RSA # 3 Online Learning Communities.

http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=04c37d7f-6831-4765-a906-be1917bd5ba4%40sessionmgr15&vid=16&hid=24

The topic that I decided to visit for this week’s resource sharing blog is on online learning communities.   As an undergraduate student in my earlier years, I was introduced to the blackboard learning system.  This was my first experience with online learning communities and it was in such early stages, that it did not have an impact on my educational experience.  Now online learning communities are evolving as discussed in the article, “The Design of Online Learning Communities: Critical Issues”.   This article discussed how to plan and develop an online learning community successfully.  Some of the characteristics of a successful online learning community that they listed are: a group of people who cannot meet face to face and meet online to share a common task, the tasks are clearly defined and participants have a clear understanding of the tasks, and tools for communication are clearly accessible.  This article gave readers a good insight on how to implement and plan a successful online learning community.  The article also mentioned with the new and growing communities it remains a challenge to keep community cohesion.  In my own online community learning experiences I also find this to be a challenge, because we all have a common goal but there is no real relationships established.

Palloff, R, Pratt, K. (1999). Building learning communities in cyberspace. Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from http://macqunilearners.pbworks.com/w/file/18977294/Building-Learning-Communities-In-Cyberspace.doc

Charalambos, V., Michalinos, Z., & Chamberlain, R. (2004). The design of online learning communities: Critical issues. Educational Media International, 41(2), 135-143. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.