This document discusses technology-enabled learning communities. It defines key terms like technology-enabled, learning community, and social learning. It explores the varieties of communities that exist, both physical and virtual, as well as hybrid models. It examines aspects that define communities, like boundaries, norms, reciprocity and trust. It provides examples of technology-enabled learning communities like ForestConnect, OLPC-Uruguay, and Ithaca-Afghanistan videoconferencing. While technology can help capture and share learning, issues around exclusion, superficial participation, and democratic technologies need attention to ensure communities are inclusive.

1. Technology enabled learning communities Paul Treadwell October 7, 2011

2. Defining our terms Technology enabled Employs technology to facilitate social learning Is a group/collaborative tool Potentially exclusionary Learning community Social space created with shared intent to learn Sponsored Self forming

3. Boundaries of learning Learning acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences. may involve synthesizing different types of information Social learning “social learning may be defined as a change in understanding that goes beyond the individual to become situated within wider social units or communities of practice through social interactions between actors within social networks.” (Reed, et al. 2010)

4. Varieties of community Physical Town/city/village Workplace Etc. Virtual Social media Structured distance learning Hybrid Combines elements of physical and virtual to amplify inputs and impacts. The global/local connection

5. Aspects of community Boundaries Defines the commonality Distinguishes from “others” May exclude Norms and habits Tolerance (?) Reciprocity Trust Network / social system Duration

6. Learning Sponsored Schools, universities Trade unions, associations More vertical Self forming Interest groups More horizontal

7. Information or learning Anyone (with access) can “just google it” Technology cannot magically transmute information into learning Interaction transmutes info to learning

8. Examples/case studies Forest Connect OLPC-Uruguay HWWFF TecNica Learning exchange Ithaca-Afghanistan

9. Supporting and growing existing learning communities Technology can capture, archive and re-use learning moments Ability to connect , or enter into, dialog, that has history and trajectory Increase in type and number of platform options distributes accessibility more broadly.

10. ForestConnect Uses Adobe Connect Expand on previous communication and education systems provide real time interaction and learning with participants and instructors

11. OLPC - Uruguay One laptop per child Used in schools and at home Laptops have integrated social aspects that allow peer connections.

12. Facilitating new learning communities Bridging distance, crossing “borders” Opening new pathways for connection and content Connecting the real and the virtual

13. HWWFF The How, When and why of Forest Farming Tied to physical locations Emerging field of knowledge

14. TecNica Learning Exchange Cross cultural learning Engages technology as tool and medium Sustains connections

15. Ithaca-Afghanistan Videoconferencing connecting extension faculty to nomadic farmers. Impossible to imagine 15 years ago

16. It’s not all wine and roses It’s not so simple Educational intent and tools selection can have negative impacts New skills are needed to engage technology with fidelity

17. Exclusion Universal access is not a reality Intent and attention have to be paid to who is excluded when we chose to use technology Creativity is essential to developing inclusive, technology enabled, learning communities.

18. The façade of participation Calling something participation does not make it so. The tools and technologies of participatory learning , with technology’ can replicate and reinforce existing power dynamics

19. New literacies for participation Digital Multicultural Civic

20. Democratic communities, democratic technologies Learning communities should be dialogic spaces, The tools and technologies we choose to use should reflect our values Participatory, democratizing, education needs to be supported by equivalent technologies

21. Expanding learning

22. References Reed, M. S., A. C. Evely, G. Cundill, I. Fazey, J. Glass, A. Laing, J. Newig, B. Parrish, C. Prell, C. Raymond, and L. C. Stringer. 2010. What is social learning? Ecology and Society15(4): r1. [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/resp1/ Contact Paul Treadwell pt36@cornell.edu @ptreadwell Pt36.posterous.com