Quality Time: Goal Post # 3 (Establish Community)

We don’t want our students to feel as alone in the stands as this fan does. We need to establish early a shared goal for their successful completion of the course.

Goal: Establish a sense of Community.
Question: How do you encourage your class to feel like a “team” or community of learners?

Possible solutions:
*Encourage students to add a profile picture. It doesn’t have to be a picture of themselves but rather something representative of them. Don’t forget to use one for yourself!
*Identify common interests, career paths, and goals among students in the introduction and provide a space for them to “huddle,” like a Student Lounge.
*Ask veteran online learners, in the introduction discussion, to coach “rookie” online students with tips about how to be successful in an online class. This might include providing technology tips or study hints.
*Provide “study hall” discussions where students might peer review assignments, post their assignments as student generated content, or collaborate on a group project. (Be sure to mark such discussions as student-led.)

What do you do in your classes to encourage a sense of team camaraderie? Please share your icebreakers and other community–building methods in the CCCOnline Community.

Do you have other goals that you try to achieve the first week of class? What are they and how do you achieve them? Please post your ideas in the appropriate discussion in the CCCOnline Community.

Quality Time is a series of posts concerning course quality issues, best practices, and/or CCCOnline policy.