6.+Creating+a+Supportive+Online+Learning+Environment

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**6.1 Introduction**
In the 21st Century, technology and learning are more closely connected than ever before. With the amount of courses currently offered online using software such as Moodle or Blackboard, the quality of the electronic learning environment must also be considered. Research has shown that lack of motivation is the leading cause of student dropouts in online post-secondary courses (Zvacek, 1991). As shown on the Learning Environment and Motivation page of this wiki, the learning environment has a substantial influence on the motivation to learn. Creating a sense of community and a supportive learning environment, although far more difficult with physical separation, is essential to motivate adult online learners.

**6.2 Problems With the Online Learning Environment**
Technological advances have improved the delivery of online instruction, but have not considered student motivational needs. Given the social nature of classroom learning, the individual nature of online learning has the potential to de-personalize student relationships and their relationship with the instructor. The absence of a physical classroom challenges the online instructor to provide a supportive learning climate and encourage a sense of learning community (Bellon & Oates, 2002). Also, the lack of face-to-face communication impedes the instructor's ability to fully understand student needs, progress, and motivation. In online education settings, student motivational problems can go unnoticed for extended periods of time (Visser et al., 2001). As a result, students may not receive timely help to enhance higher levels of motivation.

The physical separation of online learners often leads to feelings of disconnect, isolation, distraction, and neglect (Rovai, 2002). Communicating with technology de-humanizes education and heightens feelings of social isolation in learners (Huang, 2002). All of these negative feelings will affect the motivation to learn, which in turn affects student persistence in the course. Learner isolation heightens the importance of individual evaluation and the social presence of the instructor (Brookfield, 2006). The instructor acts as a facilitator, leaving the learner to move from the role of a passive receiver of knowledge to an active learner in control of their own progress. Control over one's learning can increase retention and self-directed learning skills (Brookfield, 2006), but this transition proves difficult for some students.

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Attributes that make students successful in the online classroom are not necessarily the same attributes that lead to success in the physical classroom. For example, research indicates that introverted students that are unlikely to participate in the face-to-face classroom are more successful online learners due to the absence of social pressures (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). Conversely, extroverted students may experience more difficulty establishing their presence in the online classroom, something that they have no trouble with in physical classrooms.

In order for students to be successful online learners, they must exhibit the following characteristics: (Palloff & Pratt, 2007)
 * Open-minded about sharing personal and educational experiences
 * Able to communicate through writing
 * Able to navigate the Internet and access e-mail
 * Self-motivated and self-disciplined
 * Willing to "speak up" should problems arise
 * Able to think ideas through before responding
 * Feel that learning can take place in the absence of a traditional classroom

Therefore, some students are more apt for success in the online classroom based on their own abilities and beliefs. However, the instructor plays a large role in online student success and motivation. The following section includes some tips for online instructors to enhance their learning communities.

**6.4 Suggestions to Enhance Online Learning Environment**
A learning community can be defined as follows:

"//A feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members' needs will be met through their commitment together.//" - D. McMillan and D. Chavis This definition, as well as many other definitions of learning community, does not require physical presence and face-to-face communication. Therefore, the key elements of a learning community, such as mutual interdependence, trust, sense of belonging, and shared goals, are all feasible in online courses. It is up to the instructor to build and sustain a sense of community in the virtual classroom.

The following list presents some useful suggestions for instructors to create a supportive and interactive online learning community:


 * Incorporate a discussion component into the overall course evaluation plan. This encourages students to post summaries of readings or reactions to topics in discussion forums where other students will read and respond to each other's posts (Bellon & Oates, 2002). Discussion forums help participants share information in the pursuit of meaning while metacognitively reflecting on the knowledge that they have constructed (Huang, 2002). All members of the learning community should be graded on the quantity, quality, and timeliness of their discussion contributions.
 * Set aside an initial discussion forum for student introductions in the first week of an online course. This reduces anonymity, helps learners make connections with each other, and promotes a sense of community (Rovai, 2002). The instructor must also introduce themselves and provide some information about their background and interest in the subject matter. This helps to form an immediate connection between the instructor and the learners because they share a common interest in the subject matter of the course.
 * E-mail students directly to touch base with them about due dates and course material or to provide motivational messages. Studies have shown that emails from the instructor provide a high level of motivation for online learners (Bellon & Oates, 2002).
 * Instructor responsiveness is a major complaint from online learners (Brookfield, 2006), so it's incredibly important to have a social presence with all students to foster a sense of intimacy and immediacy. If an instructor doesn't visit the course website or respond to student e-mails for several days, the students may feel that the instructor is too busy for them or doesn't truly care about their learning.
 * Keep class sizes between 8 and 30 students for an online course. Research has shown that at least 8 students is the minimum critical mass needed to promote interactions, while 30 or more students is more than a single online instructor can reasonably handle (Rovai, 2002).
 * Set up base groups of four students or less that last for the duration of the course. The base groups are used for learners to share goals, questions, concerns, and praise. Base groups may also be assigned small group projects or discussions. Base groups provide online learners with a sense of belonging and involvement (Bellon & Oates, 2002).
 * Encourage the use of video conferencing programs such as Skype or ooVoo. These tools are easy to use and work well with most computers, but require users to have a microphone and a webcam (recommended). Video conferencing allows students to discuss aspects of the course with each other or with the instructor in real time, which adds emotion and continuity to conversations. Visit the links below to download Skype or ooVoo:





The article //Building Sense of Community at a Distance// by Alfred P. Rovai provides a synopsis of some of the challenges in online learning communities and some suggestions for instructors to foster online communities. Also, Palloff and Pratt's book entitled //Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom// is an excellent resource for online instructors that want to improve the sense of community in their courses while promoting collaborative learning among online learners.

The following video provides a summary of the importance of creating an online learning community as well as some helpful tips and advice:

media type="youtube" key="a-X06q-Z7RQ" height="315" width="560" align="center"

**References**
Bellon, T. & Oates, R. (2002). //Best practices in cyberspace: motivating the online learner//. In: NECC 2002: National Educational Computing Conference Proceedings (23rd, San Antonio, Texas, June 17-19, 2002). Retrieved from []

Brookfield, S.D. (2006). //The skillful teacher: on technique, trust, and responsiveness in the classroom//. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

EdenTreeTV. (2011, April 20). The essentials of supporting an online learning community [Video file]. Retrieved from []

Huang, H. (2002). Towards constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments. //British Journal of Educational Technology, 33//(1), 27-37.

Palloff, R.M. & Pratt, K. (2007). //Building online learning communities: effective strategies for the virtual classroom//, 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Rovai, A.P. (2002). Building sense of community at a distance. //International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 3//(1), 1-16. Retrieved from []

Visser, L., Plomp, T., Amirault, R.J., & Kuiper, W. (2001). Motivating students at a distance: the case of an international audience. //Educational Technology Research & Development, 50//(2), 94-110. Retrieved from []

Zvacek, S.M. (1991). Effective affective design for distance education. //TechTrends 36//(1), 40-43.