Abstract
The chapter draws from a case study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic with the purpose to examine effective ways of teaching online that engender collaboration among students and create a virtual classroom community. The findings reveal that factors such as planning intentionality, flexibility, collaboration, and meeting students' socio-emotional needs are fundamental to the development of a sense of community in online classrooms. The chapter enhances the understanding of effective online teaching practices.
TopLiterature Review
Scholarship on the successes and challenges of online learning has mushroomed as teaching and learning via technology has been normalized by the Covid-19 pandemic (Moorhouse, 2020). Most of the scholarship in 2020 describes how higher education institutions provided online teaching during the pandemic (Bozkurt & Sharma, 2020; Carrillo & Flores, 2020; Huber & Helm, 2020). Some studies focus on the general efficacy of online teaching. For example, studies by Paschal and Mkulu (2020) and Moorhouse (2020) examined, inter alia, instructors’ perceptions of online teaching efficacy. The researchers of these studies found that instructors perceived online teaching limiting and facilitating shallow and transmission-based forms of teaching. However, there is dearth of scholarship on how successful online teaching that pays particular attention to how technology can be used to facilitate collaborative learning and create virtual classroom communities.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Virtual Community Classrooms: A sense of togetherness and community created among students that cultivates a sense of interdependence and care.
On-Line Learning Collaboration: Online activities and exercises that provide opportunities for students to work together either in pairs or in groups.
Constructivist Learning Theory: A theory of teaching and learning that advances students’ knowledge through affirmation of student experiences and learning using their experiences and knowledge as starting point.
Learning Management System: The software utilized for virtual learning purposes this includes, but not limited to, Canvass, Moodle, and Blackboard.
Virtual Learning: Is the learning that is mediated through technology and occurs mainly through technology without face-to-face engagement.
Break-Out Rooms: E-learning platform rooms that can be used for group work or smaller discussions online.
Effective Teaching and Learning Strategies: Strategies that foster students to learn independently and collaboratively. They center student knowledge sharing and interaction.