What is a learning community?
All learning occurs within and is informed by the social environment within which it exists. A learning community provides an explicit context within which to share learning experiences. ‘Regardless of their background, sophistication, or technical expertise, knowledge networkers share the same goal: they seek information and ways to understand and apply that information.’ Harasim M, 1995. An online learning community takes this one step further and provides a framework for sharing learning experiences.
The Web provides this learning and knowledge building framework and is moving toward a model where these online learning communities exist and inform practice. This shared learning provides a rich environment or a ‘learning ecology’ (Seely Brown 99) which at it’s best can lead to ‘accelerated innovation’ and at worst can lead to ‘group think’ (Saunders 99).
What is EdTechTalk?
EdTechTalk is a learning community for teachers to discuss implementing Web2.0 technology in the classroom. The content is grouped around themes such as 21st Century Learning, Brainstorm, Weekly Updates, Elementary Education, Parents, Professional Development and Women. The discussions are relatively informal but focus on sharing ideas and relating this back to practice as well as providing vehicles (Twitter, Del.icio.us) to share resources.
The other aspect of the community is that interested practitioners can elect to participate in the WebCast Academy, a structured program where the participants are provided opportunities to engage in guided practice of the skills involved in leading online discussions using tools such as live audio streaming and participant chat.
It can also include experiences such as bringing in subject matter experts, for example one discussion centred around high school students talking about their participation in a learning community and another had Danah Boyd discussing her beliefs about using communities with students.
What are the key learning experiences occurring in EdTechTalk?
Wegner (Wikipedia) describes a community of practice as a group of individuals participating in communal activity, and experiencing/continuously creating their shared identity through engaging in and contributing to the practices of their communities. In the talks I participated in there was a high level of quality discourse about what it means to be a teacher, teaching using Web2.0 tools. Learning is occurring both through this discourse and through the experience of using the tools themselves. ‘Only by engaging in work and talking about it from inside the practice can one learn to be a competent practitioner (Varab, Kling, Gray, 04). Participants not only gain knowledge of the content but they also understand the emotional context of being a student in these circumstances.
I think one of the most striking examples of evidence that learning is occurring is that one of the facilitators commented that she had to stop attending the sessions every week because she would be so full of ideas that she couldn’t sleep.Why do I want to participate in this community?
I’m implementing Web2.0 tools within a classroom setting so I’m interested in hearing examples of how others are doing this. I also want to learn about the mechanics of facilitating online communities so that I can use the tools available to help the other teachers I’m working with gain the benefits of supporting each other as they implement these tools in the classroom.
I’d like to get a sense of the lifecycle of community. From the challenges and psychology of learning new content and ‘new ways of being’ (Seely Brown 99). Through to the practicalities of application of new concepts learnt in the community. Through to the search for new role models or goals as the community fulfils my initial needs.
At a theoretical level my interest is in what techniques are used to facilitate an experience that ultimately avoids ‘uniformity and conformity’ (Saunders, 99). Already it is possible to see that the group themselves is opening up discourse on the value of the group.
What are my expectations of the community?
I have three key expectations for working in this community:
• To observe my experiences as a social participant so that I am able to pass this on my experience working with students
• To compare the instructional value and learning outcomes of the formal aspect of the WebCast Academy vs participating in the LiveStream sessions
• To consider the factors that contribute to initial socialisation into a community
Already as a participant, simply an observer in the community I have found that my lack of social connections within the group can make it challenging to contribute within the group. From reading the comments on the WebCast Academy I have noted that others have found this challenging and rewarding. In my experience even facilitating a teleconference can be challenging so I can imagine that this will be more so. I’m hoping that having a community of others all going through the same experience will provide an opportunity to capitalise on the social aspect of the learning through peer interaction.
References:
Harasim, Linda M, Pg12 Learning Networks : A Field Guide to Teaching and Learning Online, Cambridge, Mass. MIT Press, 1995
Barab, Sasha A; Kling, Rob; Gray, James H, Pg 120 Chapter 5 Teacher Professional Development, Technology and Communities of Practice Designing for Virtual Communities in the Service of Learning, 2004
MCCracken, Holly, Furthering Connected Teaching and Learning Through the Use of Virtual Communities, www.e-mentor.edu.pl/eng, 2006
Seely Brown, J. & Duguid, O. 1999, Learning, Working and playing in the digital age.
Transcript from a conference on Higher Education of the American Association for Higher Education.
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/seelybrown/seelybrown.html
Seely Brown, J. & Adler, Richard P. 2008, Minds on Fire: Open Education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0, Educause Review, January/February
http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/MindsonFireOpenEducationt/45823
Community of Practice, Wikipedia, viewed March 28 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practiceWomen of Web2.0 Show 68, viewed March 27 2008, http://edtechtalk.com/node/3085
Live chat with Students Show Viewed 26 March 2008, – Not sure when the recording will be posted.
http://webcastacademy.net/
http://edtechtalk.com/
Devils Advocate, Comment, Viewed 26 March 2008, http://edtechtalk.com/node/3056/1210#comment-1210
E-Learning Experiences Ning Discussion Post Shared Meanings http://utsemt.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2007882%3ATopic%3A949
Saunders, S. (1999). “The Social Psychology of Adult Learning” in J. Athanasou (ed.). The Psychology of Adult Learning, Sydney: Social Science Press.
