This week our class focused on community building in an online environment. The first thing we were asked to do was join or create an online community. I am currently using a free classroom management system called Schoology. This system allows for teacher communities or Professional Learning Communities. I chose to join a community called Flipped Classrooms. This is a topic I have been playing with quite a bit in my own classroom.
The community is full of teachers who are experienced with flipping the classroom, as well as teachers who are new to the idea. It has been a wealth of knowledge and I have been able to get a lot of information that I have already implemented in the classroom. Here is a link to the group. https://www.schoology.com/group/19069943
I have become involved in this community because it has been developed for peers with similar interests. I think that the same theory should apply to an online class community. If it is just there to be there, it will probably not be successful. Students wont necessarily contribute just because it is there. In order for them to participate and contribute they need to have a reason. Similar interests or goals seem to be a big reason for participation. Therefore it is important to have a community that is relevant to your students if you want them to participate and contribute.
I have included a copy of my Online Community Strategies with a rational for each strategy as an artifact of my work this week.
The community is full of teachers who are experienced with flipping the classroom, as well as teachers who are new to the idea. It has been a wealth of knowledge and I have been able to get a lot of information that I have already implemented in the classroom. Here is a link to the group. https://www.schoology.com/group/19069943
I have become involved in this community because it has been developed for peers with similar interests. I think that the same theory should apply to an online class community. If it is just there to be there, it will probably not be successful. Students wont necessarily contribute just because it is there. In order for them to participate and contribute they need to have a reason. Similar interests or goals seem to be a big reason for participation. Therefore it is important to have a community that is relevant to your students if you want them to participate and contribute.
I have included a copy of my Online Community Strategies with a rational for each strategy as an artifact of my work this week.
wemp_online_community_strategies.pdf |