Sense of Community in an Online Graduate Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36021/jethe.v2i2.52Keywords:
online learning, sense of community, synchronous learning, higher educationAbstract
A sense of community among learners is recognized as contributing to positive student outcomes. Synchronous learning opportunities may serve as one way to create a sense of community among online learners. Findings are shared from a mixed-method study that examined the impact of synchronous discussion sessions on students’ sense of community, as well as additional factors to consider when creating a sense of community. Cultivating trusting relationships by providing students with multiple opportunities for authentic, spontaneous, supportive discussion with people they know well emerged as central to fostering a sense of community. Implications for online learning in higher education and future research needs are discussed.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The Author (or Authors, collectively referred to herein as Author) retains the copyright for the Article/Review to be published in the Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education and is acknowledged in the copyright line on the Article/Review. The Author asserts the moral right to be identified as the Authors of the Article/Review.
Public License
- The Author and the Publisher (Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education) agree that the Author grants a Creative Commons Copyright License in the Article/Review to the general public (see Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0))
- The Author grants to the Publisher a royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, display, distribute and use the Article/Review in any form, either separately or as part of a collective work, including (but not limited to) a non-exclusive license to publish the article in an issue of the Journal, authorize reproduction of the entire Article/Review in another publication, and authorize reproduction and distribution of the Article/Review by means of computerized retrieval systems. The Author retains the ownership of all rights under copyright in the Article, and all rights not expressly granted in this Agreement.
- The Author agrees that the Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education be given credit as the original publisher in any republication of the Article/Review authorized by the Author. If the Publisher authorizes any other party to republish the article under the terms above, the Publisher shall require such party to ensure that the Author is properly credited.
