Chapter 3: Online Learning Communities With Online Mentors: A Conceptual Framework

Online programs are growing dramatically in higher education in the United States. There were 2.3 million online students in the fall of 2004 (Allen & Seaman, 2005). The Department of Distance Learning (DDL) at a large southeastern state university established online degree programs in 1995 to enable students holding associate of arts degrees to pursue bachelor degrees. The DDL developed the online learning communities with online mentors (OLCOM) model to facilitate teaching and learning. The OLCOM team expands beyond students and faculty members to include online mentors, a mentor support team, and academic coordinators (Figure 3.1). Mentors, trained and supported by the mentor-support team, assist students and faculty members for effective online instruction. Academic coordinators facilitate students through proper online administrative procedures, unfamiliar to most students.