Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series)

322 Pages·2007·1.93 MB·English

by  Rena M. Palloff

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Building Online Learning
Communities
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR
THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
SECOND EDITION OF
BUILDING LEARNING
COMMUNITIES IN CYBERSPACE
Rena M. Palloff
Keith Pratt
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Building Online Learning Communities
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Building Online Learning
Communities
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR
THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
SECOND EDITION OF
BUILDING LEARNING
COMMUNITIES IN CYBERSPACE
Rena M. Palloff
Keith Pratt
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Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons,Inc.All rights reserved.
Published by Jossey-Bass
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Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Palloff,Rena M.,1950-
Building online learning communities :effective strategies for the virtual classroom / Rena M.Palloffand
Keith Pratt — 2nd ed.
p.cm.
Prev.ed.:Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace.c1999.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7879-8825-8 (pbk.)
1. Distance education—United States.2. College teaching—United States—Data processing.3. Com-
puter-assisted instruction—United States. I.Pratt,Keith,1947- II.Palloff,Rena M.,1950- Building learn-
ing communities in cyberspace.III.Title.
LC5805.P35 2007
378.1'75—dc22 2007013435
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
SECONDEDITION
PB Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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C O N T E N T S
List ofExhibits ix
Preface to the Second Edition xiii
Acknowledgments xxi
The Authors xxiii
PART ONE The Learning Community in Online Learning
ONE When Teaching and Learning Leave the Classroom 3
Online Issues and Concerns 6
Students Online 8
Making the Transition and Establishing Presence 10
The Search for Knowledge and Meaning in the Online Classroom 15
Putting the Pieces Together 17
New Approaches,New Skills 19
Implications 22
TWO Recontextualizing Community 25
The Importance ofCommunity 27
Community Online 28
The Element ofSocial Presence 30
Coalescence and Belonging Online 32
Recontextualizing Community 34
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Community in the Virtual Classroom 39
Participation and Desired Outcomes in the Online Classroom 42
THREE The Human Side of Online Learning 45
The Need for Human Contact 48
Connectedness and Coalescence 50
Shared Responsibility,Rules,and Norms 51
Roles and Participation 53
Shadow Issues:The Issues We Simply Don’t Want to Face 53
Other Psychological Issues 55
Ritual as the Psychological Expression ofCommunity 56
Spiritual Issues 58
Culture and Language Issues 60
Vulnerability,Ethics,and Privacy 61
Final Thoughts 64
FOUR Practical Considerations in Online Learning 67
About Time 67
Group Size 81
Cost and Other Administrative Issues 84
Online Security 87
FIVE Managing the Relationship to Technology 89
The Relationship ofPerson to Machine 91
Technology as a Facilitative Tool 96
Excuse Us,We Are Now Experiencing Technical Difficulties 101
SIX Moving Teaching and Learning Online 105
Effective Teaching and Learning in the Online Classroom 105
Roles and Functions ofthe Instructor in the Online Classroom 107
The Role ofthe Learner in the Learning Process 119
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Contents
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The Hybrid Course and Online Community 125
Moving to Specifics 125
PART TWO Teaching and Learning in the
Virtual Learning Community
SEVEN Building Foundations 129
Creating an Effective Course Design 129
Constructing the Online Course Site 144
IfYou Build It,Will They Come? 150
Final Thoughts 153
Guiding Questions to Assist in Building an Effective Course Syllabus 153
Evaluating an Effective Online Course 154
EIGHT Promoting Collaborative Learning 157
Formulating a Shared Goal for Learning 159
Problems,Interests,and Experiences as Springboards for Learning 167
Dialogue as Inquiry 170
Encouraging Expansive Questioning 171
Sharing Responsibility for Facilitation 173
Promoting Feedback 176
Intergroup and Other Forms ofCollaboration 180
Final Thoughts 183
Guiding Questions to Promote Collaborative Learning 183
NINE Transformative Learning 185
The Process ofTransformative Learning in the Online Classroom 187
Learning About Learning Through the Use ofTechnology 192
Creating Opportunities to Encourage Reflection on the Differences 194
Learning About Technology by Using It 195
Encouraging Questions and Comments About the Technology 196
Self-Reflection 198
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Contents