Using Reputation to Build Thriving Digital Communities
Inspire, Encourage, and Reward All the Ways Students Engage
One question we often get from our institutional partners is, “How do I know if my community is healthy?” Truthfully, there isn’t a single answer. The shape and flow of a community changes depending on its purpose and the individuals it serves. There is, however, one consistent piece of advice we give every partner - recognize that your community is made up of a diverse set of members who have different needs, goals, and behaviors. Community engagement isn’t “one size fits all” and healthy communities thrive when their members can engage in the ways that work best for them.
At InScribe, we’ve observed common patterns of behavior that, when properly encouraged and celebrated, provide the foundation for healthy and thriving digital spaces. To help our partners achieve this goal, we’re excited to announce the release of InScribe’s Community Reputation System. The Reputation System is designed to encourage new community participants to get started, promote ongoing engagement, and reward members who demonstrate leadership through their interactions with the community.
InScribe’s Community Reputation System highlights three aspects of participation that are critical to a successful online community.
Conversation Starters - These are community members who are full of questions, ideas, and observations and can’t wait to share them. Some conversation starters hit the ground running on day one. Others develop over time, as they learn to trust the community and grow comfortable sharing with others. Conversation starters help keep content fresh and highlight the important issues and topics that many members are thinking about.
Active Contributor - Some students have questions, others have answers! Active contributors are individuals that join conversations to further the discussion and provide solutions for their peers. Being an active contributor helps students reinforce their knowledge and allows them to practice critical skills such as communication and collaboration. Students gain additional reputation points for responses that have a big impact - those that have lots of views, many reactions, or an endorsement from a community moderator.
Great Listener - One of the most overlooked (but critically important) types of community engagement is the act of seeking out and viewing content provided by others. Great listeners demonstrate the ability to help themselves - diligently searching for answers to questions before posting something new. You can count on great listeners to pay attention when community leaders share important updates and announcements. You may not hear from these individuals that often, but rest assured that they are gathering knowledge, confidence, and connection from the information others share.
Healthy virtual communities are spaces that support and encourage a diversity of individuals with different needs and goals. InScribe’s new Community Reputation System offers an easy way to showcase that diversity and reward your members for the many ways they participate to help your community thrive.
Connect with us to learn more about InScribe's digital communities.