"We use the term community centered to refer to several aspects of community, including the classroom as a community, the school as a community, and the degree to which students, teachers, and administrators feel connected to the larger community of homes, businesses, states, the nation, and even the world." - John Bransford, Ann Brown, and James Pellegrino (eds.), How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School (NAP, 2000).
The Confer community hasn't actually formalized yet, but it's available to anyone struggling with synchronous online instruction or toying with the idea of learning a new skill set that will make online classes more vibrant and effective. Every week, educators post archives of their classes, Webinars, and meetings in which tips and advice are freely shared. You can build a better lesson plan or help stretch your online skills without much exertion: all you have to do is drop in with a point-and-click. Here's a sampling of some of the amazing things I've seen from the Confer community in the past month:
Creating a Faculty-Driven Course Design Document with Joan Van Tassel
Creative Commons: Opening the Door to Sharing with Jane Park
Digital Citizenship: 21st Century Skills for a Media-Saturated World with Rebecca Randall
Encouraging Instructors to Explore Technology- Pitfalls and Opportunities with Rushton Hurley
Lessons Learned Moving an Introduction to Technology Course Online with Stephen Whiting
Online Course Accommodations for Students with Disabilities with Matt Gehrett
Open Textbooks and Learner Accessibility: Standards, Design, and Formats with Alice Krueger and Una Daly
Supporting your students in the online environment-How and Why with Peggy Hohensee, Michelle Lis, and Gina Quesinberry
