In this workshop, discover how digital communities can drive retention, belonging, and social capital in online learning. You'll leave with scalable, research-informed strategies you can bring back to your institution to strengthen connection, support learner success, and enhance engagement throughout every stage of the student journey.

Online learning has expanded access to education, but many students feel disconnected and unsupported. This is especially true for nontraditional and first-generation learners, who may lack strong networks or personalized guidance. Without strong networks or personalized guidance, these students often face barriers to engagement and success. When designed with empathy, structure, and student voice, digital communities can bridge these gaps by fostering belonging, building social capital, and supporting academic achievement over time.

This workshop offers practical, research-informed strategies for creating inclusive digital environments through mentoring, onboarding, and academic coaching. Participants will explore how thoughtfully designed communities can humanize online learning, boost engagement, and improve key outcomes such as retention, persistence, and equity of experience.

The session will highlight three adaptable models that support students across the lifecycle:

• Enrollment-Based Community Onboarding: Digital spaces that connect incoming learners early, offering peer interaction and timely resources to build motivation and reduce summer melt.
• Peer-to-Peer Mentoring: A scalable approach that fosters trust, confidence, and help-seeking while expanding students’ sense of connection and support.
• Academically Integrated Digital Coaching: Course-based communities supported by academic coaches and structured peer engagement to strengthen resilience and learning outcomes.

Each model is backed by evidence showing measurable gains in persistence, belonging, and engagement. Case examples will demonstrate how institutions leveraged existing systems and student input to build effective communities without increasing administrative burden.

The session is highly interactive, modeling the same community-building principles it promotes. Participants will begin with a reflective mapping exercise to identify gaps in connection within their current online environments. Short presentations will then showcase each model in action, emphasizing design strategies, implementation methods, and outcome metrics. Afterward, participants will discuss findings and explore how impact was measured using tools such as student feedback, engagement data, and retention rates.

In the second half, small groups will use guided worksheets to design or refine a digital community. Each group will identify target populations, select a model (onboarding, peer, or academic), outline success metrics, and sketch a plan for scale and sustainability. Groups will then share their ideas and receive peer feedback, leaving space for real-world application and refinement.

Attendees will leave with:

• A deeper understanding of how digital communities promote belonging, social capital, and improved student outcomes
• Three flexible models to implement or scale at their institutions
• Tools for meaningful and manageable impact measurement
• A working plan for launching or enhancing a digital community aligned with institutional goals
• Strategies to support connection and engagement, especially in asynchronous or remote settings

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, this session equips participants with evidence-based, customizable models tailored to diverse institutional needs—whether the goal is reducing dropout risk, boosting academic confidence, or supporting mental health. By aligning community-building with enrollment, academic, and peer engagement goals, participants will leave with a roadmap for designing digital learning environments where students feel connected, supported, and empowered to thrive.

Kiran Budhrani

Director, Teaching and Learning Innovation at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Jordan Register

Faculty Development Specialist at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Katy Kappler

Co-Founder and CEO at InScribe

Katy is an impact-driven CEO who has spent 25 years creating solutions that extend access to high-quality education for every student. She is the co-founder and CEO of InScribe, an innovative digital community platform that is proven to improve student outcomes, increase sense of belonging, and scale support for non-traditional and underserved student populations. Leveraging her experience and strategic abilities, Katy specializes in ed-tech innovations, student success, and communities of belonging.