Promoting a Sense of Social Presence and Belonging Online through Project-Based E-Learning in World Language and Education Courses

As shown in previous studies, collaborative group projects promote a sense of learner community and social presence in the synchronous and asynchronous environment that is essential in fostering motivation and learning (Chism & Faidley, 2021; Kannan et al., 2021; Thomas and Yamazaki, 2021). This forum will discuss a study that investigates the relationship between project-based e-learning and a sense of belonging and social presence, as well as their impact on academic achievement. The modes of small-group interaction (synchronous and asynchronous), the amount of interaction and the duration of the projects are also examined. Opportunities for attendees to share their experiences will be provided through polls, Jamboard, and open discussion.

The participants of the study include university students in three different online courses: an intermediate-level Spanish course with a project-based curriculum; an intermediate-level intensive Portuguese course that integrates project-based learning; and a case study project-based education course on e-learning communities. Data are collected through a questionnaire and interviews which examine the role of online project-based learning from the students’ perspectives. The results could potentially reveal an important relationship between small-group projects, a sense of learner belonging and e-learning, including insights into the modes of communication and duration of these projects for building social presence.

To conclude, pedagogical implications will be discussed as a group for the use of small-group project based e-learning to establish a sense of community and social presence essential in an online classroom. This will include open discussion and Jamboard for written comments.