"A must read for anyone involved in or considering involvement in online, networked learning. Based on solid experience, the authors address the key issue of how to build and sustain learning communities in a networked environment--a subject too often ignored or slighted."--Donald J. MacIntyre, president, The Fielding Institute"This book's practical approach and illustrative models will appeal to those seeking concrete guidance in every aspect of online course development. Palloff and Pratt present a thorough overview of the online course process, including course selection, design, and evaluation, and many of the technical issues that affect the entire process."--Kathleen M. Rose, distance education specialist, University of California Extension Online"Colleges and universities are rushing into distance learning like lemmings, often without giving it serious thought. They should read this book if they truly want to realize its potential."--Efrem G. Mallach, associate professor, Department of Manufacturing and Management Information Systems, College of Management, University of Massachusetts at Lowell Written for faculty, instructors, and trainers in any distance learning environment, Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace shows how to create a virtual classroom environment that helps students excel academically, while fostering a sense of community. This practical, hands-on guide is filled with illustrative case studies, vignettes, and examples from a wide variety of successful online courses. The authors offer proven strategies for handling challenges that include: Engaging students with subject matter Accounting for attAndance and participation Working with students who do notparticipate Understanding the signs of when a student is in trouble Building online communities that accommodate personal interaction Based on many years of work in information systems and over five years of experience in on-line distance education, Rena M. Palloff and Keith Pratt share insights designed to guide readers through the steps of computer-mediated course design and implementation.