Creating a Community Inside and Outside of a Course

So now that we have that idea out of the way, we’ve gotta look at the barrier that is between the virtual (or digital) world and off-screen life, as well as crossing the peer-acquaintance barrier. We're going to dive a little bit into what I mean about these barriers, how you can overcome these barriers, and what strategies you can use.

The virtual barrier

Here's an interesting concept to think about.

Think of our world existing in several different ways. What I mean by this is we have a physical world,  a spiritual world, and we also have a digital world. Between each world is a barrier. These barriers often offer protection, but they also connect one world to another.

So when I say barrier, I mean that there's a physical barrier that prevents interaction between two worlds … or it meters that connection at least. The funny thing is, we all have access to this digital world thanks to our barriers. Phones, computers, and any type of technological devices are a connection to the digital world.

Our own metaverse [Metacognition blog part 1 & part 2] has now become more accessible on a regular and consistent basis. However, this doesn't remove the barrier, it just brings the barrier closer to us.

If the majority of people cross this barrier all the time, why is it so hard for students to cross that barrier in order to interact with one another?

There are a few thoughts on this when we look into social theories. One idea is that it is hard to connect to someone that you can't see. However virtual communities have existed for years. People who aren't used to that type of lifestyle are going to be a little hesitant. People are afraid of newness, and they are afraid of rejection.

The panopticon effect

This is an extremely fancy word that means you're always being watched. The theory of the panopticon was a theory by Jeremy Bentham that was later put into effect in several prisons.  What set these kinds of prisons apart was the fact that every prisoner could be seen from any angle and every angle in their cell at all times, but they could never see into the guard house. This type of mental control decreased behavioral issues but also could have led to additional psychological damage.

So why does this apply to this situation? Well, that's simple!

During video calls, we share our spaces with people on a regular basis and sometimes without a break.  That’s going to really make you feel watched!

There is a sacredness to our spaces.  They are part of who we are, and they show our lives in stark contrast to whatever is going on in the class. For many people, this can be extremely embarrassing. 

Now I'm sure you're thinking they don't need to be embarrassed, life is crazy, and it's all gonna be OK. Well, that's not the case for some people.  They don't feel that way and they don't want to share that part of their life. 

Some strategies

We need to keep in mind that a lot of this feeling is caused by an already existing digital world blooming when we had the pandemic. People everywhere now have to share their homes all the time. These types of things invade barriers that we have had for years. So yeah, some people are going to be pretty uncomfortable.

That doesn't mean that we don't have them contribute and that we don't find ways to interact with them on a regular basis. Just because we can't see somebody’s face, doesn't mean they aren't there. One of the best ways to cross the divide to break the barrier between the digital world and the physical world is by housing events! 

One thing many companies do to help their employees create connections across borders is they will have several different events throughout the year that the employees are actually paid to attend.  These types of events give employees a space to take a break, maybe play some games, and just get to know one another.  

You can do the exact same thing as a part of the class. Plan social days that allow people to get to know one another. Maybe have a few icebreakers ready just in case, and maybe prepare a few games (take a look at Jackbox).  This is a great way to help your students connect to one another inside the classroom.

To help your students connect outside of the classroom and course space, you can create connection spaces or posts on social media.  Another way is to set up coordinated meetups.  These can be via the virtual world or the real world.  If people live close to one another, who knows? They might want to meet one another!  You could even host a virtual cocktail hour with trivia and have an absolute blast.  

A final strategy I'll leave you with is to be flexible. You'll have people that are comfortable crossing barriers and you will have people that are not comfortable crossing barriers. To best serve your ghost students, make sure that you are commenting in chats, mentioning them during the class, and also helping students engage with their fellow peers that are not as communicative. The goal is to create an engaging, supportive, and caring community that fosters a positive learning experience.