Under Construction: Scaffolding the Expansion of Online Learning Communities Through Computer-Mediated Communication.

The article discusses online learning communities. Distance learning has been a trend in universities, which allows it to be competitive in the global education marketplace. It has been an alternative to on-campus options. Faculty instead, deliver information to remote learners and move towards constructing a community among learners. Constructivism has emerged as the chosen epistemological approach on creating online learning communities, wherein it puts more emphasis on learning over teaching. A study was conducted by a team of faculty members at a university in Southern California to determine the development of an effective online learning community among students in the master's of science in instructional design and technology program.