The document discusses building a learning community for an online geography course with over 2,750 students. It explains that a learning community is a group that shares values and beliefs and actively learns from each other. Creating a sense of community can increase student engagement and learning as students support each other. The document outlines various free online tools like Facebook, Twitter and video chat that can help build connections between students and the professor. It provides examples of how the community in this course has led to enriching experiences like a Skype session with Aung San Suu Kyi and shows that a community can achieve more than individuals alone.

1. Building Community in Online, Blended,
and Face-to-Face Environments
A fantastic way to enrich the classroom experience....
but what, why, who, and how?
John Boyer (joboyer@vt.edu) Katie Pritchard (kpritcha@vt.edu)
Dept. of Geography Dept. of Geography
Virginia Tech, United States Virginia Tech, United States

3. About our course
Title: World Regions (Geography 1014)
Students: 2750
(of diverse origins, academic levels, and knowledge levels)
Live Lecture: Monday 7pm-9:45pm
International Film nights on Tuesday/Wednesday at 7pm

4. About our course
Title: World Regions (Geography 1014)
Students: 2750
(of diverse origins, academic levels, and knowledge levels)
Live Lecture: Monday 7pm-9:45pm
International Film nights on Tuesday/Wednesday at 7pm
Q: With SO many students, don’t individuals just get lost in
the crowd? How can we prevent that?

5. A: Build a learning community!

6. A: Build a learning community!
But WHAT the heck is that?

7. A learning community is a group of people who
share common emotions, values or beliefs, are
actively engaged in learning together from each
other, and by habituation.

8. A learning community is a group of people who
share common emotions, values or beliefs, are
actively engaged in learning together from each
other, and by habituation.
Factors that define a sense of community:
1)membership/sense of belonging
2) influence on each other
3) fulfillment of individuals needs
4) shared events and emotional connections.

9. A learning community is a group of people who
share common emotions, values or beliefs, are
actively engaged in learning together from each
other, and by habituation.
Factors that define a sense of community:
1)membership/sense of belonging
2) influence on each other
3) fulfillment of individuals needs
4) shared events and emotional connections.
So, the participants of learning community must feel some
sense of loyalty and belonging to the group that drive their
desire to keep working and helping others, in an active (not
just a reactive) way...which fulfills many of the needs of the
participants as they exchange information, express personal
opinions, and create shared experiences, some with powerful
emotional attachments.

10. Sounds kind of sappy to me....

11. Sounds kind of sappy to me....
...I mean, they are coming to class to see me,
the expert, not other students.

12. Sounds kind of sappy to me....
...I mean, they are coming to class to see me,
the expert, not other students.
So why bother building a community?

14. -Helps keep students engaged, interested, and active
before/during/after class

15. -Helps keep students engaged, interested, and active
before/during/after class
A college course is a holistic learning experience for an entire semester, not just during the
live class session...and you cannot be there personally all the other hours of the week

16. -Helps keep students engaged, interested, and active
before/during/after class
A college course is a holistic learning experience for an entire semester, not just during the
live class session...and you cannot be there personally all the other hours of the week
-Students who feel they are a part of a community help each other
and inform each other much more

17. -Helps keep students engaged, interested, and active
before/during/after class
A college course is a holistic learning experience for an entire semester, not just during the
live class session...and you cannot be there personally all the other hours of the week
-Students who feel they are a part of a community help each other
and inform each other much more
-Perhaps cliche, but collaborative learning and working prepares
students much more for ‘the real world’

18. -Helps keep students engaged, interested, and active
before/during/after class
A college course is a holistic learning experience for an entire semester, not just during the
live class session...and you cannot be there personally all the other hours of the week
-Students who feel they are a part of a community help each other
and inform each other much more
-Perhaps cliche, but collaborative learning and working prepares
students much more for ‘the real world’
Basically, because a community can increase student
learning, learning opportunities, and may even make
your job way easier than dealing with 3000 individual
students

19. But there is just one catch....

20. But there is just one catch....
You can’t actually “make” a community.

21. But now there are amazing (and free!) new
communication tools to that bring people together...most
of which your students are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

22. But now there are amazing (and free!) new
communication tools to that bring people together...most
of which your students are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

23. But now there are amazing (and free!) new
communication tools to that bring people together...most
of which your students are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

24. But now there are amazing (and free!) new
communication tools to that bring people together...most
of which your students are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

25. Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students
Professor Facebook/Twitter - class notices,
quick polling, & casual interaction

26. Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students
Professor Facebook/Twitter - class notices,
quick polling, & casual interaction

27. Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students Ustream - Online office hours

28. Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students Ustream - Online office hours
Creating a powerful PERCEPTION of availability

29. Tools that help give
students a voice during
class, building a sense of Twitter - Class hashtag
active involvement streamed live on-screen

30. Heck, even music tools
that help create a
vibrant collective
environment...

31. Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

32. Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:
A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times

33. Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:
A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times

34. Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:
A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times

35. Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:
A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times
And a community can take
care of problems as well...
like our
FACEBOOK SCANDAL

36. More important than the mundane:
a COMMUNITY of learners can often form a more
logical climbing team to knowledge than you can...

37. More important than the mundane:
a COMMUNITY of learners can often form a more
logical climbing team to knowledge than you can...

38. A COMMUNITY knows what everyone else is up to
...3000 INDIVIDUALS working solo do not

39. A COMMUNITY knows what everyone else is up to
...3000 INDIVIDUALS working solo do not

40. A COMMUNITY knows what everyone else is up to
...3000 INDIVIDUALS working solo do not
Peer review, group projects, and peer to peer networking
can really raise the standards of student work

41. A COMMUNITY feels comfortable and even compelled
to add to the class in a great diversity of ways
...a class of INDIVIDUALS does not

42. A COMMUNITY feels comfortable and even compelled
to add to the class in a great diversity of ways
...a class of INDIVIDUALS does not
International interview =
students inputing
knowledge into the system

43. And offer more than
even I can imagine...
“Our team would just like to thank you for letting us perform for the class.
The Bhangra Team at Virginia Tech had a great time performing at World
Regions and we really appreciate everyone's support. For those wanting to
know, Bhangra is a traditional Indian dance form (native to Punjabi culture in
north India) and our team hopes to keep the tradition alive. Luckily, our team
gets to perform at many competitions at different universities across the
country, but nothing beats performing in front of our beloved Hokies. “

44. A COMMUNITY working together can achieve more
than an INDIVIDUAL can on their own...and can make
the impossible possible with a collective voice.

45. Aung San Suu Kyi
Noble Peace Prize Winner
and chairperson of the
National League for
Democracy in Burma

46. Aung San Suu Kyi
Noble Peace Prize Winner
and chairperson of the
National League for
Democracy in Burma
Initial interest from
Burmese student

47. Aung San Suu Kyi
Noble Peace Prize Winner
and chairperson of the
National League for
Democracy in Burma
Initial interest from
Burmese student
Skype shout out & social networking by students

48. Aung San Suu Kyi
Noble Peace Prize Winner
and chairperson of the
National League for
Democracy in Burma
Initial interest from
Burmese student
Skype shout out & social networking by students
Led to live Skype session with her

49. Meeting you and your student by skype
was one of the most enjoyable
experiences I have had. It is a pity all
politics cannot be that fun. Please convey
my heartfelt thanks to all the
participants. I do hope I will be able to
meet you and your wonderful students in
person soon.
Yours truly,
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

50. A COMMUNITY keeps up with each other after the
class is over
...INDIVIDUALS in a class typically do not

51. “My name is Rushabh Kenia. I took your World Regions
course, I reckon, in 2003.
I just wanted to write you to say that having connected
with you on Facebook, I was reminded of the energy
and the motivation of your class.
You recently managed to get Martin Sheen and Emilio
Estevez to Tech - I read about that and saw the trailer
of 'The Way', right about when you began talking about
it, and was happy (even amazed) to see that you
managed to pull it off. It was a brilliant idea and
excellent execution.
Bottom line, I get reminded of motivation, execution and the
passion to do a good thing - even in the absence of a
deeper purpose. Without being sentimental, it's just
'effin brilliant that you can do cool stuff like that -
whether it's the International movies or Gary or the
Sheens...and that's not even talking about how cool the
Plaid Avenger is! “

52. I do not know how to thank you for
organizing such a great Skype event with Aung
San Suu Kyi, and letting Myanmar students
who are in United States,or other parts of the
world, to hear the voice of our Leader. I have
been watching the interview again and again,
and also encouraging more and more people
to watch it. And I am encouraging people to
watch this videos mainly because I learned a lot
of new knowledge from this interview.
Dear Plaid Avenger,
My son, Patrick Georgi, took your class freshman year
and turned us into plaidfans. I teach social studies to 6th and
7th graders at Urbana Middle School, I can't quite use all of
your podcasts in the middle school classroom, but we do
current events. Your interview with Aung San Suu Kyi was a
brilliant use of technology. Could my students Skype you and ask
you questions about the world and the Hokie Nation?

53. A COMMUNITY keeps up with each other after the
class is over
...INDIVIDUALS in a class typically do not
Thus we are seeing creating a life-long
community of learners that grows every
semester, and now includes alumni, family
members and friends...

54. A COMMUNITY keeps up with each other after the
class is over
...INDIVIDUALS in a class typically do not
Thus we are seeing creating a life-long
community of learners that grows every
semester, and now includes alumni, family
members and friends...
Creating life-long
learners...isn’t that
what we teachers are
all about?

55. Community creates group SYNERGY

56. Community creates group SYNERGY
Student interactions incite study groups, peer
review, collaborative projects, and even friendships

57. Community creates group SYNERGY
Student interactions incite study groups, peer
review, collaborative projects, and even friendships
Twitter and video assignments taking on life of their
own

58. Community creates group SYNERGY
Student interactions incite study groups, peer
review, collaborative projects, and even friendships
Twitter and video assignments taking on life of their
own
Twitter hashtag has become valuable communications
tool, beyond our uses...

59. Community creates group SYNERGY
Student interactions incite study groups, peer
review, collaborative projects, and even friendships
Twitter and video assignments taking on life of their
own
Twitter hashtag has become valuable communications
tool, beyond our uses...
Turntable.fm and Spotify interaction has become
much more than music...

60. Community creates group SYNERGY
Student interactions incite study groups, peer
review, collaborative projects, and even friendships
Twitter and video assignments taking on life of their
own
Twitter hashtag has become valuable communications
tool, beyond our uses...
Turntable.fm and Spotify interaction has become
much more than music...
Students “owning” their class (ex. Aung San, FB cheaters)

61. Community creates group SYNERGY
Student interactions incite study groups, peer
review, collaborative projects, and even friendships
Twitter and video assignments taking on life of their
own
Twitter hashtag has become valuable communications
tool, beyond our uses...
Turntable.fm and Spotify interaction has become
much more than music...
Students “owning” their class (ex. Aung San, FB cheaters)
Students stay connected long after class ends through
Facebook and Twitter = life long learners

63. Technologies in the classroom are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!

64. Technologies in the classroom are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Students don’t have to be
passive:
HARNESS THEIR
ENERGY!

65. Technologies in the classroom are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Students don’t have to be
passive:
HARNESS THEIR
ENERGY!
You don’t have to do it
alone:
HARNESS STUDENT
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!

66. Technologies in the classroom are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Students don’t have to be
passive:
HARNESS THEIR
ENERGY!
You don’t have to do it
alone:
HARNESS STUDENT
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!
A strong community is a potent force:
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL!