Monday, March 18
1:30 PM-5:00 PM
PDT
Wilshire A

W1: The Virtual Village: Six Ways to Create a Supportive Learning Community Where Students Communicate, Collaborate, and Co-create

Workshop ID: 54238
  1. aaa
    Kellie Alston
    North Carolina Central University Human Sciences Department Early Childhood Education

Abstract: Virtual classrooms are places where thousands of students convene to complete coursework that enhances learning and develops their skill sets in preparation for careers in teaching. When the virtual environment feels more like an incubator where learning is isolated and text-driven, students may feel disconnected from their instructor and their peers. However, when the virtual environment projects an authentic atmosphere where learning is not just academic but social, students experience the satisfaction that comes from peer-to-peer support and a strong educator presence in a student-centered environment. Rather than a hindrance or mere convenience, technology becomes the conduit for the creation of a safe place that makes distance learning not so distant after all. In this workshop, online teacher educators will learn six practical strategies that cultivate a virtual village where members freely communicate, collaborate, and co-create and educators develop a strong cognitive, social, and pedagogical presence. Consequently, education majors participate in a process that prepares them for active membership in professional learning communities once they enter the field.

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