Advancing Online Education Through a Community of Practice

In universities that are expanding their presence in online education, there can be opportunities to harness the experience of staff from a range of faculties to develop staff capacity and enhance student learning experiences. A collaborative cross-faculty approach at Monash University has led to the development of the Monash Online Education Community of Practice (MOEC). This chapter outlines the process used to engage staff and build the community through a series of events and initiatives which culminated in the launch of MOEC and the development of a portal to support interaction and ongoing MOEC activities. As a tangible demonstration of the cross-faculty collaboration built through MOEC, members developed a new online learning hub which will provide an enhanced orientation experience for students studying online at Monash University. Opportunities exist to enhance understanding of the impacts of this and other communities of practice initiatives at the levels of the individual, the community and the organisation.