This document discusses an ecological meta-design framework for open learning ecosystems. It proposes that learning ecosystems can be viewed as complex adaptive systems. Learners in these ecosystems design their own learning environments and activities using Web 2.0 tools and share knowledge freely online. The document advocates for an ecological approach to learning that focuses on accumulation of knowledge within a community and adaptation by learners and the system. It also discusses the roles of learners and teachers in open learning ecosystems and the need for tools to support meta-design.

1. An ecological Meta-design framework for open learning ecosystems Kai Pata & Mart Laanpere Tallinn University, Center for Educational Technology ECER 2011

2. Design languages Design professions in various domains (architecture, movie industry, EU FP7, car manufacturing) have well developed design languages No widely-accepted professional design language for education (candidates: didactics, instructional design, learning design): weak generalisability of learning/teaching design patterns Potential solution: to look at educational context as an ecological system

3. Open learning ecosystem Open learning ecosystem is an adaptive complex and dynamic learning system in which self-directed learners designtheir learning environments and activities using Web 2.0 softwareand follow open education principles by sharing freely over the internet knowledge, ideas, infrastructure- and learning approaches.

4. An ecological approach to learning Learning in open learning ecosystems is the process in which learner and the system (community, culture) detects and corrects errors in order to fit and be responsive. accumulation Learning niche for a community/culture Knowledge, ideas, PLE-configurations and learning approaches NETWORK OF LEARNERS LEARNER adaptation

5. What do we need? Without wishing to suppress such a bottom-up self-emergence of eLearning designs, providing teachers in learning institutions with design solutions that enable them toregain some co-control in the learner-initiated activities and systems is needed.

6. Meta-design Meta-design is designing the design process for cultures of participation – creating technical and social conditions for broad participation in design activities (Fisher et al., 2004). Equally important aspects of ecological Meta-Design focuses are: the learning ecosystem evolution by end-user design, and nourishing the end-user design process by creating the scaffolds for designing (see Ehn, 2008; Fisher et al., 2004).

7. Connectivity with PLE components (Dippler, Tallinn University development) Distributed course assembling tools (Dippler) Learning contract tools (LeContract) User monitoring, accumulation and visualization Suitable Monitoring tools (EduFeedr) The tools to support meta-design in open learning ecosystems (Pata, 2011)

8. Learners’ role In learning ecosystems autonomous learners continuously develop and dynamically change design solutions to support their learning. They incorporate into their personal learning environments different Web 2.0 tools, networking partners and artifacts, and monitor the state of the whole learning ecosystem to adapt their design solutions and learning objectives to the system and to other learners.

9. Teachers’ role Providing the teacher-created scaffolds and incentives for the learners' design activities that would foster the accumulation of learning niches: a) monitor the evolution of the open learning ecosystem, b) provide learners with the options that enhance and speed up the self-directed network-formation process (e.g. tags, mashups), c) analyze the emerging affordances within the learning community, and provide analytical guidance for them aiding to make design decisions and selecting learning activities (e.g. social navigation, semantic navigation), and d) seed learning activities into the open learning ecosystem that are based on self-organization (e.g. swarming).

10. The limitations for applying meta-design in an open learning ecosystem There is the need for dynamic accumulation and monitoring systems for learning niche formation to be used by each learner for benefiting from particular open learning ecosystem and allowing them to participate in the course design Accumulated knowledge, ideas, PLE-configurations and learning approaches (community‘s learning niche)

11. Conclusions Need for professional (meta)design language for educators Models borrowed from ecology seem to be adaptable to educational context The next steps: empirical exploratory studies and validation studies