Finding community

Your learning opportunities will not come exclusively from your instructors, of course. From day one, you will also learn from your peers and other smart, experienced, intellectually curious social workers like yourself, so establishing relationships with your peers is paramount to your success. But how can you establish collegial and meaningful relationships with other students in an asynchronous distance education space? Group projects. Yes, the dreaded group project! We have all had terrible experiences with group projects, but working toward a doctorate requires collaboration with instructors, fellow students, librarians, academic advisors, and program administration, and they will all contribute to your learning one way or another. Despite being in a distance education program, you will have to work collaboratively, which will be easier with some people than others.

Research on the experiences of students in distance education programs consistently points to belonging as a significant variable in academic success and students’ mental health. Collaboration is even more important in social work education, as systemic approaches and collaborative efforts are at the core of the profession (Peacock et al., 2020; Yi et al., 2024).

 “Finding community in an online world can be challenging, especially for an introvert; however, meeting people early in the program proved to be vital to my success. Throughout the program, my initial group carried on regular discussions through text messages and phone calls for accountability purposes but also to build relationships that we still hold onto today.”                                                        Dustin Roberson, DSW Class of 2023.         You will have several opportunities to work with fellow students through the program to complete group assignments, receive and give peer feedback on individual assignments, and engage in critical conversations about the course content and beyond. You will learn to look to your peers for support when you doubt yourself, to get a fresh perspective on course materials projects, and to find a sense of community. However, don’t assume this will happen automatically. Like you, your peers and instructors also lead busy lives, and their way of showing up for you or offering support may be different from what you are used to. Connecting with others, especially in the distance education space, takes both effort and intentionality. If you struggle to build rapport with someone, it results in the temptation to blame it on individual or cultural differences and to give up. Instead, try to understand their interests and priorities, look for common ground or shared interests, and consider ways in which your individual differences can become strengths in your relationship. More on this later, when we discuss group work;