Blogging & Social Networking Alex Hardman Some thoughts about the social and educational potential for distance learning students

Task Small groups (of about 4) Quick introduction “ What is the web/ technology good at?” 2 minutes

Small groups (of about 4)

Quick introduction

“ What is the web/ technology good at?”

Question “What is the web/ technology good at?” 1 minute

Question “What is the web/ technology good at?” Multiple sources of Information Communicating Connecting & Collaborating Creating (video, audio, text, images, charts, tables) Broadcasting & Sharing

Blogging/ Social Networking ?

Emerging technologies present new ways of learning (pedagogies)

Technology = New ways of learning? Literacy in multiple media (1) Dede 2005

Technology = New ways of learning? Distributed collaboration

Technology = New ways of learning? Learning based on collectively seeking, sieving and synthesising experiences… … (rather than on assimilating a single validated source such as a book) (1) Dede 2005

Technology = New ways of learning? Active learning based on experience that includes frequent opportunities for reflection (1) Dede 2005

Technology = New ways of learning? Co-design of learning experiences personalised to meet individual needs (1) Dede 2005

Hmmm…So What? “ How does this relate to learning?”

“ There has never been a closer alignment between the current practices of technologies and what is put forward as good pedagogy” (2) Conole 2008

Good pedagogy?

Good pedagogy? Thinking & reflection Conversation & Interaction Experience & activity Evidence & demonstration (2) Conole 2008

Hmmm…So What? “ Theory is one thing, but what about blogging/ social networking?”

Blogging/ Social networking 1) Social Supports social, peer and group interaction, Facilitates feedback, shared learning experiences, and getting to know each other. (3) Leslie and Murphy 2008

1) Social

Supports social, peer and group interaction,

Facilitates feedback, shared learning experiences, and getting to know each other.

Blogging/ Social networking 2) Knowledge Construction Facilitates collaborative, cooperative and community-centred contribution Provides opportunities for sharing ideas, opinions, interpretations and perspectives. (3) Leslie and Murphy 2008

2) Knowledge Construction

Facilitates collaborative, cooperative and community-centred contribution

Provides opportunities for sharing ideas, opinions, interpretations and perspectives.

Research Connect

Discussion “ How could you use Blogging/ Social networking with distance learning?”

References Chris Dede “ Planning for Neo-millennial Learning Styles ” Educause Quarterly (2005) Volume 28, Number 1, 2005 Grainne Conole “ New Schemas for mapping pedagogies and technologies ” 2008 (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue56/conole/) Paul Leslie “ Post-Secondary Students’ Purposes for Blogging ” 2008 The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 9, No 3, ISSN:1492-3831

Chris Dede “ Planning for Neo-millennial Learning Styles ” Educause Quarterly (2005) Volume 28, Number 1, 2005

Grainne Conole “ New Schemas for mapping pedagogies and technologies ” 2008 (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue56/conole/)

Paul Leslie “ Post-Secondary Students’ Purposes for Blogging ” 2008 The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 9, No 3, ISSN:1492-3831