A Proposed Framework for the Growth of Online Learning Communities

Abstract

The abrupt shift to full online learning due to COVID-19, displaced students and teachers, created multiple barriers in teaching and learning, and caused some instructors not being able to build and maintain an online learning community. This situation resulted in students' detachment from their instructor and peers causing lack of motivation and increase of failure chances. First the paper explores the challenges and opportunities of building and online learning community highlighting the needs, and reviewes some past frameworks in the field. Second, a framework proposed identifies four factors that help the growth of online learning communities. Those factors are; teacher presence, social presence, cognitive presence and students' emotional engagement. Further the framework specifies type of actions and activities that teachers/instructors should be adopting throughout the course. The paper adds to the growing knowledge on Coronavirus effects on the educational sector and highlights the need for the efficeint use of technology in education.