INTRODUCTION

According to Anderson (2004), in order for learning to be effective, it needs to be:

1. learner centered,
2. knowledge centered,
3. assessment centered, and
4. community centered.

In this presentation, we will focus our attention on the fourth lens of community centered learning, and on ways to create learning communities in the online environment that foster and maximize "a shared sense of belonging, trust, expectation of learning, and commitment to participate and to contribute to the community" (p. 39).

Creating and sustaining an effective learning community in the online environment can be particularly challenging due to the fundamental lack of "mutual presence in time and place" and due to potential feelings of anonymity, isolation, and alienation (Anderson, p. 40). Educators thus need to explore ways to overcome these obstacles of time and place, and to minimize feelings of anonymity and alienation, while maximizing a sense of belonging and community.

McIsaac and Gunawardena (1996) view social presence as the most important perception that occurs in an environment and that it is fundamental to person-to-person communication, the building of relationships, and community enjoyment. Social presence is defined as the degree of awareness of another person in an interaction and the consequent appreciation of an interpersonal relationship. The degree of social presence is based on the characteristics of the medium and the user's perception.

This learning object will introduce a variety of resources that institutions, educators, administrators, and students can use to create, maintain, and enhance an online learning community.