Our community for this course is unique in that it is decentralized from any one campus. We are able to maintain order through digital connection, so far mostly through Zoom calls, email, hypothes.is, and Slack. We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays for an hour and fifteen minutes and discuss progress on readings and our projects. This is the structure or framework within which it is possible to have a community.
In terms of feeling a sense of “community” within the group, group dynamics are important to consider. I still feel like I don’t really know the students from other campuses. I know their names but have not connected with them on a personal level. This would be true for “in-person” classmates in a large lecture class. As an English major, though, I’m used to discussion-based classes in which I get a strong sense of the personalities of classmates.
On the other hand, Maureen and I are close friends. We were roommates last semester. I feel a strong connection with her, and part of my motivation for the class comes from wanting to build a strong project with her. This is maybe what brings the strongest sense of community to the course for me.
I’m glad Dr. Schleef is physically present at UMW. Otherwise I think it would be easy to feel detached from the course. There’s a sense of accountability from having a UMW professor teaching the course, a knowledge that my performance and input will be remembered past the end of the semester. These are my reflections on our community so far.
-Sarah