Community: Louis Weiner

Think of the word “community” and the first thing that comes to mind for me is a “group” of people working together toward a common goal. My first instinct is to think of those people as physically present, discussing matters face to face. But in the world of online teaching, the word “community” takes on a different meaning. The community isn’t so much formed by the presence of the students and instructors, but instead by the tools designed by the instructor to bring everyone together.

It’s easy to think of online learning as two dimensional, a person sitting at home staring at the computer. The challenge facing online instructors is to turn that scenario into what seems to be a three dimensional experience. This can be done by creating a community unlike any other an online learner has experienced before.

Failure to create an online community risks alienating the students to a point where they may feel they’re on their own. That’s the worst thing that could happen for an online student. If anything, those students need to feel MORE connected to the class and subject matter than an on campus student.

Before instructors can create a community environment online, it may be best for them to a role reversal. By putting themselves in the “role” as a student, the instructors can get a better idea of what they would “need” for them to feel part of a community.

Based on Ludwig-Hardman’s seven features to help facilitate a learning community, I find “respectful inclusion” to be the most important. “Such a society must have a type of education which gives individuals a personal interest in social relationships and controls, and the habits of mind which secure social changes without introducing disorder.” In other words we’re not all robots nodding our heads in agreement with one another. Each individual must push ahead with sharing his or her knowledge and experience and viewpoints to help facilitate others to do the same.