This presentation outlines my exploration into a framework to mediate collaborative knowledge-building in the social networking setting. Presented at the University of Nottingham, School of Education Annual conference.

1. School of Education Learning design: making sense of collaborative knowledge-building in the messy social networking landscape July 15 2011 LeRoy Hill Centre for Research in Schools and Communities

2. Context The CEN: the research environment CPD: The design challenge NING: The technological environment “…every story has a deeper meaning that drives the narrative.“

3. Learning designs “A methodology for enabling designers to make more informed decisions in how they go about designing, which is pedagogically informed and makes effective use of appropriate resources and technologies. This includes the design of resources and individual learning activities right up to whole curriculum level design. A key principle is to help make the design process more explicit and shareable. Learning design as an area of research and development includes both gathering empirical evidence to better understand the design process as well as the development of a range of resource, tools and activities”. (Open University Learning Design Initiative, P 483. Conole 2010)

4. Research questions

5. Methodology

6. Cycle 1: An initial look at the CEN

7. Cycle 2: Developing a Deeper Understanding of the CEN – The Utility of the AODM Approach

8. AODM: 6 Stages, 4 Tools Stage 1 & 2 Interpreting and modelling the CEN. The Eight-Step-Model

9. The Tools… AODM’s Activity Notation (Mwanza 2002, p.152) AODM’s Eight-Step-Model (Mwanza 2002, p.128) AODM’s Technique of Generating General Research Questions (Mwanza 2002, p.155) AODM’s Technique of Mapping AODM Operational Processes (Mwanza 2002, p.162)

10. Why AODM As a planning tool, AODM tends to be largely iterative and aims to help designers “generate insights for further study and refinement” (Greenhow & Belbas 2007, p.369) The AODM provides a comprehensive and empirically tested set of tools in operationalising Activity Theory in design analysis and development process by making explicit the “process of gathering, analysis and communicating design requirements” (Mwanza 2002, p.214). Clearly outlined in 6 stages and methodological tools: (1) A Eight-Step-Model (2) An activity Notation (3) A technique for generating Sub-Activity-Oriented Research questions (4) A technique for Mapping Operational processes. Application of AODM in CEN Context provides a different setting to test…

11. Initial categories

12. Initial representation

13. Sample coding by Coder

14. Table of codes and inter-subjective codes

15. The CEN e-mediating Framework

16. Research outcomes

17. A Proposal for classroom practice implementation

18. References Conole, G. & Oliver, M., 2006. Contemporary Perspectives in E-learning Research (Open & Flexible Learning) 1st ed., Routledge. Conole, G., 2010. An overview of design representations. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of Networked Learning. Networked Learning Conference 2010. Denmark: Aalborg university, p. 482–489. Greenhow, C. & Belbas, B., 2007. Using activity-oriented design methods to study collaborative knowledge-building in e-learning courses within higher education. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 2(4), 363-391. Mwanza, D. (2002) “Towards an Activity-Oriented Design Method for HCI Research and Practice.” PhD Thesis - The Open University, United Kingdom. Mwanza-Simwami, D. (2009). Using Activity-Oriented Design Methods (AODM) to investigate mobile learning. In: Vavoula, Giasemi, Pachler, Norbert and Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes eds. Researching Mobile Learning Frameworks, tools and research designs. Oxford, UK: Peter Lang Verlag, 97–122.