Why are online communities important to my students?

Online communities are important to all students in every classroom because we want all learners to be comfortable with technical learning in this increasingly digital age.

Online communities are especially important to my students because in a foreign language classroom, teachers not only need to find ways to connect students with opportunities to use the target language, but also help them to understand the cultural contexts in which the language occurs. The Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century are known as the 5 C's (communication, connections, comparisons, cultures and communities), and they support this goal. An internet-connected classroom allows teachers to use online Skype, wikis and other conversation tools to connect to other students across the globe.