Yoder, M. (2003). Seven steps to successful online learning communities. Learning and Leading with Technology, 30 (6), 14–21.

Yoder (2003) in her article suggested seven steps toward creating successful online

learning communities. They are listed as the following:
1 Begin with Curriculum
2 Spend Time Planning
3 Encourage a Positive Social Climate
4 Understand the Unique Nature of Online Communication
5 Encourage Good Reading and Writing Skills
6 Deal with Inappropriate Behavior and Attitudes.
7 Use Effective Facilitation Skills.

The seven strategies help facilitators setting up high level online communication. These

seven strategies assist teachers’and learners’ smooth transition from a traditional f2f

learning to an online learning community.


Riel and Polin (2004) proposed three major types of online learning community, the task-

based learning community, the practice-based learning community and the knowledge-based

learning community. Because learning communities are diverse in its culture and goals,

besides the seven generalized strategies, online facilitators may need to consider

further. For instance, the role of an instructor of a task-based learning community may be

slightly different from the role of a practice-based learning community.



The seven strategies provide a foundation of building up a successful online learning

community in a generalized approach. Therefore in addition to them, online instructors may

need to look at the facilitation strategies to the learning community based on its

characteristics.