Community Building

Part of creating a successful learning environment is introducing students to a new community. Learners can support each other and, with guidance from their instructor, build a sense of belonging that strengthens their connection to the course and materials. 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.

Student Expectations and Behavior Guidelines

It is important to include student responsibilities in your syllabus to ensure students understand their role in the learning process and to create a set of expectations for the class. This can include expectations for attendance, participation, and deadlines for assignments. It should also include guidelines for expected behavior

Statement of Student Behavior Expectations (sample)

Both instructors and students in a classroom have rights and responsibilities and should show respect and human reverence for one another. The goal of everyone in the classroom should be to create and maintain a professional learning environment where knowledge and skills can be shared and explored without fear of mistreatment or abuse.

Please be sure to follow these guidelines

• For every “hour” spent in the classroom, plan on spending at least 2 hours outside the classroom exploring the subject matter.
• Plan to be an active learner – seeking clarification and guidance when necessary and exploring concepts deeper.
• Be prepared for class sessions – including learning materials, utensils, and questions or notes to actively participate.
• Arrive promptly to class and be prepared to stay until the very end; do not put your belongings away early, as you want to respect your and others’ time.
• Do not participate in behavior that disrupts the learning of others: talking while someone else is talking, loud cell phone notifications, doing other homework in class, etc.
• Remember that everyone in your class comes from a different background and has unique experiences to share; do not discriminate or stereotype your instructors or peers.
• Use respectful, professional language when communicating with instructor and classmates.

For Online Courses

• 10 rules of netiquette for students

Creating a Communication Plan

A communication plan should include how and when you plan to communicate with students – including the technology they will be required to use. Things to include in your communication plan:

• Instructions for how to view Grades and Feedback in Blackboard
• Time it will take you to provide feedback on student work
• Office Hours (online and/or face to face) and how to reach you (via Zoom, office room #, etc.)
• Contact Information and preferences
• Course Announcement Schedule:
• Week start – reminder of upcoming due dates
• Discussion Responses (summary and important student quotes)
• Midterm/Final Exam reminders

Further Resources

• Regular and Substantive Interaction: Background concerns, and guiding principles (download)
• How will we communicate? (Northern Illinois University)
  • Use Blackboard to communicate
  • Announcements
  • Course Messages
  • Discussion Boards

Incorporating 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:

Group Discussions

Class discussions provide a valuable opportunity for students to engage in critical thinking and active learning. They foster an environment of collaboration, peer-to-peer learning, and critical analysis. Students can practice their communication skills, gain a deeper understanding of the material, and fully develop their own personal opinions and ideas.

Best Practices for Facilitating Group Discussions

• Set clear expectations for participation by establishing ground rules. Make these rules explicit and visible in the syllabus and in your Blackboard course.
• Encourage respectful dialogue, active listening, and constructive criticism.
• Establish the purpose of the discussion and make sure it is clear to all participants.
• Prepare a detailed agenda that outlines the topics to be covered. This will help ensure that the discussion remains focused and on track.
• Ask everyone to participate and give everyone an opportunity to speak.
• Ask questions that stimulate critical thinking and encourage debate.
• Monitor the discussion and encourage people to stay on topic.
• Be sure to Keep the discussion focused and maintain a positive atmosphere.
• At the end of the discussion, summarize what was discussed.
• Ask if there are any follow-up questions or if anyone has any additional comments.

Additional Resources

• Effective In-Class Discussions (from Yale)
• Class Discussion Participation Rubric (download) from Stephen Brookfield

Online Resources

• (Faculty Focus)
• Blackboard Group Discussions (click “Go to Original Course View page” for older Blackboard)

Group Collaboration

Collaborative assignments help develop important skills such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. They provide an opportunity for students to learn from each other in a more interactive way. Collaborative assignments also foster a sense of community, as students work together to complete a task.

Collaboration Resources

• 7 Ways to Boost Collaboration in Project Based Learning (article) from John Spencer
• Assessing Group Workfrom Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation

Technology Resources

• Blackboard Group Assignments for collaborative projects
• Microsoft Whiteboard (UTEP email) for collaborative brainstorming
• Blackboard Ultra Class Conversationsfor collaboration / discussion about documents and assignments in Blackboard