Katarzyna Kozinska_wikisym2010

olnet.org
Social Learning on OpenLearn
Engaging with Open Education
Wikisym 2010, Gdansk 7-9 July
Katarzyna Kozinska,
Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology, Institute of Educational Technology

OpenLearn
OER Initiative of The Open University, (OU, UK) supported by The Hewlett Foundation, 2006
‘a hybrid of a repository, structured assets, a community, course-based tools, and personal learning tools’.
OpenLearn Research Report 2006-2008 (McAndrew et al., 2009:3)
olnet.org

OpenLearn: LearningSpace
12 main Topics, ca 100 Learning Clubs, hundreds of Course Units

Social learning on OpenLearn
Actions and activities
Social learners
‘want to explore tools, connect with other people and construct their own interpretations’ OpenLearnResearch Report 2006-2008 McAndrew et al. (2009:61)
Joining learning clubs
Contributingto discussions on forums: initiating and/ or responding
Creating your learner profile/ identity and making it visible to other users (learning units, clubs, role, additional info, profile photo, journal)
Visible journal entries – reflectingpublicly

Motivations for socio-collaborative learning practices on OpenLearn: Examining community interactions among registered users
Core Question:
What motivates registered users to engage in socio-collaborative learning practices on OpenLearn?
To:
identify the offline and online factors that influence users’ participation
provide better support, content, tools, spaces
olnet.org

Findings: The purposes of interacting with others (through forums, clubs, profiles, browsing, communicating, observing) on OpenLearn
Cognitive/ intellectual
ASK questions,
GETfeedback & information
ANSWER, give feedback, offer advice, critique, share opinions
GET USED to the system
REMAIN INTELLECTUALLY ACTIVE
Social/ emotional/ affective
CONNECT with ‘similar’ people, get & give support, share fears, ambitions, goals, introducing, encouragement,
GAIN INSIGHT into what others are feeling, thinking, get ideas, share experiences, observe ‘attitudes’
GET AWAY FROM THE ISOLATION of ODL context
FIND OUT who the people are who posted interesting things/ replied to our posts

Factors that influence interactions
Tools, forums, profiles, journals - availability, visibility, ease, clarity, support
Other users – interest, reciprocity, e.g. evolving in roles gradually; feedback, recognition
Values, experiences - appreciation of learning, belief in importance of communication; background
Motivation by:
Knowledge, curiosity, recognition, altruism, enjoyment, self-expression, change, new experiences, challenge
olnet.org

Why research the topic?World 2010 and Future Forecasts (OECD 2008, 2009; UNESCO, 1999; NIACE, 2009)
Social justice and lifelong learning
Demographic changes – Ageing Workforce – Migrating Masses – Digital Divide– Poverty - Diversity
Opportunities vs. exclusion
Solution? Dialogue, awareness = > provide tools and spaces on OER that will enable & promote communication collaboration and connecting within networks of learners, development of skills, not just content
Image: maistora, 2008, source: Flickr
maistora, 2008, source: Flickr
olnet.org

References:
McAndrew, P., Santos, A., Lane, A., Godwin, S., Okada, A., Wilson, T., Connolly, T., Ferreira, G., Buckingham Shum, S., Bretts, J. and Webb, R. (2009) OpenLearn Research Report 2006-2008. Milton Keynes, England: The Open University.
OECD CERI (2008) Higher Education to 2030. Volume I. Demography. Available from: <http://browse.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/pdfs/browseit/9608021E.PDF>
OECD CERI (2009) Higher Education to 2030. Volume II. Globalisation. Available from: <http://browse.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/pdfs/browseit/9609041E.PDF>
Schuller, T., Watson, D. (2009) Learning Through Life. Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning. Summary. Leicester, United Kingdom: NIACE.
The Open University (2010) OpenLearn. LearningSpace. Available from: <http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.php>
United Nations (1999) The World at Six Billion. Available from: <http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/sixbillion/sixbilpart1.pdf>
olnet.org

Katarzyna Kozinska_wikisym2010

by Giota Alevizou on Jul 19, 2010

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

Katarzyna Kozinska_wikisym2010 — Presentation Transcript