Creating a Sense of Community: Can Online Universities Compete with Brick-and-Mortar Institutes?

We’ve heard it said about real estate – location, location, location.

The same may hold true for universities – location, location, location.

At Ideen, we’ve been working to support the online arm of a major state university.  The online campus has celebrated its five-year anniversary and is growing at an excellent rate.  When we discuss the future of the university, one question comes up over and over – "how do we create a sense of community among students, faculty, and alumni?"

In her blog post, Diana Walker Griffith discusses the power of memories created in Happy Valley -- home to the Pennsylvania State University -- and how the places and people become your “second family.” Brick-and-mortar universities can create a sense of community within an iconic setting that has strong ties to tradition and history. 

Brick-and-mortar universities have statues where graduates have their picture taken in cap-and-gown.  

 Brick-and-mortar universities may have columns that come to represent the highest values of the university.

A physical location helps build a sense of community among university stakeholders and provides a place for these stakeholders to gather long after the tuition is paid or the last exam is completed.

Online programs  -- whether independent from or as a part of a larger university system – are carving out their virtual "place."  First there is the classroom, where students engage with each other multiple times a week, if not daily.  Online universities also use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as inbound channels where students and alumni share ideas, advice, and career connections. 

But is it enough?  Can online universities hope to create that same sense of community among its stakeholders? 

We’ll be looking at this topic from number of angles over the next several weeks and will share best practices that some universities currently are using.  Stay tuned!