Terry King and Emma Duke-Williams CDPT Mash-Up 5 Feb 2009 Participation and Control in Social Networking: Re-purposing the Web for Learning and Teaching

Background Start? Learning and Teaching Online 2001 - 2006 Knowledge Building Community Model Worked as an online research community using a networked environment Using Knowledge Forum Software Studied community postings for evidence of Knowledge Building Principles http://userweb.port.ac.uk/~kingt/research/MA_TKing.pdf

Start?

Learning and Teaching Online 2001 - 2006

Knowledge Building Community Model

Worked as an online research community using a networked environment

Using Knowledge Forum Software

Studied community postings for evidence of Knowledge Building Principles http://userweb.port.ac.uk/~kingt/research/MA_TKing.pdf

12 Determinants of KB (Scardamalia, 2002, http://www.ikit.org/fulltext/inpressCollectiveCog.pdf ) Real Ideas, Authentic Problems Improvable Ideas Idea Diversity Rise-Above Epistemic Agency Community Knowledge, Collective Responsibility Democratising Knowledge Symmetric Knowledge Advancement Pervasive Knowledge Building Constructive Uses of Authoritative Sources Knowledge Building Discourse Embedded and Transformative Assessment

Real Ideas, Authentic Problems

Improvable Ideas

Idea Diversity

Rise-Above

Epistemic Agency

Community Knowledge, Collective Responsibility

Democratising Knowledge

Symmetric Knowledge Advancement

Pervasive Knowledge Building

Constructive Uses of Authoritative Sources

Knowledge Building Discourse

Embedded and Transformative Assessment

Knowledge Forum

Example KF Note

KF Success

Next? Using Blogs for student reflection in 2004 Started using Elgg in 2005 Blogging environment designed for education Big Question Could Blogging tools support learning communities?

Using Blogs for student reflection in 2004

Started using Elgg in 2005

Blogging environment designed for education

Big Question

Could Blogging tools support learning communities?

Elgg Features

Elgg Network - communities

Elgg Network – Blog Forum View

Elgg Forum Postings

Using Elgg New model for learning? Considered Connectivism – 6 stages (Siemens 2006 http://tinyurl.com/cdc3b3 ) Seemed more applicable to networked learning

New model for learning?

Considered Connectivism – 6 stages (Siemens 2006 http://tinyurl.com/cdc3b3 ) Seemed more applicable to networked learning

Six Stages of Connectivism Siemens (2006, 46). Contents abridged . URL to book “Knowing Knowledge”: http://tinyurl.com/cdc3b3 or http://tinyurl.com/c3gbmm 1. Awareness and Receptivity Individuals acquire basic skills. 2. Connection Forming Individuals begin to use tools and understanding developed in level 1 3. Contribution and Involvement The learner begins to actively contribute to the network/ecology. 4. Pattern Recognition Learners are network aware and competent and …they are now capable of recognising emerging patterns and trends. 5. Meaning-Making Individuals capable of understanding meaning. What do the emerging patterns mean? 6. Praxis Individuals are actively involved in tweaking, building, and recreating their own learning network. Praxis allows the learner to critically evaluate the tools, processes, and elements of an ecology or network.

Research New undergraduate unit (research methods) Graduated activities/ assessment artefact Hoped to cover stages 1-3 of Siemen’s model Studied Contents of posts. Focus groups

New undergraduate unit (research methods)

Graduated activities/ assessment artefact

Hoped to cover stages 1-3 of Siemen’s model

Studied

Contents of posts.

Focus groups

Findings from Elgg Research (2007/2008) Observed 1 st 3 stages of Siemen’s model Individuals acquire basic skills and .. begin to use tools and understanding developed in level 1 The learner begins to actively contribute to the network/ecology. Focus groups: Students claimed to have learnt through discussion Wanted as much collaboration as possible. .... all their cohort for final year. ... external experts.

Observed 1 st 3 stages of Siemen’s model

Individuals acquire basic skills and .. begin to use tools and understanding developed in level 1

The learner begins to actively contribute to the network/ecology.

Focus groups:

Students claimed to have learnt through discussion

Wanted as much collaboration as possible.

.... all their cohort for final year.

... external experts.

Elgg community links

Initial Findings from Elgg Research (2008/2009) Much less successful Also started to follow some research using Twitter for L&T … Twitter is very interesting and may suggest another approach for drawing students into connectivist learning

Much less successful

Also started to follow some research using Twitter for L&T …

Twitter is very interesting and may suggest another approach for drawing students into connectivist learning

Start with the wider network …

Start of Year 1 Research

End of Year 1 Research

End of Year 2

Possible Alternative Approach

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Full embedding of student in wider network Student community embedded in the wider network – and good basis for a community of practice. BUT maybe only in ONE respect ……..

COP ? ONLY in so far…. Students may be novices in working these types of communities … can be drawn in, so they gain that expertise Expertise in how to be a good community member .. In how to work in these networks .. Possibly NOT the transmission of a craft or professional expertise More like apprenticeship learning Teacher has to be an expert in how to operate in this environment …. Challenge 1

ONLY in so far…. Students may be novices in working these types of communities … can be drawn in, so they gain that expertise

Expertise in how to be a good community member .. In how to work in these networks ..

Possibly NOT the transmission of a craft or professional expertise

More like apprenticeship learning

Teacher has to be an expert in how to operate in this environment …. Challenge 1

Challenges for lecturers 2 Learning communities .. But NOT operating within an expertise paradigm credentials, transmission, deference, tradition, mandatory Very close to knowledge building communities Task oriented, democratic, reciprocal, voluntary, dynamic Operate within collective intelligence paradigm NOT one ‘body of knowledge’ shared by all members Draw on diverse knowledge of members - combined expertise of all members - sum total of all the parts OK to ‘lurk’ – wait until your contribution is needed But… an individual is affiliated to many communities ..Siemens higher stages of connectivisim – “pattern recognition” and “meaning making”

Learning communities .. But NOT operating within an expertise paradigm

credentials, transmission, deference, tradition, mandatory

Very close to knowledge building communities

Task oriented, democratic, reciprocal, voluntary, dynamic

Operate within collective intelligence paradigm

NOT one ‘body of knowledge’ shared by all members

Draw on diverse knowledge of members - combined expertise of all members - sum total of all the parts

OK to ‘lurk’ – wait until your contribution is needed

But… an individual is affiliated to many communities ..Siemens higher stages of connectivisim – “pattern recognition” and “meaning making”

Challenges for Lecturers 3 In collective intelligence communities emphasis on emotional and intellectual engagement (fun, game playing?) If not meeting needs .. participants leave / withdraw Have choices … and are in control

In collective intelligence communities emphasis on emotional and intellectual engagement (fun, game playing?)

If not meeting needs .. participants leave / withdraw

Have choices … and are in control

Challenges for lecturers 4 To shape the learning experience need to take control and apply constraints Ultimate aim is that the student can control their own learning. Make informed choices. “ At every stage of learning, to either take control or relinquish control” (Dron) Fear of loosing control … Answer? Negotiated control Loosely structured, dialogue driven approaches Use stigmergy – “ behaviour of one guides and influences others” (Dron) Twitter (followers), Blogs (active, influential centres, gather) Structure emerges from the dialogue and takes the control load from the participants

To shape the learning experience need to take control and apply constraints

Ultimate aim is that the student can control their own learning. Make informed choices.

“ At every stage of learning, to either take control or relinquish control” (Dron)

Fear of loosing control … Answer?

Negotiated control

Loosely structured, dialogue driven approaches

Use stigmergy –

“ behaviour of one guides and influences others” (Dron)

Twitter (followers), Blogs (active, influential centres, gather)

Structure emerges from the dialogue and takes the control load from the participants

Summary Re-examine COP Model – let go? Lecturer expertise (active users of Web 2.0) Active engagement with new cultures of participation and media convergence. Implications: extended access to new media technologies/ computers/ networks participation gap , convergence resistors Happy with less control? Less imposed structure. Be more relaxed with the structure that arises in the dialogue taking the strain of control from the lecturer

Re-examine COP Model – let go?

Lecturer expertise (active users of Web 2.0)

Active engagement with new cultures of participation and media convergence. Implications:

extended access to new media technologies/ computers/ networks

participation gap , convergence resistors

Happy with less control? Less imposed structure.

Be more relaxed with the structure that arises in the dialogue taking the strain of control from the lecturer