Building a Community Plan

Building a Community Plan

Part of creating a learning environment is introducing students to a new community. Learners can support others and, with guidance from their instructor, build a sense of belonging that strengthens their connection to the course overall. Regardless of the teaching modality (in-person, hybrid, online), it is essential to have a communication plan and to provide space for students to collaborate. Though designed for distance education, an emphasis on Regular and Substantive Interaction (federal distance education regulations) can help improve overall communication in the classroom.

Communication Plan

The communication plan should include student behavior and contribution expectations, a netiquette guide for online interactions, and a clear path for how and when to contact the instructor. Some resources for generating a communication plan:

*The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) is a significant contributor to teaching and professional development resources licensed by UTEP. To access NCFDD materials, you will need to Activate your account.  

Collaboration
An excellent way to ensure student communication and collaboration is to create activities and assessments requiring it. It is essential to provide a platform or safe space for students to openly communicate with one another, whether directly on a project or even through an informal discussion forum. Resources for building collaboration: