Peer-to-peer connection is associated with positive outcomes in higher education, but it can be difficult to achieve for remote learners. This challenge is pronounced at Calbright College, an online community college in California that offers self-paced and competency-based certificate programs geared toward working adult learners. Working alongside collaborators at UC Irvine, we partnered with Calbright to develop ways to foster a sense of belonging and togetherness among students in an online setting.

Our approach

Building on evidence suggesting high-quality interpersonal interaction improves academic outcomes in online learning, we worked collaboratively to develop a model of online learning communities to help small groups of students stay connected with other over time as they worked through their program.

Key elements of the model include:

• Groups of 8 to 16 students who start their program the same week that participate in group study sessions and other activities together over 6 weeks.

• A series of workshops focused on practical topics like time management, using LinkedIn, and resume reviews.

• Access to dedicated Slack channels and resource hubs curated by student ambassadors and support staff.

The results

We are actively piloting this approach and look forward to sharing results and learnings soon.

What students say…