Community in Online Facilitation

The MALAT 2010 Community?

Our goal this week is to encourage us all to consider what part, if any, 'community' has played in our online learning experience. We hope that through personal reflection and close examination of research addressing theoretical issues we can elicit a broader understanding of how 'community' in online facilitation plays a role in online learning. We are fortunate that our experience of the MALAT 2010 cohort affords us an opportunity to look at community from the inside out.

This week's seminar has two distinct parts. Firstly, facilitated here, on the Moodle discussion forum you will find recommended readings that address key theoretical issues relating to the design of online learning communities, along with a descriptive qualitative study referencing the experiences of university students and their professors in a quest to create community in an online course. Included in this forum is a short exercise where you can contribute your thoughts and feedback on each others posts.

Secondly, using your invitation (please advise if you have not received it!*) to our Wiki, lrnt505community, we are offering an opportunity to engage in a 'Photovoice' exercise. Here we ask you to share your reflections and ideas relating to a collection of images. The Wiki also allows you to upload images that you think might assist the group in visualizing your idea of community. It is hoped that by this process of visualization, reflection and sharing we will be able to focus on critical issues relating to 'community' in online learning.

We are aware that you all have different schedules and deadlines that go to make up your working lives. As such, there is no specific time frame to complete the exercises and posts, suffice to say, the earlier and more you contribute, the greater the opportunity to expand upon our collective knowledge. It would be preferable for you all to have completed your inputs by Saturday 6th March to allow time for any further comments and observations.

The intended learning outcomes for Seminar 2 are:

- To critically assess key issues in developing, maintaining, and participating in online learning communities.

- Through personal reflection, to have considered and shared how the 'community' of MALAT 2010 has supported or challenged your overall learning experience.

*The request will be sent to your Royal Roads email address - should you have any queries contact

Peg.Hasted@royalroads.ca  -  Tony.Hitchens@royalroads.ca

[intro] [theory] [reflection] [resources] [goodbye]