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participating anD belonging
in a virtual community
skills among the members (McGrath, 2003).
Diversity can be defined in a number of ways. In
most areas it is defined as the quality of being di-
verse or different. These differences may include:
geographical location, physical and, intellectual
ability as well as age, gender, class, ethnicity
and culture, spiritual beliefs and sexuality. In a
virtual environment these issues of diversity are
not a factor in one's active participation in the
community's success. Those who might otherwise
be considered as being “different” are not seen
this way when interacting with others via tech-
nology unless they are willing to announce these
differences. It is however the diverse make-up of
the community that actually enriches the experi-
ences of all members. Participants are resources
to one another and this should be seen as a way
of developing the knowledge of the members so
that the entire community can benefit. All virtual
community members have varied backgrounds and
experiences to share and the ability to educate one
another with new information or skills.
It is common that as a community develops
that the members become more interdependent.
They want responses to questions. They want to
contribute to the increase of knowledge for the
other members. They begin to feel responsible to
one another and to the group and grow in mutual
respect and in their identity as part of the group.All
the members play a critical role in the community
as models for the others within the community.
As stated by Roland Barth (2001), 'Teachers and
students go hand in hand as learners—or they
don't go at all' (p.23). I feel this applies to the
developers/designers of a virtual community as
well as its members. Everyone participating in
this setting must go hand in hand to support and
nourish each other or the community cannot be
sustained and its purpose is lost.
Strong feelings of community increase the flow
of information among all members of a virtual
environment. The availability of support, com-
mitment to goals, cooperation, and satisfaction
grow along with group efforts. Members benefit
from community membership by experiencing a
greater sense of well being and having a larger
set of willing individuals to call upon to answer
questions or to offer support (Rovai, 2001). This
will decrease the feelings of isolation, distrac-
tion, and social status amongst those who are
communicating online. Virtual communities must
move away from imparting feelings of isolation
and move toward generating greater feelings of
community and personal attention.
To create a true sense of “belonging” a com-
munity must convey a strong sense that members
matter to one another and to the group. Essential
requirements for a Virtual Community are:
1.
A shared faith that members' needs will be
met through the commitment to spend time
together. A feeling that the community can
be trusted.
2.
A belief that there are shared values and a
mutual benefit that comes from the member-
ship within the community itself.
3.
Shared emotional connection in time and
space within the virtual environment.
This results in a virtual community where
members are actively engaged and willing to
contribute through having established a sense of
purpose, belonging and acceptance.
Many virtual communities exist as a result of the
designer/developer having an interest in a particular
topic or area of investigation. The membership ex-
pands as others discover this site and join the com-
munity to enrich their own learning. Friendships
develop and grow as a result of this union around
a central topic. A thriving community continually
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