Meet me at the Water Cooler

Abstract

This paper looks at strategies and the technology used by current on line instructors to create a sense of community in their classes and technological advances that will be present in future class practices. This paper is an investigation of community building among the students and between students and their instructors in online courses. This paper will examine the teacher’s role in interactive on line learning, asynchronous discussion boards and the wave of the future including numerous synchronous options. According to Etienne Wenger a community of practice is made up of individuals who “In pursuing their interest in their domain engage in joint activities. Having the same job or the same title does not make for a community of practice unless members interact and learn together.” “The students in American high schools may have much in common, but unless they interact, they do not form a community of practice.” Wenger (2001)