Today’s students are often managing many other responsibilities alongside their academic commitments. Work, family obligations, and personal interests create a complicated balancing act. To accommodate, many choose the flexibility of online and hybrid learning. This approach is crucial to keeping non-traditional students active in higher education, however, it also comes with key challenges.
Read MoreBelonging and staying connected to peers play a crucial role for online and asynchronous students navigating the complexities of pursuing an online education. Unlike brick-and-mortar learning environments, online settings often lack the opportunities to build the supportive network that is naturally created on campus, in the classroom or in additional in-person spaces. Campus learning provides a sense of community and validation, reducing feelings of isolation and increasing the likelihood of academic success.
Read MoreGreater Commonwealth Virtual School (GCVS) is a public virtual school in Massachusetts that offers a synchronous K-12 educational program with a strong emphasis on providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for students across the state. Recognizing the need to foster student connections beyond traditional in-person settings, Dr. Sarah Jordan, Director of Accountability, and student outreach coordinator, Chris Dillon, observed students utilizing collaboration docs to connect and communicate during live classes. While acknowledging the value of shared docs for collaboration, GCVS also understood the importance of monitoring these interactions to ensure a supportive and respectful space. To address this, GCVS introduced InScribe, a school-sanctioned virtual community platform that allows students to connect with peers for advice, emotional support, and most importantly: a genuine sense of belonging.
Read MoreIndiana University offers over 220 online programs, serving a diverse student body of more than 8,000 online students from 164 countries. With a deep history in online education since its first distance course in 1995, the university has experienced impressive growth in its online programs. In response to the escalating demand for fully online education, Whitnie Powell, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Services, Stephanie Tinkel, Associate Director of Enrollment Management, and Kayla Scroggins, Associate Director of Online Student Services at Indiana University Online (IU Online) embarked on a thorough analysis and transformation of its student support model, prioritizing a student-centered approach that nurtures a sense of belonging, peer connection, and an overall enriched educational experience.
Read MoreDigital support communities allow Western Governors University students to connect with peers and faculty to ask questions, find solutions and solve problems while working at their own pace.
Read MoreBy Daryl Love, AVP of Career Services and Professional Development at Kentucky State University
A large part of the educational experience we provide at Kentucky State University (KSU) centers around relationships. Many students come to KSU because they feel a sense of community and belonging. Our goal in partnering with InScribe to create a digital community space was to elevate and accelerate these connections, especially in the absence of face-to-face interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreBy Dr. Beverly Schneller, Vice President for Academic Quality, Research and Innovation, Kentucky State University
At Kentucky State University, we know how critical it is for students to have easy access to key support services across our campus. When COVID-19 made it difficult for students to connect with these teams in person, we created a digital alternative - a virtual student services community built on InScribe.
Read MoreBy Dr. Omid Fotuhi, Director of Learning Innovation at WGU Labs
People have a fundamental need to belong. A sense of belonging, the feeling that one has a secure and valued place within a group, is a core condition that is required for an individual to feel safe, confident, and able to contribute.
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