In March it will be the five-year anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown. It was a terrifying and chaotic time, but also a significant period of innovation and creativity as we lived our lives in what was often referred to as the new normal. Much of Higher Education teaching and learning moved online. For many who had already worked in online learning this was actually a fairly natural home. But for others whose only experience of education was through an in-person setting this presented significant challenges.

The world has moved on since Covid but many of the challenges related to building online student communities remain, often exacerbated by increasingly hybrid set ups. In the following post I’d like to revisit some of the practical strategies for creating inclusive and engaging online communities in academic settings. Many of the successful approaches are not complex, they just require a reiteration of the importance of supporting student engagement, providing clear communication, and ensuring consistent practices.

Support student engagement

Back in April 2020 David White, Dean of Academic Strategy (Online) at the University of the Arts London, wrote an article on the need for Presence not ‘Contact Hours’. David explained that online teaching prompts more questions about student engagement than face-to-face settings. Embodiment (being physically present) is often mistaken for engagement in traditional classrooms, whereas online environments challenge this assumption and encourage more thoughtful assessment of participation and interaction. He concludes that students really value meaningful interactions with staff, such as prompt responses, active discussions, and tailored feedback, over merely being in the same room.

Academics supporting students in an online space need to think differently about enabling engagement. To take one concrete example: discussion forums are a key tool in online communities, but they need to be implemented well through thoughtful facilitation and clear expectations.

Enable ownership – Avoid dominating conversations and guide your students through open-ended questions that promote critical thinking and encourage your students to take shared responsibility for advancing discussions.
Encourage peer feedback – Create opportunities for students to provide constructive feedback to each other. You might want to work with your student leaders or class reps to encourage them to set the tone. Also try to recognise good contributions from students when possible.
Set expectations – Be specific about how you’d like your students to engage. This might mean giving details on the required number of posts, the nature of responses, and whether the tone should be formal or informal. Establish a respectful and inclusive environment by outlining netiquette guidelines upfront to make all participants feel welcome and valued.
Participate in the discussion – Students want to see you participate in the conversation and will appreciate your timely responses to questions. Make sure you model behaviour – if you are asking for an introduction share your own first. Let students see you as a multidimensional person. However, it is also important to set boundaries to maintain a healthy balance, so be clear with students on this. e.g. “I will review discussion forums on a Tuesday morning”.

Real engagement is achieved when you make a connection. Think about your use of language – make sure it is inclusive and welcoming. Use people’s names, both students and your own team members. Build a community by being a community.

Provide clear communication

We all know how easy it is to misinterpret information when relying solely on written content that is void of verbal cues and body language. Online communities rely on significant scaffolding and clear communication. Students will benefit from being advised of what communication tools are being used on a course, when they are being and how they are being used. This could be through a calendar of communication activities that outlines where information will appear (on message boards, by email, on Teams, in a video etc.) Some institutions have set up a contract with their students to outline mutual expectations between them and the instructor. See this example contract from Nottingham Trent university, with an excerpt below:

From you I expect engagement with all the material prior to your timetabled sessions. This work should take around an hour, depending on much effort you choose to put in. I then expect you to attend every session and to contribute to the session. Please do ensure you read around the subject.

In a contract you might wish to state the following:

Minimum number of times each day or week students need to log in to the course
Minimum number of posts or entries required for each interactive tool
Frequency with which students must check email or course messages
Minimum number of hours per week students are expected to spend completing course activities and communicating with their classmates

As an academic you also need to set expectations for your availability and responsiveness to students by communicating the frequency you will be available to answer student questions and your method for holding online office hours.

On the Education and Leadership Course Paul Redford provides a video introduction for each week outlining expectations for the week. Videos are a great way to get a message across and can work much better than written content.

Ensure consistent practices

As humans we respond well to knowing what to expect in situations. Take for example an interview. People prefer to know the format, dress code and expectations, and it is becoming increasingly common to share the questions in advance. Students in online settings also often prefer there to be no surprises. Examples of this include:

Scaffolding content to help students engage meaningfully with the material before they read/watch/listen to it, and make resources available well in advance of the session to assist students in managing their workload.
Creating programme traditions where thing happen at the same time or place repeatedly. For example at the end of every week there is an opportunity to feedback (using an online form) on ‘the most difficult point’ from the week. Or add in reflection time after every activity.
Ensuring that module pages are clearly laid out in a consistent manner with content in the same place across a programme.

You will also want to ensure that asynchronous teaching resources are well-designed (e.g., chunked content, opportunities for concept checks, opportunities to ask questions, have varied activities such watching a video, exploring key terms, and reading brief materials). Consistency doesn’t mean that there should be no time for fun (like online games, or visits from guest speakers) and impromptu activities. It merely means that the cognitive load is reduced for students who are often having to juggle multiple other challenges. When students know what to expect, such as the format of assessments or weekly activities, they can focus on engaging with the material rather than deciphering new systems or formats. This supports inclusive learning, enhances accessibility and helps students feel secure in their learning environment.

Conclusion

Communities are critical to our wellbeing and ability to succeed. Building inclusive and effective online student communities is not just a technical endeavor but a deeply human one. In his 1987 novel The Different Drum M. Scott Peck found that authentic community is about connection and transformation.

The overall purpose of human communication is – or should be – reconciliation. It should ultimately serve to lower or remove the walls of misunderstanding which unduly separate us human beings, one from another. M. Scott Peck, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace

By intentionally designing online spaces that encourage open dialogue, celebrate diversity, and create opportunities for meaningful engagement, we can guide these communities toward deeper relationships and shared purpose. In doing so, we not only support student success but also create a sense of belonging that enriches the entire learning experience.