Building the Peer Learning Community

In an online learning environment, it’s important to create a learning community where learners from many areas who share an interest can engage in meaningful conversations, build their learning experience, and deepen their network. One method for creating community is by building group work into the design, either through a series of assignments or one larger assignment that may include peer feedback to clarify assessment criteria, develop judgment skills, and learn from one another. Collaborative assignments can result in dynamic, synergistic, and engaging learning through the depth of conversation that can occur when discussing course concepts.
 

• Overview (1:30 min)
• Supporting Effective Small Group Work (6:27 min) - This presentation recommends strategies for optimizing group work through both asynchronous and synchronous technologies.
• Managing Group Conflict (5:14 min) - This presentation discusses sources of conflict and strategies to support learners through their ongoing group development.
• Facilitating Engaging Conversations (4:58 min) - This presentation discusses the role of the faculty member in the use of this asynchronous communication tool.
• Using Peer Feedback to Support Online Learning (4:39 min) - This presentation explores several strategies that can help guide and support learners through this important assessment technique.