The virtual classroom is one without physical walls. Instead, it is housed in a cyber environment where students gain entry via mouse clicks and key strokes. Student participation is often a matter of individual decision, occurring when the choice is made to log in to the course. In the asynchronous online course students are separated by geographic location and multiple time zones. The possibility exists for students to feel isolated and disconnected from their peers and instructor. This does not have to be the case, however. It is possible to establish an online community of learners where students can develop a sense of shared experience, establish relationships, and construct meaning.

Building a Sense of Community Online
A community is a type of social organization involving a group of people. Communities may be defined by features such as geography, common traits, social ties, or common goals. In the virtual classroom a group of learners is formed by virtue of enrollment in a course. This does not necessarily equate to a community. The community typically develops as students participate in the course and interact with each other. Evidence for the formation of community may include active participation, shared identity, and the establishment of a social network (Wang, Sierra, & Folger, 2003).

The online instructor can help initiate the formation of community by requesting that students post a personal introduction at the beginning of the course. Some course management systems provide a mechanism for developing student home pages. The home page may include a digital photo, professional and personal background information, and links to favorite sites. When students read each other's home pages they begin to get to know each other as people.

Online discussions are another place where community my build and strengthen. In the online discussion students post messages onto a message board, read other messages, and respond to each other's posts. Students who participate in the online discussions work collaboratively to negotiate and construct meaning. The instructor's role in the class discussions tends to be that of a facilitator (Dorit, 2003). The instructor will post discussion questions, specify expectations for participation, monitor posts, and respond to student questions.

Some aspects of communication are lost in an online discussion. Body language, voice inflections, and facial expressions are missing. Despite this there are some benefits to online discussions. One of the advantages of an online discussion is that students have time to reflect and post a considered response (Browne, 2003). In a face to face classroom students may not have the opportunity to fully consider all aspects of a discussion prior to submitting a contribution. Another advantage of an online discussion is the possibility of corresponding with others from around the globe about the topic under consideration. This can open interesting dimensions to the conversation.

Dealing With Difficult Students
In any group of people there are times when difficulties may arise. A student may become confused and simply need clarification of expectations. When this happens the solution is to simply post a response to alleviate the confusion. Occasionally, a student may strike out against another student or the instructor by flaming them on the discussion board. In this situation there are several steps that may be taken (Palloff & Pratt, 2001). First, it is a good idea to post information about expected behavior, or netiquette, in the online discussions. This could be presented in the form of a code of conduct for the class or institution hosting the course. If a violation occurs the instructor may contact the student privately to discuss the problem and attempt to resolve the situation. Contact may be by email or phone, but should include specific references to the incident of concern. If the situation continues or the student fails to respond to instructor recommendations then it may be necessary to block access to the discussion board until the situation can be rectified. Under extreme situations it may be necessary to remove a student from class altogether. Most likely this type of situation will never be necessary since most students respond well to instructor emails and phone calls.

Tips for Community Building
There are a few tips for the online instructor who wishes to encourage positive community development. These are summarized as follows:

• Send an introductory email to students before the course begins. Tell them something about yourself and welcome them to the class.
• During the first week of class ask students to post an introduction. Suggest that they include professional and personal information if they wish.
• If possible provide students with a place to post a home page with their photo, short biographical information, and favorite links sites on the Internet.
• Set up a discussion forum that is separate from the main discussion area where students may ask questions or post comments. Encourage students to help each other by answering questions other students post within that forum. This can serve as a place for students to alleviate concerns about class expectations and clarify questions about matters unrelated to the main topic of discussion. When students help each other it can build relationships in the online classroom.
• Post a rubric or guidelines for the online discussions and participation. A requirement can be added that students provide substantive feedback to peers. This will help to ensure that they read each other's posts and respond to each other.
• Allow students to discuss a topic without excessive interference. If the discussion is going well allow it to continue. Post when necessary to clear up any questions that arise. Summarize the discussion at the end of the week after everyone has had a chance to post responses to the question and to each other.
• Address mutiny threads immediately. A mutiny thread is one where a student posts a complaint about the course followed by a question to the class asking if anyone else feels the way they do. If other students respond it can take the online discussion down a negative path. It is best to address the concern immediately and request that any additional comments be handled by private email correspondence.
• Enjoy the experience. Online discussions among members of a classroom community can be rewarding and enjoyable.

References

Browne, E. (2003). Conversations in cyberspace: A study of online learning. Open Learning, 18(3), 245-259.

Palloff, R.M & Pratt, K. (2001). Lessons from the cyberspace classroom: The realities of online teaching . San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.

Dorit, M. (2003). The teacher's role in developing interaction and reflection in an online learning community. Education Media International, 40(1/2), 128-137.

Wang, M., Sierra, C., Folger, T. (2003). Building a dynamic online community among adult learners. Education Media International, 40(1/2), 49-61.