Through a new partnership with online education company InScribe — not to be confused with the cyber risk tool Inscribe.ai — Indiana State is rolling out Sycamore Grove, an online platform where students can ask questions, share their experiences and receive guidance from professors. The platform is intended to function as a virtual student commons, supporting peer-to-peer interaction as the school’s online community grows to nearly 2,000 students.
According to the University of Cincinnati, online degree programs often struggle to replicate the informal connections facilitated by on-campus learning. While online courses are increasingly popular, students in those programs often lack consistent places to build relationships, exchange advice or seek help beyond individual classes.
According to InScribe's website, users can post questions to a community of classmates and mentors and browse answers and resources contributed by others. The platform also includes features aimed at scaling support, such as automated moderation that highlights helpful posts.
“As our online programs continue to grow, it is essential that students feel connected and supported throughout their experience,” Sam Nikolai, associate provost for online education at Indiana State, said in a public statement.
Sycamore Grove is designed to complement the university’s existing platforms, including the learning management system Canvas.
Image credit: InScribe
In recent years, colleges and universities have tried a range of approaches to this end. In 2022, Champlain College Online partnered with a similar company called InSpace Proximity Inc. to build a virtual version of its campus for online learning, emphasizing peer collaboration and networking opportunities. The University of Maryland Global Campus has also used a variety of online tools to implement virtual student orientation, career assistance and mental health services.
