Building Community in an Online Graduate Program: Exploring the Role of an In-Person Orientation

Orientations help students transition into academic programs. At orientation, students learn how to navigate the university, and access support services, and build rapport with faculty, staff and other students. Few studies have explored the role of orientation in online programs. This qualitative case study explores the ways in which a three-day, in-person orientation impacted students' sense of community in one online graduate program. Findings indicate that providing online students with unstructured, in-person opportunities for interaction helped them develop a sense of community.