An Analytical Review of the Literature on Online Learning Communities

By Stacey AlexanderEducation 6610, Memorial University

For Dr. Elizabeth MurphyFriday, December 3rd, 2010

Introduction

“development of a sense of community among individuals in [computer supported collaborative learning] environments improves learning objectives in such environments”1

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

Included ExcludedPeer-reviewed journals Non-peer-reviewed journals

Educational technology journals

Journals unrelated to educational technology

Studies from 2004–2010 Studies older than 2004

Studies about social work

Studies about community colleges

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

Country StudyAustralia 1, 7Canada 2, 4, 5, 8, 12Denmark 11Finland 10Ireland 11Israel 14Taiwan 14Turkey 2UK 14USA 3, 6, 13

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

Purpose of Studies

Purpose of Study Applicable StudiesExamine learners’ community 1, 4, 5, 13

Follow a community of learners over a long period of time

4, 10, 12

Explore professional development in communities

3, 7, 12

Study communities of practice 2, 9, 11, 14

Look at online communities 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, 15

Examine delivery models in communities

6, 8, 11, 13

Participants

Participants StudyUndergraduate university students

15

Graduate university students 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15

Postgraduate university students

1, 3, 6, 10

Working teachers/online community members

3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13

Working non-teachers/online community members

9

Data Collection

Data Collection StudiesSurvey/questionnaire 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14Evaluation 13Online forum/message transcripts 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 15Interview 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14Field notes 3Reflective journal 6Documentation 9Focus group 4Direct observation 6Meetings 9

Data Analysis

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings

Role of Instructors

Sense of Community

Success Factors

Professional Practice

Unexpected Findings

Conclusion

Implications

Works CitedAbedin, B., Daneshgar, F., & D’Ambra, J. (2010). Underlying factors of sense of

community in asynchronous computer supported collaborative learning environments. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(3), 585–596. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no3/abedin_0910.pdf.

Akyol, Z., Garrison, D., & Ozden, M. (2009). Online and blended communities of inquiry: Exploring the developmental and perceptional differences. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(6), pp. 65–83. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/765/1463.

Carboni, L., & Riggsbee, J. (2007). “We needed support and it was out there:” Building an online learning community with cooperating teachers. Electronic Journal for the Integration of Technology in Education (EJITE), 6, 109–122. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume6/Carboni.pdf.

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Works CitedConrad, D. (2005). Building and maintaining community in cohort-based

online learning. Journal of Distance Education, 20(1), 1–20. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/78/59.

Conrad, D. (2008). From community to community of practice: Exploring the connection of online learners to informal learning in the workplace. American Journal of Distance Education, 22(1), 3–23. Retrieved September 19, 2010, from doi: 10.1080/08923640701713414.

Correia, A., & Davis, N. (2008). Intersecting communities of practice in distance education: The program team and the online course community. Distance Education, 29(3), 289–306. Retrieved September 18, 2010, from doi: 10.1080/01587910802395813.

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Works CitedDuncan-Howell, J. (2010). Teachers making connections: Online

communities as a source of professional learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(2), 324–340. Retrieved September 18, 2010, from doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00953.x.

Guilar, J., & Loring, A. (2008). Dialogue and community in online learning: Lessons from Royal Roads University. Journal of Distance Education, 22(3), 19–40. Retrieved September 19, 2010, from http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/52/714.

Kok, A (2010). Demystifying virtual communities of practice: A case study of IBM. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, 11(3), 119–128. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde39/pdf/article_5.pdf.

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Works CitedMylläri, J., Åhlberg, M., & Dillon, P. (2010). The dynamics of an online

knowledge building community: A 5-year longitudinal study. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(3), 365–387. Retrieved September 29, 2010, from doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00972.x.

Ó Murchú, D., & Sorensen, E. (2004). Online master communities of practice: Collaborative learning in an intercultural perspective. European Journal of Open, Distance, and E-Learning, Vol. 2004/I. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2004/Identifying_COPs.html.

Riverin, S., & Stacey, E. (2008). Sustaining an online community of practice: A case study. Journal of Distance Education, 22(2), 43–58. Retrieved September 19, 2010, from http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/3/533.

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Rovai, A., & Jordan, H. (2004). Blended learning and sense of community: A comparative analysis with traditional and fully online graduate courses. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 5(2). Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/192/795.

Shacham, M., & Od-Cohen, Y. (2009). Rethinking PhD learning incorporating communities of practice. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 46(3), 279–292. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from doi: 10.1080/14703290903069019.

Yeh, Y. (2010). Analyzing online behaviors, roles, and learning communities via online discussions. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 13(1), 140–151. Retrieved October 23, 2010, from http://www.ifets.info/journals/13_1/14.pdf.

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