In thinking about the ways to design better online learning experiences, one thing that consistently evades most traditional online universities is fostering a vibrant community.
That’s not to say it isn’t top of mind, or that many, many institutions don’t attempt it. But recently, I’ve been wondering about whether a better way to intentionally build belonging is to encourage online networks more akin to the informal, ad hoc types of social interactions you’d find on a phsycial campus.
Let me back up. In my personal experience in online higher ed, you could build rapport with other students in a class. But once that class was over, not only did you lose access to the materials, you also lost your history with other students. It was ephemeral. In an in-person setting, you might yet run into a former classmate at the cafeteria or an event. You might even live next door to them. There are numerous opportunities to reconnect and share new ideas. Contrast this with the anonymity of online classes, where you might even not recognize the same person over classes, because it’s just one name amongst 30 others on a discussion board.
