A Conversation about Building Community in Online Courses with Jane Beal and Dr. Andy Jones: A SITT 2026 Interview

Jane Beal shares practical and actionable ways that she proactively builds community in her online courses. Taking inspiration from the Fellowship of the Ring created in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, a primary subject in these first-year seminars, Beal builds connections, inspires group problem solving, and fosters a sense of appreciation for literary works and the communities that study them together online.