What is online community? Current research suggests more work is needed to develop clear definitions regarding online community within higher education, and yet a commonly cited definition is that online community includes:
"…trust, mutual interdependence among members, interactivity, shared values and beliefs, and common expectations” (Rovai, 2002, p. 198).
The following insights are common across research on online community:
Online community is highly related to connectedness - a feeling that contributes to a community member’s feelings of belonging, shared accountability and commitment, trust, goals and knowledge construction.
The topic of online community in higher education is commonly explored via online course and instructional strategies, effective technology use, as well as students, faculty and staff activities such as:
Group activities, including social, university-wide events, orientations and meetups
Membership and belonging via cohorts, programs, and the university itself
Communication that is authentic, welcoming, personal, positive, promotes interaction, includes both formal and informal opportunities, is respectful, and offers timely feedback
Processes that include academic support and services, active learning, peer engagement and clear requirements
Information and communication technologies, such as online portals, learning management systems and related tools
Faculty, staff and fellow students as key members to help cultivate connectedness, with a focus on the importance of time, training and preparation needed to address the community’s unique needs
Consideration of student needs, preferences, differences, communication styles, motivation and perceptions of satisfaction
The following sections highlight additional research related to community-building in online education within higher education. A growing references list is its own section. Check back often for new research.
A presentation at the 2024 annual UPCEA conference by Dr. Julie Moser focused on key attributes needed for effective online learning communities: trust, belonging, and purpose (with references below). The following information outlines ways organizations can model these elements:
Arasaratnam-Smith, L. & Northcote, M. (2017). Community in Online Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 15(2), 188-198, available online at www.ejel.org
Colby, A. (2020) Purpose as a Unifying Goal for Higher Education. Journal of College and Character, 21(1), 21-29, DOI: 10.1080/2194587X.2019.1696829
Peacock, & Cowan, J. (2019). Promoting a Sense of Belonging in Online Learning Communities of Inquiry. Online Learning, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v23i2.1488
1. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services; 2023–. PMID: 37792968.
2. World Health Organization. (2023). Commission on Social Connection website. Retrieved January 15, 2024 from: https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection.
3. Alberti, F.B. (2019). Stop Medicalising Loneliness - History Reveals it's Society that Needs Mending. The Conversation. Retrieved January 20, 2024 from: https://theconversation.com/stop-medicalising-loneliness-history-reveals-its-society-that-needs-mending-127056
4. Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2019). Is there a loneliness epidemic? Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved December 28, 2023 from: https://ourworldindata.org/loneliness-epidemic.
5. Center for Disease Control. (2024). Epidemiology Glossary. Retrieved February 13, 2024 from: https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/glossary.
6, 7. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services; 2023–. PMID: 37792968.
8. Rovai, A. P. (2001). Building classroom community at a distance: A case study. Educational Technology Research & Development, 49(4), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504946.
9. Kraut, Resnick, P., Kiesler, S., Burke, M., & Chen, Y. (2012). Building Successful Online Communities: Evidence-Based Social Design (1st ed., pp. xi–xi). The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/8472.001.0001.
10-12. Trespalacios, Snelson, C., Lowenthal, P. R., Uribe-Flórez, L., & Perkins, R. (2021). Community and connectedness in online higher education: a scoping review of the literature. Distance Education, 42(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2020.1869524
13. Barker Scott, B. A., & Manning, M. R. (2024). Designing the Collaborative Organization: A Framework for how Collaborative Work, Relationships, and Behaviors Generate Collaborative Capacity. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 60(1), 149-193. https://doi.org/10.1177/00218863221106245
Accessible online engagement opportunities enhance experiences and promote self-regulation and learner autonomy
Higher levels of online engagement are associated with increased student satisfaction
Interaction quality is a significant predictor of student satisfaction
Instructor presence and timely feedback are critical
Strong online engagement is linked to higher retention rates in online courses
Social presence fosters a sense of community, belonging and commitment
Early engagement is important for long-term persistence
Student projects can enhance performance and outcomes
Common strategies to enhance student satisfaction, persistence and success includes (but is not limited to) online community building activities that:
Create opportunities for accessible, inclusive and meaningful interaction and collaboration
Provide clear expectations and guidance for online participation
Design engaging and interactive learning opportunities
Encourage self-regulated learning and metacognition
Provide appropriate support and resources to facilitate engagement
Establish a supportive and inclusive learning environment
Provide timely interventions and resources for at-risk students
Encourage peer support and mentorship to foster resilience and persistence
Fredericksen, Pickett, A., Shea, P., Pelz, W., & Swan, K. (2019). Student Satisfaction and Perceived Learning with On-line Courses: Principles and Examples from the SUNY Learning Network. Online Learning (Newburyport, Mass.), 4(2). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v4i2.1899
LaBarbera, R. (2013). The relationship between students’ perceived sense of connectedness to the instructor and satisfaction in online courses. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 14(4), 209–220. https://www.infoagepub.com/qrde-issue.html?i=p54c3c328b31d0
Lamport, M. A., & Bartolo, P. J. (2012). Student perceptions of online instructional practices that enhance connectedness: Themes toward the development of an instrument. Journal of Instructional Research, 1, 23–33.
Linder, & Hayes, C. M. (Eds.). (2018). High-impact practices in online education : research and best practices. Stylus.
Lowenthal, P. R., & Snelson, C. (2017). In search of a better understanding of social presence: An investigation into how researchers define social presence. Distance Education, 38(2), 141–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2017.1324727
MacLeod, J., Yang, H. H., & Shi, Y. (2019). Student-to-student connectedness in higher education: A systematic literature review. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 31, 426–448. https://doi. org/10.1007/s12528-019-09214-1
Martin, F. & Bolliger, D. U. (2022). Developing an online learner satisfaction framework in higher education through a systematic review of research. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 19(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-022-00355-5
Martin, F. & Bolliger, D.U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning 22(1), 205- 222. doi:10.24059/olj.v22i1.1092
Redmond, Heffernan, A., Abawi, L., Brown, A., & Henderson, R. (2018). An Online Engagement Framework for Higher Education. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks JALN, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v22i1.1175
Rovai, A. P. (2002b). Sense of community, perceived cognitive learning, and persistence in asynchronous learning networks. The Internet and Higher Education, 5(4), 319−332. https://doi.org/10. 1016/S1096-7516(02)00130-6
Zhu, C. (2012). Student satisfaction, performance, and knowledge construction in online collaborative learning. Journal of Educational Technology and Society, 15(1), 127–136. https://www.jstor. org/stable/jeductechsoci.15.1.127
The following themes emerge in research on how students and supports and services positively impact perception and success in online education:
Accessible online learning supports and services have a positive impact on student perceptions of satisfaction and feelings of connectedness
Student motivation, persistence and achievement is positively impacted by online student supports
Access to online library resources, instructional and user design practices, as well as embedded supports are important to student and faculty success
Supports and services for adult online learners have nuanced differences from campus-based options and enhance perceptions and success, especially when it comes to 6- and 8-week terms
Supports and services that keep the unique needs of adult online adult learners in mind are important to success
Ludwig-Hardman, S., & Dunlap, J. C. (2003). Learning support services for online students: Scaffolding for success. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 4(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v4i1.131
Roddy, Chantal, Amiet, Danielle Lalaine, Chung, Jennifer, Holt, Christopher, Shaw, Lauren, McKenzie, Stephen, Garivaldis, Filia, Lodge, Jason M., and Mundy, Matthew Edward (2017). Applying best practice online learning, teaching, and support to intensive online environments: an integrative review. Frontiers in Education 2(59). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2017.00059
Rotar. (2022). Online student support: a framework for embedding support interventions into the online learning cycle. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 17(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-021-00178-4
One of the primary ways online community manifests in higher education is via a college’s program-specific online courses, and research shows appropriate engagement opportunities matter for student satisfaction and success. Effective online course design includes:
Appropriate, purpose-driven connection between students and resources, fellow learners, and faculty, including opportunities for timely and constructive feedback
Instructional design teams as an important driver of student, faculty and campus success
Accessible and inclusive course design strategies to reduce cognitive load and allow for learner choice and voice
A cross-systems, interdisciplinary approach that includes student perspectives, success outcomes, supports and services, and university-wide engagement
Summary: Online interaction that uses multimodal communication options (e.g., discussions with text, audio, and video) allows for student choice, increases social presence, and helps develop trust and rapport among students.
Why it Matters: Providing opportunities for student choice in online discussions embraces an inclusive design mindset, and has been shown to increase feelings of engagement and trust.
What to Do? Connect with your instructional design team for their expertise related to designing effective engagement strategies and supported technologies.
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Brown, R. (2001). The process of community-building in distance learning classes. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5, 18–35. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v5i2.1876
Cameron, B. A., Morgan, K., & Williams, K. C. (2009). Group projects: Student perceptions of the relationship between social tasks and a sense of community in online group work. The American Journal of Distance Education, 23(1), 20–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923640802664466
Davis, Gough, M., & Taylor, L. L. (2021). Enhancing online courses by utilizing “Backward Design.” Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 21(4), 437–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313220.2021.1924922
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Rovai, A. P. (2001). Building classroom community at a distance: A case study. Educational Technology Research & Development, 49(4), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504946
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