Fostering Interaction and Building Community in the Technosocial Classroom

Anthing that relies on some element of social media or technology for interaction

Institutions 9.7 only now consider online non-essential

7.1 million students taking online courses in 2013

Stereotype that Online is disconnected
So look at Community and Interactivity

Students How are they using Technology

Students have more information available and their "landscape" is changing (twitter, chrome, facebook)

What's the value in online community
Greater odds that learning objectives will be achieved if there is "community" online, connection to students and to teacher--foster interaction

See class as a living thing

Clarity of Design, Balnaced Collaboration Integration of Social Media

Scaffolding static engagment=passive
High dynamic + Collabourative better

Students want sense of inclusion emotional connection Among Students

Individual projects vs Group Assignments of Varying "weight"

Culture of Reflection paper by Karen Swan

Service-based (more like commercial based) networks

Pro-students usually already know how to use them

con-not customizable

Have a Facbook or Twitter private page

Use a class hashtag (specific enough but doesn't overlap with others already out there)

Google hangout

Instructor built networks (wordpress, Google Apps)

Pro highly customizable

Con relies on student familarity of technology

ie use for student portfolios
Free if google user

Google sites

Limited and templated but pretty deep for supplemental site

Box (highly recommended) for document sharing/editing/group projects
Google Drive, Dropbox


Student Interaction