Creating an E-Learning Community

Vanessa Cruz , Professor of Digital Media, University of North Florida

This paper looks at the experience of the creation and development of a virtual society for students participating in distance learning and hybrid courses in Art and Design at the University of North Florida. Students today are familiar and well versed in the technology such as wikis, blogs, discussion boards, video conferencing, and podcasts as a means for keeping in constant contact with one another. They are accustomed to using this technology not only in their classroom experiences but also as a recreational tool. So why not use this knowledge base in an e-learning educational setting to reinforce the sense of community usually experienced through a traditional classroom setting?

In order to establish a more personal setting for the online environment, students needed to have an awareness of two things: Who is the instructor in the professional and personal sense. And, whom are the other students participating in the course. To accomplish this, one of the first things created for each class was a video of the instructor welcoming all students to the course. This not only allows students to be able to recognize the instructor when on-campus meetings arise, but also gives a connection to another human being, no longer some “virtual guide” on the other end. Next was the creation of video packages where students can access step-by-step instruction needed to learn either software applications, or fine art techniques, thus fulfilling the connection created when giving in-class demonstrations. In order to establish the relationship between students, the creation of discussion boards, journals, and video conferencing were implemented through out the course. All of which could be accessed 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world. These same tools were also useful in bringing in guest artists for “virtual class fieldtrips”.

This environment has resulted in students creating their own sense of community within the courses as well as outside the classroom. Students are not only using the discussion boards to critique each other’s work, but also to talk about creative blocks, other artists, as well as answering each other’s questions related to class projects. Due to this newly created environment students are no longer limited to the class period to interact and discuss each other’s work. They now have access to instruction, assessment, and community any time they log on, whether at home or abroad!