multiple communities

Community building is stressed often as an important element to distance learning. The social aspect of education is powerful if not necessary. I was reminded recently of my own difficulties in individualized French instruction in large part due to the missing error correction that inevitably happens when learning in groups. Later, when I took classroom French courses, I was part of the error producing group. There was comfort and relief in that I no longer had to make all the mistakes myself. But I was also part of the grad-student-in-undergrad-course community. And I was part of the sit-towards-back-right-of-room community (oh, the jokes made at the expense of the lef-side-of-room were many). And I was part of the prepared-for-class community. And so on. The point is, if I may be so bold as to have a point, there isn't just one community to build. And by building, I mean, allowing to exist.