EdTech 504: Learning Communities - Chapter review notes

I am very interested in learning communities (particularly in an online format), as I aim to get involved in promoting those throughout K-12 arena in the next school year. As I read chapter 11, I was considering these questions: Are learning communities even necessary for good education? How is a learning community actually different from a community of learners? And how are online communities different from face-to-face formats?

Chapter 11. Learning Communities (From Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments)

1. Defining Community
1. “can tap levels of emotion and energy that otherwise remain dormant” (Manning, Curtis, and McMillen (1996))
2. “…negotiated by individuals, in the context of changing external constraints” (Komito (1998))
2. Defining Learning Community
1. Everyone involved in collective & indiv. effort to understand (Bielaczyc & Collins (1999))
2. Share concern, set of problems, or passion about a topic. Deepen knowledge/expertise though ongoing interaction (Wenger, McDermott, Snyder (2002))
3. How formed? (Hannafin et al. (2003))

                                                               i.      Directed: Objectivist, formal, authority-driven goals & means (instruction + eval.)

                                                             ii.      Negotiated: Jointly-determined norms & expectations

                                                            iii.      Informal: Learner-driven (e.g. technology-trends increase learning via Web 2.0 + social networking)

3. Examples of Learning Communities
1. Knowledge Forum – (1990’s Scardamalia & Bereiter) – “knowledge building communities”

                                                               i.      Learners come tog. to extend ideas using Web-based tools

1.      multiple perspectives

2.      elaborate/reorganize ideas

3.      helps their own and others’ understanding

2. Doesn’t have to be elaborate

                                                               i.      International partnerships

                                                             ii.      Face-to-face or online using various tools (e.g. Web 2.0)

                                                            iii.      Professional development (don’t need a fancy “course")

1.      e.g. Inside Teaching: multimedia website as a “living archive”

2.      learn from it and contribute to it for others’ benefit

4. Theoretical Foundations of Learning Communities
1. Social Constructivist Theory -- Vygotsky

                                                               i.      Interdependence of learner and learning context

                                                             ii.      Community members on various points of ZPD continuum, novices supported by “experts” via scaffolding

2. Social Presence explores connections between group members

                                                               i.      “the degree of awareness of another person in an interaction and the consequent appreciation of an interpersonal relationship” (Short, Williams, and Christie (1976))

                                                             ii.      Perceived social presence affected by social context, online comm., & interactivity (Tu and McIsaac (2002))

                                                            iii.      Positive feelings of social space transferred to subject matter

3. Social Interdependence

                                                               i.      Foundational theory in cooperative learning

                                                             ii.      “exists when the outcomes of individuals are affected by their own and others’ actions” (Johnson and Johnson (2009))

                                                            iii.      Can be positive (promote joint goals) or negative (obstruct each others’ goals)

                                                            iv.      Hudson,Hudson, and Steel (2006) study international online learning comm.. (share purpose, division of labor, and joint activity).

1.      Look at language, culture, and identity

2.      Assessment for learning, not of

4. Situated Learning

                                                               i.      Context shapes and defines meaning – can’t be indep. (Brown, Collins, & Duguid (1989))

                                                             ii.      Learning thru interactive/facilitated collab. & communication (w/ peers & teacher)

                                                            iii.      Can’t separate process of knowing from that which is known

                                                            iv.      Learners recognize knowledge’s usefulness for cognitive purposes (e.g. problem-solving)

5. Promoting the Individual

                                                               i.      Self-Regulation Theory -- Self-efficacy, motivation, and metacognitive skills influence quality of cognitive engagement, and in turn, social engagement in learning comm..

                                                             ii.      Self-Directed Theory – similar theory explored from process and personal attribute perspectives

1.      Robertson (2011) study of blogs used to extend face-to-face interactions. Results: enhanced self-directed learning skills + support each other

5. Issues and Challenges Associated with Building a Learning Community
1. Development takes time, attention, and interaction (w/ peers, experts, or content)
2. Need a sense of presence (Tu (2004))

                                                               i.      Community of Enquiry Framework: social, cognitive, and teaching presence (Garrison and colleagues)

3. Purpose

                                                               i.      Naturally develops (grassroots) or is intentionally formed

                                                             ii.      Type: Community of inquiry or practice

1.      Wenger (2006) comm. of practice has people who share concern/passion for something they do – improve thru regular interaction

4. Assumptions -- Form face-to-face more than online
5. Logistics: limited time in general (or specifically asynchronous/synchronous), limited one-on-one attention, tech challenges
5. Creating Learning Communities: Strategies and Techniques
1. Learning Community Environment

                                                               i.      Sociocultural theory – supportive, “safe” context to interact and share (and take risks (Allan & Lewis (2006)). Shared goals and values (Guldberg & Pilkington (2006))

                                                             ii.      Social interdependence theory – estab. common ground, e.g. rules for interaction (Johnson & Johnson (2009)). Helps learners understand own role and explore other roles. Builds relationships

                                                            iii.      Situation learning – authentic, real-world situations = improve results & interactions

                                                            iv.      Self-directed or -regulated – “failure safe”, no retribution = extend comfort zones (Hill (2002))

2. Time

                                                               i.      Presence: “Someone is out there” (Hill (2002)) – direct contact w/ individs. + regular news sharing

                                                             ii.      Time management: boundaries, guidelines, set priorities

3. Technology

                                                               i.      Easier and quicker social presence, outreach, and “collaborative knowledge building” (e.g. blogs & wikis)

                                                             ii.      Needs well-organized structure, regardless of format

                                                            iii.       Multiple ways to engage

                                                            iv.      Well-supported (time and resources) to avoid tech probs

7. Moving into the Future with Learning Communities: Conclusions and Recommendations for Further Research
1. Building one is a process, takes care and nurturing
2. Lingering questions:

                                                               i.      Transformative learning experiences in a learning comm.?

                                                             ii.      Role of culture?

                                                            iii.      # of participants to be effective?

                                                            iv.      How to encourage/reward participants? (importance of social structures)

References

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Bielaczyc, K., & Collins, A. (1999). Learning communities in a classrooms: A reconceptualization of educational practice. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models, Vol. II (pp. 269-292). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

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Brown, J.S., Collins, A., & Duguid, S. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning, Educational Researchers, 18(1), 32-42.

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Garrison, D. R., & Cleveland-Innes, M. (2005). Facilitating cognitive presence in online leaning: Interaction is not enough. American Journal of Distance Education, 19(3), 133-148.

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Komito, L. (1998). The Net as a foraging society: Flexible communities.  The Information Society, 14, 97-106.

Manning, G., Curtis, K., & McMillen, S. (1996). Building community: The human side of work.  Cincinnati, OHL Thomson Executive.

Moore, M. G. (1989). Three types of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2). Available online: http://www.ajde.com/Contents/vol3_2.htm#editorial.

Robertson, J. (2011). The educational affordances of blogs for self-directed learning. Computers & Education, 57, 1628-1644.

Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1991). Higher levels of agency for children in knowledge building: A chellenge for the design of new knowledge media. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 1(1), 37-68.

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