---
title: "Creating Student Camaraderie & Teamwork In Online Courses"
url: "https://books.playgoventure.com/3/newsletter/218/creating-student-camaraderie-teamwork-in-online-courses"
---
# Creating Student Camaraderie & Teamwork In Online Courses
**One reason online courses fail to engage students is that they lack a sense of camaraderie.** Students don't get the opportunity to engage with their classmates in a meaningful way.
This results in students feeling isolated in a lonely learning experience.
Many students choose to go to college for the social experience — and those who do so online often miss out on this valuable opportunity.
### Aversion to Teams
Many instructors have shared with me that — since Covid — most of their students do not want to work on projects in teams. They prefer to do things on their own.
I believe this may be due to a combination of reasons:
* A greater **sense of control** by not having to rely on others— in contrast to the uncertainty felt during Covid.
* A desire to avoid the **inconvenience** of having to coordinate meetings with others.
* A **lack of engagement** with academics in general — I believe this to be an increasing trend that started well before Covid.
* The **social anxiety** associated with meeting new people and being forced to work together.
I don't know how common this aversion to teamwork is with students around the world. And perhaps it's only temporary. But in any event, learning how to collaborate in teams with people at a distance is a critical skill in our modern world.
### One Solution
Try using experiential learning and games — specifically, games that accommodate students playing in teams. Whatever subject you teach, there's a game out there that you can use to encourage teamwork and collaboration (or competition).
In the video below, a student shares what happened when his class started playing a business simulation — check it out.
The benefits of experiential learning often go far beyond what you may expect.
**Give it a try.**
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Join our **online community** where educators and trainers share ideas, resources, and discussions on experiential learning, games, and simulations — TeachingSuperhero.com I'm Mathew Georghiou and I write about how games are transforming education and learning. I also share my experience as an entrepreneur inventing products and designing educational resources used by millions around the world. More about me at Georghiou.com
# Creating Student Camaraderie & Teamwork In Online Courses
**One reason online courses fail to engage students is that they lack a sense of camaraderie.** Students don't get the opportunity to engage with their classmates in a meaningful way.
This results in students feeling isolated in a lonely learning experience.
Many students choose to go to college for the social experience — and those who do so online often miss out on this valuable opportunity.
### Aversion to Teams
Many instructors have shared with me that — since Covid — most of their students do not want to work on projects in teams. They prefer to do things on their own.
I believe this may be due to a combination of reasons:
* A greater **sense of control** by not having to rely on others— in contrast to the uncertainty felt during Covid.
* A desire to avoid the **inconvenience** of having to coordinate meetings with others.
* A **lack of engagement** with academics in general — I believe this to be an increasing trend that started well before Covid.
* The **social anxiety** associated with meeting new people and being forced to work together.
I don't know how common this aversion to teamwork is with students around the world. And perhaps it's only temporary. But in any event, learning how to collaborate in teams with people at a distance is a critical skill in our modern world.
### One Solution
Try using experiential learning and games — specifically, games that accommodate students playing in teams. Whatever subject you teach, there's a game out there that you can use to encourage teamwork and collaboration (or competition).
In the video below, a student shares what happened when his class started playing a business simulation — check it out.
The benefits of experiential learning often go far beyond what you may expect.
**Give it a try.**