In today’s educational landscape, building meaningful connections in online classrooms has become both a necessity and a challenge. Morgan Roth, an anatomy and physiology instructor at Long Beach City College, shares valuable insights from her experience in creating a vibrant and supportive online community for her students. Her approach highlights how intentional strategies can transform virtual learning from isolating to engaging, collaborative, and even fun.
Setting the Stage: Welcoming and Inclusive First Impressions
Morgan emphasizes that the initial impression counts tremendously in fostering connection. A welcoming homepage and a clearly organized syllabus set the tone for inclusivity and open communication. She suggests starting with a personal introduction that goes beyond professional credentials, sharing aspects of one’s life to present a relatable, approachable persona. For instance, Morgan shares stories about growing up in Guam, her family, and her interests—humanizing the instructor role and encouraging students to connect on a personal level. This approach breaks down the “grading robot” barrier and opens communication lines throughout the semester.
Building Support Through Cohorts: Virtual Tables
One of Morgan’s cornerstone strategies is the creation of small, consistent groups, termed “virtual tables,” designed to replicate face-to-face classroom dynamics where students naturally sit and work in clusters. She learned to avoid the term “study groups” since it sometimes caused confusion and instead embraced vocabulary that evokes a sense of belonging and ongoing collaboration, such as “cohorts” or “project groups.”
These groups provide students with peer support from the beginning of the course—essential in an online setting where feelings of isolation often prevail. Importantly, Morgan builds flexibility into these groups by allowing students to change groups if interpersonal issues arise, fostering a sense of autonomy and comfort.
Enhancing Interaction: Breakout Rooms and Consistent Group Work
Zoom breakout rooms can be intimidating and awkward if filled with unfamiliar faces. Morgan overcame this by linking breakout rooms directly to the pre-assigned virtual tables. Instead of random assignments, students select their group’s breakout room, resulting in immediate comfort and fluid collaboration. This practice revives natural social dynamics and encourages students to engage productively.
Reinforcing Community with Interactive Forums
Morgan also leverages course forums as spaces for shared learning and resource exchange.
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Q&A Forums: Beyond instructor responses, students are encouraged to answer peer questions, fostering a sense of collective responsibility and community expertise. To avoid overwhelming scrolling through lengthy posts, Morgan refreshes the forum periodically (e.g., after each unit or exam).
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Resource Sharing Forums: Students share helpful links, games, and quizzes with each other, further building the culture of mutual support.
These forums emphasize that educational success doesn’t rest solely on the instructor but on a collective effort by all participants.
Collaborative Projects: Learning Together, Growing Together
Morgan’s collaborative projects take place within the established virtual tables, providing structure and continuity in group work. Although coordinating these projects requires considerable effort from instructors—ensuring students have access to necessary tools and resources—it pays dividends by enhancing student engagement and motivation.
Tips from Morgan include:
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Providing access to technology like Chromebooks or free services such as Zoom.
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Leaving breakout rooms open after synchronous sessions, giving students additional time to collaborate.
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Requiring a “contributions page” to document individual input, ensuring fair assessment and accountability within groups.
Injecting Fun and Healthy Competition
Adding elements of play and competition can significantly boost motivation. Morgan incorporates game-based learning tools such as Kahoot quizzes and interactive PowerPoint activities to review course material. These light-hearted contests break the monotony of study and foster camaraderie, making learning enjoyable and memorable.
Valuing Casual Interaction: The Social Glue of Learning
Morgan cautions against neglecting informal conversations that naturally occur in physical classrooms. She integrates optional “just for fun” discussion posts within course modules to spark casual dialogue among students. These relaxed interactions build rapport, trust, and connections that translate into a more cohesive learning community and enhance project collaboration.
The takeaway? Making space for fun and informal exchange is not a distraction but a vital component supporting academic success.
Final Words: Making Fun to Have Fun
The essence of Morgan’s approach is simple yet profound—the importance of approaching online education as a human-to-human interaction. By fostering openness, connection, flexibility, and enjoyment, instructors can break down the barriers and loneliness often experienced in virtual settings.
Her final note to instructors and students alike: “You’ve got to make fun to have fun!” When enjoyment and connection are woven into online learning, students are more engaged, willing to communicate, and ultimately, more successful.
In summary, crafting thriving online communities involves:
- Warm, inclusive starts with personal introductions.
- Creating small, flexible cohorts for consistent peer support.
- Aligning breakout group work with established teams.
- Encouraging peer interactions in Q&A and resource-sharing forums.
- Facilitating collaborative projects with clear roles and access to resources.
- Incorporating games and light competition.
- Valuing casual social interaction alongside formal learning.
Morgan Roth’s experiences provide a roadmap that instructors across disciplines can adapt to transform their online classrooms into vibrant, connected, and supportive communities.
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