Blending formal and informal learning within an international learning network (original) (raw)
Related papers
2014
Recent work on online, formal and informal learning raises important questions. To what extent can online learning communities also be informal learning communities? What ‘community building ’ issues are raised in the context of international learning networks? In the paper we will (i) briefly describe a new case study of a learning network (part of the JISC ‘Case Studies in e-Learning Practice ’ project), (ii) present a framework that builds on the notions of people, policies and purpose but which is supplemented by notions of informal learning, and finding ‘common ground’, (iii) illustrate the framework using examples from the case study and follow-up research, and (iv) conclude by drawing out key issues raised by our work.
Learning in Informal Online Networks and Communities
2010
In 2008, as part of its policy support for DG Education and Culture, IPTS launched a study to explore the innovative social and pedagogical approaches to learning that are emerging in new ICT-enabled collaborative settings. This is the final report on the project. Lifelong learning plays a crucial role in society today as jobs, and the skills they require, are changing. Recent technological and social developments in online settings have the potential to support lifelong learning in new ways. Online collaborative spaces can support both intentional and non-intentional learning in new ways through various forms of participation. These online platforms, networks and communities support learning all the key competences for lifelong learning, including new transversal skills and personal growth in a social context. However, ensuring digital fluency and self-regulated learning skills for all becomes a crucial challenge and enabler for lifelong learning. Furthermore, individuals need to be prepared for and interested in learning. Communities can encourage their members to participate and learn with a sociable, openly-managed and developing culture. The report argues that online networks and communities can contribute to all the major European Education and Training policy objectives, i.e. modernising educational institutions to support the lifelong learning continuum with new opportunities for equity, quality and efficiency, and learning key competences and transversal skills. However, a new learner-centred approach for lifelong learning by learners, education providers and employers is needed. All education stakeholders should engage in developing lifelong learning opportunities through collaboration and new partnerships.
Participation in International Virtual Learning Communities - A Social Learning Perspective
A promise of new web-based technologies is that they provide learning opportunities for people distributed across the globe but who can participate across time and space in the same virtual learning community. How do they do it? In this paper we report on some of the experiences of a virtual learning community which has members from twenty-five countries across different time-zones and who communicate in English. Through a communities of practice perspective we focus on the social nature of learning and describe some of the challenges and design issues raised in this community as it explores and develops practices for learning in an international online environment. While our focus is on social practices, and on developing an identity of participation in relation to those practices, we also make some wishes for web-based technologies that would better support these practices in an international virtual learning community.
Participation in International Virtual Learning Communities
Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, 2007
A promise of new web-based technologies is that they provide learning opportunities for people distributed across the globe but who can participate across time and space in the same virtual learning community. How do they do it? In this paper we report on some of the experiences of a virtual learning community which has members from twenty-five countries across different time-zones and who communicate in English. Through a communities of practice perspective we focus on the social nature of learning and describe some of the challenges and design issues raised in this community as it explores and develops practices for learning in an international online environment. While our focus is on social practices, and on developing an identity of participation in relation to those practices, we also make some wishes for web-based technologies that would better support these practices in an international virtual learning community.
This report is part of the research project on "Pedagogical Innovations in New ICT-facilitated Learning Communities" (LearnCom), 1 under an Administrative Arrangement between IPTS (IS Unit) 2 and DG Education and Culture. The aim of this study is to review and assess the new social and pedagogical approaches to learning that are emerging in new ICT-facilitated collaborative learning settings. In addition to formal education, such communities are increasingly emerging in informal and non-formal lifelong learning environments where learning is happening in a freely organised manner, bringing together learners, experts, and other parties. This study aims to examine these new learning communities in order to find innovative pedagogical and organisational practices that support lifelong learning in different settings and foster innovations in the interaction of teachers, learners and organisations. The methodological framework for the LearnCom project includes desk research on the existing literature about learning communities; 3 the present in-depth case study of 12 different types of learning communities; a validation workshop 4 in which 20 external experts discussed and provided further input to the research; and a final report. 5 This report presents the results of the in-depth study of 12 online learning communities. The case analysis examines features, impacts and outcomes of learning in ICT-facilitated learning communities, as well as factors for failure and success, highlighting what lessons can be learnt from online learning communities that could benefit education and training systems.
Building successful on-line learning communities across international boundaries: a Case Study
The development of on-line learning communities across international boundaries is now a viable proposition using available asynchronous technologies. As has been reported in previous papers (Grodzinsky, Griffin & Jefferies, 2002; Griffin, Grodzinsky & Jefferies, 2002) such use has proved to be extremely valuable for supporting the teaching of computing and ethics. For example, not only does asynchronous computer conferencing offer new opportunities for students to gain valuable first-hand experience in using such technology to communicate with peers in other countries but it also facilitates them gaining a more direct appreciation of the cultural, legal and ethical differences that abound. However, the setting up of successful 'virtual' communities with campus-based final year undergraduates based in three different countries posed a number of issues that had to be addressed prior to implementation. Prime amongst these were concerns as to how to overcome some of the perceived barriers to establishing effective groups within a text-based virtual environment across international boundaries and how to integrate use of the technology within the traditional face-to-face context of learning. This paper will, therefore, report on how this blended approach to learning and teaching was developed and implemented using the Belbin Self-Perception Inventory (1981). It will then report on research undertaken into the impact that this strategy had on how individuals actually operated within their teams in the virtual environment. It will also detail some of the findings from this case study when these perceived Belbin types were matched with transaction analysis (Wortham, 1999) and types of messages posted (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2001). Finally it will draw conclusions from the case study in order to make recommendations for future implementation of asynchronous computer conferencing within a campus-based Higher Education (HE) context.
Beyond formal learning: Informal community eLearning
Computers & Education, 2004
The goal of the study described in this paper was to gain an improved understanding of the social context of UK online centres and issues around the creation and exchange of knowledge within and between online community centres. Grounded theory and a pilot study were used to guide our research. The key findings of our research were (i) an elucidation of the goals that drive individuals to improve or share knowledge with others and (ii) the high level concept categories of life-cycles provided us with the basis for a model which characterises formation of, and participation in, informal learning communities. Indeed, the high level concept categories that emerged as strongly supported in our analysis point to the need for interdisciplinary theorising in this area. In this paper we will: (a) give a summary of what we mean by informal community eLearning, (b) illustrate the key issues with results from a study of UK online centres, and (c) make recommendations for future theorising and research directions.
Understanding how learning communities are formed and evaluating their efficacy in supporting learning have a bearing on the facilitation of successful online learning experiences. This paper elaborates on the value of adopting a multiple planes of development (Rogoff, 1995) analytical framework to investigate the development and conduct of an online learning community. The analysis is grounded in a case study of a semester long fully online asynchronous graduate course in a New Zealand tertiary institution. Evidence is advanced that while development and change along the personal, interpersonal and community planes of development can be understood as distinct, each plane influences and mediates the other two planes. Such a framework allows for a comprehensive understanding of the active processes involved in shaping a community’s individual and collective knowledge growth. It is a useful tool for responding to the complexity and 'messiness' of real life socialcultural conte...