Online learning continues to grow rapidly in higher education. As institutions of higher education develop online courses and students participate in those courses, various issues arise: retention rates, feelings of isolation, and a decrease in feelings of success. By assisting students in establishing both a social presence as well as a learning community through various digital literacies, teachers can help combat these issues. The broader phenomenological study consisted of three in-depth interviews with each of the 12 study participants, all undergraduate, preservice teachers, regarding their experiences with online courses.