Exploration of Students’ Sense of Community in Virtual Learning Environments

• In Event: Roundtable Session 98
  In Roundtable Session: Research Explorations in the Use of Virtual Worlds for Learning

Abstract

Sense of community is essential in creating effective online learning environments (Rovai, 2002; Thompson & MacDonald, 2005; Shea, 2006). Building community in online and virtual environments can be a much more daunting task than in face-to-face environments. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine factors that may predict graduate students’ development of a collaborative community (as measured by the SCI-2 scale) in both hybrid cohorts and those working completely online in a virtual environment. The study specifically focused on students’ level of online immersion and time spent in the online environment. Paper will conclude with a discussion of potential implications for building community in online and virtual learning environments.

Authors

• Terry McClannon, Appalachian State University

• Amelia Cheney, Appalachian State University

• Robert Sanders, Appalachian State University

• Krista Terry, Appalachian State University

• Les Bolt, Appalachian State University