The Internet has transformed the way in which people relate and feel close to one another – all without the necessity of close physical proximity. This was not always perceived to be the case for online learning environments, as early critics believed that the absence of social cues would interfere with teaching and learning (Berge & Collins, 1995). However, this stigma of a sterile online learning environment has diminished with the development of complex social networks and virtual worlds, advanced online instructional tools, and the prevalence of high-speed Internet connections that allow for meaningful real-time connections. Researchers are now beginning to move beyond the question of whether the online learning environment allows students to feel connected, and are now delving into how the connections students form relate to learning (Garrison, Cleveland-Innes, & Fung, 2010; Dow, 2008; Kehrwald, 2008).
