Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

The Role of Learner in an Online Community of Inquiry
may be uncomfortable or struggling: “constantly
paying attention to when people seem to be putting
barriers up for themselves…Paying attention
to the types of cues that people are throwing out,
if people are absent, you know, getting on and
finding out why.”
While instructors work to allay these fears,
students take on some of this responsibility themselves
as they tend to be very supportive of each
other. More experienced students appear happy
to provide resources, answer questions and offer
advice to less experienced learners. “There’s a
tremendous generosity of spirit that as somebody
who has um, more experience in a particular area
or with certain kinds of students will often jump
into a conversation and say, ‘here you know, I have
a url or I have a reference or my experience has
been this or that’ and they will share these with
the other students... they’ll go…to extraordinary
lengths and actually look something up or find a
resource for somebody and simply offer help.”
In addition to the sharing of resources or experiences,
students are also generally emotionally
supportive to each other, displaying feelings of
empathy and a “we’re all in this together” type of
mindset. Students’ willingness to assist and support
one another works to increase commitment
and ownership of learning: “they ‘embrace’ the
course: they actively participate, provide interesting
references and websites, help their peers, and
demonstrate interest and initiative.”
Design
Instructors mention a number of design elements
that assist with student role adjustment. Introductory
social forums are a means to bring students
together as a group and get to know each other.
Subsequent conferences provide opportunities to
engage with subject matter by sharing reactions,
debating interpretations and applying concepts in
practical contexts. “The final learning and application
of the principles we’ve talked about in the
lesson won’t take place unless people take part in
those conferences... They are crucial that way.”
Student cafes offer students a place to discuss
whatever they wish and assist in preventing
off-topic discussions from disrupting academic
debates. How activities are sequenced and communicated
is also important, as is the need for
flexibility to accommodate different interests and
needs. Students need to know what they are expected
to be doing at any given point in the course
and how they are to be evaluated. To assist different
learning styles and interests, flexibility can be
achieved by adjusting time lines or by providing
alternate tasks for evaluation purposes.
Technology
Technological breakdowns can hamper access
and have a negative effect on both student and
instructor participation. When students cannot
access course materials or discussion boards they
become frustrated and instructors must expend an
inordinate amount of time and energy to rectify
the situation. Motivation is affected, as students
may decline to participate or consider abandoning
their learning altogether. Motivation wanes for
instructors as well as inboxes are inundated with
student complaints and login issues interfere with
discussion management.
The instructors made relatively few comments
about the students adjusting to the technology. One
instructor said “I’ve seen a positive evolution in
the level of students in the use of ICT tools. As
a consequence of this higher level, some parts of
the subject are less important. Unfortunately the
level is not homogeneous.” Two issues are of note
here. One is that instructors don’t see themselves
in a support role regarding the technology; the
students who struggle are at the mercy of wider
university supports, or their own resources, to
adjust to the technology. Second, we can predict
that, as the digital natives enter the adult cohort
and participate in online education, the need for
support will diminish. However, the technological
expertise and competence will never be homoge-
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