Sometimes One Size Does Fit All! (Creating a Community with students) Not recorded Dr. Kim Livengood Angelo State University

1. S
Sometimes One Size
DOES Fit All!
Angelo State University
Kim Livengood, Ph.D.
Kim.Livengood@angelo.edu

2. Introduction
S Building a sense of community among learners helps
increase their satisfaction with courses and programs.
S Use of technology tools can provide opportunities for
interaction in online courses.
S Collaboration can build a sense of community.

3. Interactions
S Student - Instructor
S Student - Content
S Student - Student

4. Student - Instructor
S Refers to interaction between the learner and the
instructor (Moore, 1993)
S Can include instructor delivering information,
encouraging the learner, or providing feedback (Moore,
1993)
S Represents the most significant factor predicting learner’s
perceived learning outcomes in online learning
environment (Kang & Im, 2013)

5. Student - Content
S Allows students to obtain information from course materials in the form of
text, audio or video, online communication, etc. (Moore, 1993)
S Can enhance the value of information in the class when the platform is
easy to use (Marmon, Vanscoder, & Gordesky, 2014)
S Increases learners ability to achieve higher success in online courses
when they interact with the content more frequently (Zimmerman, 2012)
S Uses technology tools and tasks that allow for exchange of information
needed to support knowledge construction over a distance (Vrasidas,
2000)

6. Student - Student
S Consists of the exchange of information and ideas that occur among
students (Moore, 1993)
S Can take the form of group projects or group discussions (Moore, 1993)
S Can help students feel that they are part of a community of learners
(Johnson, Cascio, & Massiah, 2014)
S Can also include establishing social presence (Arnold & Ducate, 2006)
S Can be incorporated in number of ways, including discussions,
collaborative group projects, sharing of experiences, and exchanging
resources (Shackelford & Maxwell, 2012)

7. Tools & Strategies
S Technology plays a vital role in providing learning experiences
compatible to face-to-face courses (Sher, 2009)
S Active participation for removing feelings of isolation
S Results in higher levels of satisfaction (Marmon, Vanscoder, &
Gordesky, 2014)
S Tools can help students participate actively with each other, with
instructors, and with the content
S Individual communication: peer feedback, discussion boards,
blogs, online journals, emails, video conferencing, etc.

8. Writing Strategies
S Tools within the LMS or outside may be used
S Discussion boards provide opportunities for both
synchronous and asynchronous discussion.
S Blogs provide opportunities for synthesis and analysis of
content for others to read and respond.
S Instructors can participate or only the students.

9. Edmodo
A free system with private discussions.

10. Neat Chat

11. Edublog
Free option for blogs available.

12. Audio/Visual
S Lack of facial expression and voice tone can lead to
misunderstanding if it is only written.
S Many free and easy to use programs allow the instructor
to record feedback: Vocaroo, Podbean, and SoundCloud
are a few examples.
S Students can also share information with each other.

13. Voki
Tools that instructors use to present content can
also be used by student to share information with
other students.

14. Podcasting
Can require multiple interactions.

15. Video Conferencing
Can require multiple interactions.

16. Collaborative Projects
S More opportunities for individual feedback.
S Actively involved in the learning process.
S Enhances student satisfaction when effectively managed.
S Creates a stronger support system.

17. Trello
Students can share and collaborate within this tool.

18. Padlet
Students can save and share with this tool.

19. Class Cafe
S Discussion board opened to all students during the entire
class.
S Include all three types of interaction: Student - Instructor,
Student - Content, and Student - Student.
S All questions asked and answered in the class cafe.

20. Implementation
S Voluntary participation with only student involvement.
S Required participation connected to a score.
S Voluntary participation with instructor involvement.
S Students have requested an additional discussion board
focused on peer review of assignments/projects.

21. Conclusions
S These are just a few examples of free tools that can be
incorporated into the online course environment.
S Many other tools are available that can help build sense of
community among students and instructors.
S Sense of community can be important to success of students in
their overall program.
S Increased interaction among members of course can lead to
increase in connectedness and sense of community.

22. S
Questions/Comments?

23. References
Arnold, N., Daneshgar, F., & D’Ambra, J. (2010). Underlying factors of
sense of community in asynchronous computer supported
collaborative learning environments. Journal of Online Learning and
Teaching, 6(3).
Johnson, Z. S., Cascio, R., & Massiah, C. A. (2014). Explaining
student interaction and satisfaction: An empirical investigation of
delivery mode influence. Marketing Education Review, 24(3), 227-
238.
Kang, M., & Im. T. (2013). Factors of learner-instructor interaction
which predict perceived learning outcomes in online learning
environment. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29(3), 292-301.
Marmon, M., Vanscoder, J., & Gordesky, J. (2014). Online student
satisfaction: An examination of preference, asynchronous course
elements, and collaboration among online students. Current Issues in
Education, 17(3), 1-11.
Moore, M. G. (1993). Three types of interaction. In K. Harry, M. Hohn,
& D. Keegan (ed.), Distance education: New perspectives, (pp12-24).
London: Routledge.
Schackelford, J. L. & Maxwell, M. (2012). Sense of community in
graduate online education: Contribution of learner to learner
interaction. The International Review of Research in Open and
Distance Learning, 12(4), 228-249.
Sher, A. (2009). Assessing the relationship of student-instructor and
student-student interaction to student learning and satisfaction in web-
based online learning environment. Journal of Interactive Online
Learning, 8(2), 102-120.
Vrasidas, C. (2000). Constructivism versus objectivism: Implications
for interaction, course design, and evaluation in distance education.
International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 6, 339-362.
Zimmerman, T. D. (2012). Learner to content interaction as a success
factor in online courses. The International Review of Research in
Open and Distance Learning, 13(4), 152-165.