and conquer is the best way for all to increase their technical capabilities.  Need help building a spreadsheet, perhaps a peer can suggest a good tutorial link.  Have trouble posting an image, leave a message on the lounge page and it is likely someone else has run into the same issue and can give you step by step instructions.  The point is, everyone including the instructor has knowledge to share and everyone should be encouraged to participate.

So the next time you set down your hot coffee, wiggle in your bunny slippers and power up your laptop, remember an online course is not a solo flight across the ocean.  You may take off and land by yourself, but along the way there is a full flight with crew members taking the journey with you.

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). EDUC 6179: Online Instructional Strategies for Adult Learners [Video Program Transcript].  In Online learning communities. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/Walden/EDUC/6179/01/downloads/WAL_EDUC6179_01_B_EN.pdf