If a SPOC is self-paced and online, what the heck do I mean by creating community? We are going to make our own community, of course.
To begin, SPOCs will have varying levels of community built into the learning experience. Some of these communities will be quite robust and others will be nonexistent.
For example, in this course, you can gain a little bit of community by posting comments in response to the lessons and by reading and responding to other people's comments.
If your course has a robust community, take advantage. You'll get as much out of it as you put into it. Generally speaking, students who are more connected to a sense of community are more likely to persist in any learning experience.
If your course has a moderate amount of community, such as in this course, do what you can. Making a habit of posting a comment at the end of each lesson will help you to stay engaged.
If your course has no community whatsoever, consider making your own. Post about the course on social media. Find one or two other people who've taken it that you can stay connected with there. Even if you can't find other folks who are taking or have taken the course, you can still create community by posting about the course concepts that resonate with you. There's always someone on social who's game for a conversation.
✏️ Reflection Questions:
Have you ever been a part of a successful online community?
What factors helped you feel that you belonged to that community?
What has been your experience of the community in this SPOC on Substack?
Comment to share.