Creating Community in Distance Learning

Types of Community

Ø      Discourse Communitites                                        

Ø      Communities of Practice

Ø      Knowledge-Building Communities

Ø      Learning Communities

How do we foster community?

Ø      Communication

Ø      Attention to Differneces

Ø      Shared Culture

Ø      Adaptation

Ø      Dialogue

Ø      Access to Information

Ø      Membership

Ø      Motivation

The Future of Distance Learning

Ø      Collaboratory Notebooks

Ø      Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environments (CSILEs)

Ø      CaMILE

Ø      The Buddy Project

Ø      Learning Circles

Ø      KIDLINK

Ø      Global SchoolHouse

What about our experiences? (Large group discussion)

Ø      Do you feel that a sense of community and program involvement affects your interest and motivation in a course?

Ø      Have you experienced a sense of community throughout your program at the University of Calgary?

Ø      What course characteristics affect the sense of community?  Topic?  Professor?

Ø      How could such a sense of involvement be promoted throughout a period of instruction?