Teachers build trust in their classrooms by making the connections between actions and consequences clear. Each assignment has an obvious purpose, the result of which is a recognized improvement in understanding or ability. Activities are worthwhile and frequently connected to students understanding of needs in the real world. While classroom teachers may communicate these qualities through many informal reassurances, distance educators need to find ways to sustain moments of doubt and concern. See some tips .
Communities enhance learning productivity because they coordinate efforts of different people.
There are a variety of skills needed for cooperative work. This include skills for recognizing differences, finding consensus, and even those of criticizing other in supportive ways. Teachers use this dimension of community by designing various learning team activities in the classroom, from pairs that talk for a couple minutes to semester long class project groups. For distance educators, the question becomes one of developing some form of interaction that allows students to work together and assist each other learn better. See some tips .