The document discusses designing engaging online learning communities at the Centre for Innovation at Leiden University. It provides definitions of online communities and social learning, and discusses how to identify transformative technology trends. It also addresses challenges like trolls and establishing community guidelines to create a safe learning environment. The final section discusses developing a community design that stimulates interaction through exercises and determining how to test the design.

1. Centre for Innovation.
Innovating the way we teach and learn.
Engaging Learning Environments without Trolling accidents
Tanja de Bie, Yentl Croese

2. AGENDA
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Who are
We?
Definitions Social
Learning
Tools

3. INTRODUCTION CFI
Society
Leiden
University
Innovation

4. WHAT DOES CFI DO?
Identify & explore
tech trends
Decision making &
facilitating adoption
Experiments &
impact validation
To identify and explore transformative trends in a digital
world, creating innovative methods, products and solutions for Leiden
University and its partners.

5. Digital Learning @ CFI

6. WHAT IS AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?
• group of people who may or may not meet one another face to
face
• exchange words and ideas through the mediation of computer
bulletin boards and networks
• collection of people who adhere to a certain (loose) social contract
• who share certain (eclectic) interests
Howard Rheingold - Virtual communities - exchanging ideas through
computer bulletin boards (1987)

7. WHAT IS AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?
Online Community
=
Real Life Community
using a virtual medium

8. WHY AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?
First (5 minutes):
In groups of 4-5, write down when to use and when not to use an online
community (at least 1 reason each & 1 reason per sticky note).
Then (5 minutes):
Share your reasons with the other groups and try to organize them.

9. Designing an
engaging course,
online or offline
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12. APPLY
First (5 minutes):
Discuss in pairs a way you can apply the 5 stage model in your online
community,
Or discuss in pairs how you can implement an online community in your
teaching.
Then (5 minutes):
Share your plan with another pair and give suggestions and ideas on
theirs.

13. WHAT IS A TROLL?
Creating a safe learning environment
The goal of a troll is to get attention. The tool is negativity,
creating a negative downwards spiral in the community.
Negativity impacts the brain 5x stronger than positivity and
closes it to learning. It invites a fight, freeze or flight
reaction.
Compare: Shakespearean insults, 17th c political pamphlets in England, Cold War propaganda

14. WHAT IS A TROLL?
Creating a safe learning environment
● Troll
● Activist / hater
● Cyber warrior / propaganda … politicians?
● Sock Puppet / bot

15. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?
First (~7 minutes):
Read the following fictional example and write down as a group (4-5
people) which elements make the conversation go off-track.
Then (5 minutes):
Share your findings with the other groups. Do they share insights you
hadn’t noticed?

16. EXERCISE
The following imaginary conversation takes place online in an
academic course on Fantastic Beasts and where to find them, by Prof
J.K. Rowling.
Try to think what different elements make this passionate conversation
go off track.

17. Learner 1: In many fantasy books dragons are depicted not as large fire breathing
beasts but as fiercely intelligent creatures that can communicate with humans. It
seems that Rowling is missing an opportunity for deepening the setting of her
famous books by dumbing down dragons.

18. Learner 2: YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POTTERVERSE AT ALL, YOU
MUD-BLOOD, PEA-BRAINED STUDENT OF HUFFLEPUFF! YOU ARE
INSULTING PROF ROWLING.

19. TIPS & TRICKS OF EMODERATION
• Uphold community guidelines kindly, but firmly
• Keep calm and drink a cup of tea
• Do not feed the trolls (and support their victims)
• Allow all arguments but point out Logical Fallacies
• Ask for proof, evidence, sources → academic!
• Be mindful of Cultural Diversity

20. COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
• Participate - be active
• Collaborate - interact with peers
• Be respectful - do not discriminate
• Be Academic - use logic & evidence

21. ● Stimulating Peer- interaction
● Marketing
● Sharing of Resources
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WHY SOCIAL MEDIA?
Communicating with course students outside LMS

22. ● Lack of momentum
● Lack of debate
● Very controversial
● Lack of material or time to communicate
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CONTRA INDICATORS

23. FINAL COMMUNITY DESIGN
Look at your notes from the previous conversations
● Goal of your community
● Platform necessities (does it include social media?)
● What community guidelines?
● What exercises will stimulate interaction?
● How will you test your design?

24. Twitter: @BieTanjade @C4Innovation
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanja.debie.16
Email: t.de.bie.@sea.leidenuniv.nl & y.croese@sea.leidenuniv.nl
Slideshare:
Contact the Centre for Innovation at c4i@sea.leidenuniv.nl
Website: https://www.centre4innovation.org/
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THANK YOU!