Community building is vital to active student engagement in a course across all modalities. Research shows that when students feel that they belong to their academic community, that they matter to one another, and that they can find emotional, social, and cognitive support for one another, they are able to engage in dialogue and reflection more actively and take ownership and responsibility of their own learning (Baker, 2010; Berry, 2019; Brown, 2001; Bush et al. 2010; Cowan, 2012; Lohr & Haley, 2018; Sadera et al., 2009). 

Source: https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/community-building/

Ways to Build Community

See Your Students as People

Institutions are really adept at erasing the details that creates empathy for others so there’s a certain amount of vigilance on our end to make sure that doesn’t happen. And on the flip side…

Remember Your Humanity

There was something remarkable that brought you here or makes you stay to teach. Again, systems are masterful at making us survivors of the grind and can distract us from what is vital for the recognition of that very thing that connects us to our students.

See more about creating community here.

How do you create community in your classroom?