The development of a learning community in an e-learning environment

Abstract

One of the practical problems posed by the increasing use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) and learning management systems (LMSs) is the need to create a cohesive learning community among students who access online courses. This article describes an online language course whose main aim was to develop a learning community in which participants felt confident enough to share their work with others, and to offer and receive comments on their assignments. The course was designed for students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) at a university in Korea. The main features of the course were that students were encouraged to collaborate in pair and group discussions, and to post their work in the VLE so that others could read and comment on it. Data was gathered from the students’ journals, their assignments, feedback and comments posted on the web board, and e-mails to the instructor. The results showed that, in the process of completing the course, the majority of the students reported a strong sense of ‘belonging’ to a learning community, developing a close rapport with other students by sharing their work, exchanging comments and taking part in discussions. The students felt proud of their work as well as of the process of working together with others. The results suggest that opportunities for social interaction and feedback play a crucial role in developing the emotional connection which helps to create a collaborative learning environment and support an effective learning community.