For decades, virtual student communities have been explored as a viable option to enhance learning and increase access. However, higher education's commitment to face-to-face education and challenges with rapid technological interventions find these communities under-researched and underdeveloped. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst, propelling colleges to enhance equity and access for all students, especially the most vulnerable populations. CircleIn, the all-in-one study platform, has been responsive to the needs of all learners, demonstrating success and improvement in both student persistence and course completion rates.
Scaling effective virtual programs requires foresight and innovation. The CircleIn app develops strategic partnerships with schools committed to access and inclusion to provide a foundation for student academic networking. This concept resulted in funding from the National Science Foundation for its promise and success.
Practical community building speaks to the needs and desires of current virtual students, operating much like the social networking applications they use. Apps provide real-time access to the things that matter most, and in 2021 there were over 230 billion app downloads (Ceci, 2021a). Institutions partnering with experts in the virtual student community recognize that learning cannot be limited to on-campus experiences or measured by rigid expectations of time and presence in today's society. With information sharing at our fingertips, student success can be as simple as enhancing mobile access in intentional ways.
Virtual student communities leverage social and communication capabilities to enhance the learning experience. The need for these capabilities in mobile form is evident and growing. A recent study found that 91 percent of smartphone use worldwide is on social and communication apps (Ceci, 2022). Moreover, 68 percent of a sample of smartphone users in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States play games using mobile apps (Ceci, 2021b). Given the widespread use of mobile applications for social messaging and gaming, prioritizing academic success by leveraging these elements are a strategic choice. The CircleIn app allows full access to academic support safely and securely. Colleges partnering with CircleIn provide students with integrative opportunities to share study notes, questions, and concerns while earning rewards in a game-like setting.
Access and mobility entice users who may otherwise avoid office hours or personal interactions. Having a 24/7 connection allows students to engage and learn on their own time and at their own pace. In addition, intentional virtual student communities integrate with existing supports, from learning management systems to student support services such as advising and tutoring, and tailor content to community needs.
Institutional Support. Faculty can see the tool as a resource to gauge understanding and targeted support. Institutional vetting also offers students a layer of safety and security, protecting students against false information, academic dishonesty, and Internet scams that often target struggling students (Better Business Bureau, 2021).
Educational Equity. The virtual student community is a diverse yet democratizing space. Anonymizing authors of content within the app to external supporters ensures a bias-free digital space. In addition, a recent study suggests that worldwide, adults 18-34 years of age prefer text-based communication to face-to-face interactions (Bradbury, 2018).
Incentives and motivation are evident in increased success outcomes, including course grade, GPA, and future enrollment. However, students also value smaller skill- or behavior-based rewards. For example, many college students enjoy the rewards of small, meaningful wins. In addition, studies indicate that gamification can be used as a teaching and learning strategy to enhance motivation (Chapman & Rich, 2018).
By partnering with CircleIn to enhance the virtual student community, colleges are poised to increase access, foster engagement, and enhance academic support so that all students may learn.
References
Better Business Bureau. (2021, April 2). BBB scam alert: Cheating on homework leads to extortion scam. https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/24032-bbb-scam-alert-students-hire-homework-help-and-end-up-in-extortion-con
Bradbury, R. (2018). The digital lives of Millennials and Gen Z. LivePerson https://liveperson.docsend.com/view/tm8j45m
Ceci, L. (2021a, January 31). Annual number of global mobile app downloads 2016-2021. Statista.
Ceci, L. (2021b, November 8). Most popular smartphone activities worldwide in as of December 2020, by usage reach. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1265536/app-activities-worldwide-by-usage-reach
Ceci, L. (2022, March 15). Most popular app categories worldwide during 3rd quarter 2020, by reach. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1252652/top-apps-categories-by-global-usage-reach
Chapman, J. R., & Rich, P. J. (2018). Does educational gamification improve students' motivation? If so, which game elements work best? Journal of Education for Business, 93(7), 315-322.
CircleIn was an Innovations 2022 sponsor and exhibitor.
