Invitations   Goals/Participants  Definitions/Issues  Tools/Media
Principles/Structure  Practices/Techniques  Implications/Next Steps

Principles and Structure for the BCCOOC Series & Beyond
[Principles and Structure for Building Community Online and On Campus]
Please let us know where you see omissions
and how/what you can contribute!

Demonstrate
Inner core of participants
- Builds community online and on campus for itself. 
- Use new online tools and resources most likely to help achieve our goals with the lowest incremental costs - in dollars, time, and stress [use "Low-Threshold Applications/Activities" LTAs].  Accept the risks that go with exploring new applications -- but only those likely both to improve the value of the OBBLs and demonstrate techniques that can be easily used and afforded by most of our friends and colleagues in higher education. 
- Demonstrates how building something together can be a deeply satisfying and valuable experience.
- Exemplifies good thinking about HOW to develop instructional resources and activities that connect participants and build community.

Accessibility
Use tools, media, practices that make our activities, services, and materials as widely accessible as possible within our resource constraints.

Self-Referential
Use the insights and information that we share and develop together to improve the Symposium itself.

Synergies
Take advantage of the synergies that can emerge from the interactions of thoughtful people from different fields who share some common concerns.

Online + On Site
Take advantage of differential strengths of both online and on site resources and activities.
      Link face-to-face with online activities
      Some purely online
      Some purely face-to-face
      Mostly hybrid:  Either simultaneously hybrid (some participate face-to-face while others participate online at the same time) or sequentially hybrid (some purely online activities are followed by some purely face-to-face activities followed by mixtures…. )
      Hold face-to-face meetings wherever, whenever convenient (i.e., at conferences where some core leaders are planning to attend anyway)
 

Learn by Teaching;  Teaching by Learning

Vision and Planning
Use Lewis & Clark approach: 
Do NOT require full plan before beginning;  define Vision/Goal;  set intermediate goals;  let participants find/build paths between intermediate goals.
[Also see:  Vision(s) Worth Working Toward for BCCOOC]

Contributing Core of Participants
Inner core of leader/planner/presenters who each contribute to deepening understanding of theory and growing body of descriptions of effective practice for Building Community and Connections Online and On Campus (and, by extension, on any site).

Outreach
- Via TLT Group Online Institute).
- Inner core develops, offers Online and Hybrid events that, at least in part, use ideas and practices from the Symposium.
- Develop almost immediate, frequent services as byproduct (or purpose) of ongoing interaction among symposium participants.
- Favor teams and groups, but do not discourage individuals from participating alone (at least initially alone).
 

Modified from Goals for Online Brown Bag Lunches
[See also, "Goals for Online Brown Bag Lunches" [OBBLs]
1.  Reduce costs and increase convenience of faculty development and professional development.

2.  Respond rapidly to changing needs by continually inviting participants to identify and request specific topics, issues, experts, formats...

3.  Make experts available live online, offering presentations and interaction about important topics for improving teaching and learning with technology and building community online and on campus.

4.  Support the work of local leaders – especially those professionals who can convene a group of faculty members and academic support professionals, guide local activities, and ensure adequate technology connections during the OBBL on campus.

5.  Provide online resources for preparatory and follow-up activities - including recommended activities or suggested discussion questions, intended to be used in conjunction with the online event.  

6.  Enable participants to exchange ideas with colleagues within their own institution while learning and sharing with professionals from other institutions around the world. 

7.  Demonstrate new technologies, tools, and approaches while applying Low-Threshold principles!  Use new online tools and resources most likely to help achieve our goals with the lowest incremental costs - in dollars, time, and stress.  Accept the risks that go with exploring new applications -- but only those likely both to improve the value of the OBBLs and demonstrate techniques that can be easily used and afforded by most of our friends and colleagues in higher education.  Reduce those risks by relying on the skills, judgment, and expertise of our friends and colleagues.