Work on real-world problems in an online environment requires some specific approaches in order to create trust, build engagement, overcome participant’s anxieties and provide them will all the necessary tools in a timely manner. This result O1 address these issues from the perspective of community facilitators and participants themselves – in order to include these aspects, the above mentioned guidelines were prepared based on desktop research, student’s survey (330 students surveyed) and lecturer’s (60) interviews. These guidelines for facilitators of the online communities include recommendations on the creation of an efficient and collaborative online learning environment where participant solve particular real-world problems. The document suggests strategies, procedures and recommendations on fostering a collaborative environment between participants and enhancing peer-to-peer learning (linking member, distributing leadership and assigning roles, utilizing specific knowledge, strengths and skills of participants, using the platform’s features to engage participants, asking probing and clarifying questions, synthesizing, providing opportunities to reflect on learning).  

 After a piloting period, the document will be freely available on this website.

Table of content of the developed guide: 
 1 The concept of online learning communities
 2 A guide for online community facilitators (strategies, procedures, rules)
  2.1 Platforms for building an online learning community
  2.2 Rules and risks inonline communities
  2.3 Existing proficiencies of students
  2.4 Choose topic and define learning outcomes
  2.5 Design of the learning process in online communities
  2.6 Creating content
  2.7 Assessment setup
  2.8 Keep members engaged
 References

We kindly invite all interested colleagues to contact us in order to share experiences on working with students in online communities.