Social and Academic Integration in the Virtual Classroom: Techniques to Foster Community, Belonging, and Retention

Abstract

In this article, we, as 3 faculty members in the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program at the Community College of Baltimore County, reflect on our experiences of transforming online and remote classrooms into a community during the pandemic and examine the literature that underscores how classroom community and belonging contribute to student success. We share research on 3 engaging learning activities that have successfully built this community among students in our own virtual classrooms: hall of fame, discussion boards, and jigsaw readings. Although what we share is rooted in our experiences as English for speakers of other languages faculty in the context of a large community college, we have chosen activities that can be applied in various contexts to foster community.