Posted on Apr 2, 2016
Online Students: Improving classroom community?
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Since there are plenty of AMU faculty, students, and graduates of the American Military University and other online schools... This is a question I think many can address:
How can we, as students and professors, improve communication in the online classroom environment?
There are online forums, and forums are "effective," but, IMO, not enough. There is no bonding opportunity, or friendship-building - key components to a thriving college experience. Once a class is over, you move on. That has been my experience, at least.
What are your thoughts? How did you/do you build relationships with people in a short 8 or 16 week online class?
How can we, as students and professors, improve communication in the online classroom environment?
There are online forums, and forums are "effective," but, IMO, not enough. There is no bonding opportunity, or friendship-building - key components to a thriving college experience. Once a class is over, you move on. That has been my experience, at least.
What are your thoughts? How did you/do you build relationships with people in a short 8 or 16 week online class?
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American Military University
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
When I decided to go to school on-line for graduate school, I knew that it would not be as social as when I physically attended the university for undergraduate. I never considered the social aspect of on-line learning. The focus was on learning. No time for virtual coffee. In exceptions I connected with few classmates on LinkedIn. When I crave social interactions, I talk to my wife or go out for coffee.
I have taken a few online classes because of convenience. If you want bonding opportunities, take regular classes where you have face to face communication.
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I don't typically crave for socialization either. My wife, son, and dog are plenty. But networking is a little different and beneficial.
Having gone through graduate school twice and on-line, none of the courses i've taken have a Facebook or LinkedIn. Only a LinkedIn page for the Graduate program that I am in right now.
For the few students that I felt connected with in graduate school, often veterans, we got to mingle on LinkedIn and through e-mail. This is something that I initiated versus the school providing a platform or tool to do this.
y opinion, regardless if a person is looking for a social-academic-learning environment or a purely social component aside the academic, on-line education has limitations. It is up to the student to step out of their comfort zone and take the conversations outside of class.
In the end, social-academic needs are always personal.