• Make them think about the issues, and then have them tell the class what the main points are in the readings.
   
• Make them discuss the material and support their own opinions, not just respond with "yup, I agree."
   
• Make them agree or disagree with you, the readings, or each other and support their positions.
   
• Add competing theories or a controversial topic to stir interest.
   
• Make them show references that support their positions.
   
• Have them make their thinking visible by explaining it in writing and to others in the class.
   
• Make them come up with the questions to be discussed.
   
• Ask them questions, rather than giving them answers.
   
• Have them do an offline observation and report back to the class or to you.
   
• Have them critique a procedure they observe offline and report back.
   
• Have them give other students feedback on course work.
   
• Have them collaboratively develop something or explore an issue.
   
• Have students work in groups, ask/answer each other’s questions, evaluate each other’s work.

Class Community and Collaboration
Our (SLN) research supports the definition of learning as a social process. Online courses that are designed to promote a sense of class community, where there are ample opportunities for interaction and the social construction of knowledge, result in online teaching and learning communities of satisfied students and faculty.

• Provide students ample opportunities for interaction with the instructor and with others in the course.
   
• Provide students with opportunities to engage and interact with the content actively-directed learning activities.
   
• Create/use activities that build a sense of class community: e.g. personal profiles, introductions, areas in the course for non-course related interaction, areas in the course that support access to and interaction with the instructor and others in the course.
   
• Build/design activities that create a sense of connectedness between the course participants and with you, that build social/group spirit, and that foster a sense of trust.
   
• Create a learning environment that is engaging with supportive contact and interaction and that permits the sharing of and reflection on educational expectations and experiences.

1. How big are the small groups? More than two or three people may not be as effective depending on the nature of the activity.
    
2. Are the students prepped to work in small groups? You may want to model the activity at the beginning of the course so students see what it is like in a non-threatening activity.
    
3. I recommend assigning groups. Ask students questions to see if the groups would be better organized by common interest. Also, don’t assign groups as the students enter the course, otherwise you will have all the early bird overachievers in the first group.
    
4. Is your online group activity well explained in terms of instructions, expectations, etc.? An ambiguity is amplified in an online course. Model the activity and the skills necessary with "warm-up" activities to get team members to know each other, or to practice the skills necessary that will be required in the team/group activity.
    
5. Is the objective of the group activity clear? Are there discreet milestones to achieve with clear roles identified for each member of the team? Are there documented timeframes associated with the activity? Is there a required outcome or output for the group/activity? Are the evaluation criteria for that detailed? How will the activity be evaluated? How will the work of individual team members be evaluated? What constitutes successful completion of the activity? If one student obviously does all the work for the group, then it was not a well-designed activity. Are there directions and locations built into the course to organize, contain, and display the group’s work and final output? How will the activity wrap-up?
    
6. Do you assume things you shouldn’t? You can’t just put a bunch of people together tell them to work in a group and then hope it will succeed. Groups need to be designed to succeed. Do the students have the cooperative skills to do the activity? Can they handle the complex tasks required? They need practice leading up to complex group work... Can they coordinate their work with the others in the group? Do they know each other? The instructor must design the activity, manage the activity, and monitor it for each individual to teach them how to successfully interact in a team/group
   activity.

Learning is social in nature and online learning environments can be designed to reflect and leverage the social nature of learning. Community can play a critical role in building and sustaining productive online learning and satisfying online teaching and learning experiences.