for Effective Teaching through Online Environments

Workshop: Developing Community in an Online Course

Overview

Having students develop personal profiles is a good first step in helping students connect with one another. Students are asked to address specific questions about themselves to share with their classmates. This workshop will provide ideas for structuring student responses to personal profiles.

Initial Activity

Take a few minutes and answer the following questions:

  • What is it like to be in a class of strangers?
  • How can being a part of a learning community facilitate learning?
  • In face to face classes, many instructors start classes with “ice breakers” that allow students to get to know each other. How can students get to know each other in an online class?

 

eClip - Post Your Personal Profile

Reflection Activity

Think, Pair & Share

Structuring student responses to personal profiles or their peers is an important next step. Requiring students to respond to profiles in some manner assures that students read each profile, learn about and interact with their classmates. There are various ways to structure responses. Two examples include Scavenger Hunts and Structured Questions.

  1. What ideas do you have for structuring student responses to personal profiles?
  2. Share any ideas you have used for developing community in a face-to-face class that could be adapted to an online format.

Followup Resources

Bender, T. (2003). Discussion-based online teaching to enhance student learning.
Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Salmon, G. (2004). E-tivities: The key to active online learning.
London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Bloom, L., Dole, S. (2009). Using Personal Profiles to Develop Community in an Online Course