Colleges and universities out to be concerned not with how fast they can ‘put their courses on the web’ but with finding how this technology can be used to build and sustain learning communities. (Hiltz, 1998, p. 7)
The Community Puzzle Faculty Guidance Teamwork Mutually Negotiated Guidelines Community Facilitation Collaborative Learning Active creation of knowledge & meaning Interaction & Feedback Focused Outcomes Shared Goals Buy in from Everyone
In understanding the notion of online community, I think we must recognize the fact that no matter how attractive the option of being a sponge, it does not build community. Corals build community by each secreting their resources to build the reef and mutually supporting the group.
Berge, Z. L. (1995). Facilitating computer conferencing: Recommendations from the field. Educational Technology, 35 (1), 22-30.
Bonk, C., Kirkley, J., Hara, N., Dennen, V. (2001). Finding the instruction in post secondary online learning: Pedagogical, social, managerial, and technological location. In J. Stephenson (Ed.), Teaching and Learning Online: Pedagogies for new technologies , London, Kogan Page.
Hiltz, S. R. (1998) Collaborative learning in asynchronous learning networks: Building learning communities . Paper presented at the WebNet 98 World Conference on the WWW, Orlando, FL.
Illinois Online Network (n.d.) What makes a successful online facilitator? Retrieved August 3, 2004, from http://www.ion.illinois.edu/IONresources/onlineLearning/instructorProfile.asp
Maor, D. (2003). The teacher’s role in developing interaction and reflection in an online learning community. Education Media International, 40 (1), 128-136.