Developing a virtual self: Mastering the skills of online communication

Thirty graduate students, many of whom currently teach online, were grouped into six teams of five for a blended-learning experience in which they interacted briefly in person and then dispersed to distant locales. Seven weeks were invested in online development of one online product per group. The web-based learning objects were the excuses for interaction; the goal was to learn to be with, speak with, and work with other people despite differences in time and place. A forum (discussion board) was used as the always-available meeting place. Each Community of Practice (CoP) had a dedicated thread in which asynchronous communication flourished. This presentation highlights the process, the products, and the lessons learned therein.