Using Online Reflection and Conversation to Build Community
Thomas A. Lucey
Illinois State University
Gary S. O'Malley
Cedar Rapids Community School District (IA)
Anchalee Jansem
Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
Abstract
The authors examined online responses of a cohort of teachers, most of whom were taking their first graduate course. The teachers (students) posted their ideas within six blogs. Of 26 students, 11 (42.31%) consented to the analysis of their reflections. Basing their interpretation on stages of online community developed by Waltonen-Moore, Stuart, Newton, Oswald, and Varonis (2006), the authors describe the progress of one group through the stages, discuss three themes that related to a sense of classroom community, and offer suggestions for using online conversation to build classroom community.
About the Author(s)...
Thomas A. Lucey is an Assistant Professor in Curriculum and Instruction at Illinois State University. Dr. Lucey’s professional research interests include financial education, social justice, and related curriculum and instruction topics. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Gary S. O'Malley is the Associate Superintendent for the Cedar Rapids Community School District, a PK-12 district of 17,000 students in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dr. O’Malley has written about professional learning communities, collegiality and civility, writing instruction, professional development, induction and shared governance. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dr. Anchalee Jansem earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in ESL from Illinois State University. She is a lecturer at Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand.
