I’m going to help kick off the 8th annual Online Conference for Teaching and Learning with the topic, “Should we be using communities for learning?” Now don’t worry. I have not abandoned community. I just feel we need to increase our discernment of when to USE it! Here is a sneak preview short podcast and the intro. (Dates: March 17-19, 2010.)
If you are interested in participating in this fully online event, you can find the details here. If you want a discount of $10 USD off, use this code: nwfc9 . I have one free full registration to give out to the first person who posts their reflections on the use of community in learning either here as a comment or on their blog. If you blog, drop a comment with the link here.
We are navigating a tumultuous and very interesting transition of how we think about learning. We are stepping beyond the boundaries of “course,” questioning the continuum of formal and informal learning — all in a time when technology is fundamentally changing what it means to “be together.” From this context, the idea of using the social structure of “community” for learning has come center stage. Community has shown to be valuable in some contexts. But should it be the structure? Is structuring our educational frameworks around community central, or does it deserve a different place along the continuum of individual–community–networked learning. When is community the sweet spot? When is it the trap? Let’s talk.
Check out a preview podcast with Nancy White, hosted by LearningTimes GreenRoom hosts Susan Manning and Dan Balzer.
Communities – formal or informal and real or virtual, thrive on a purpose and on the desire to share. Communities offer a space to test one’s views with the comfort of dealing with a like minded audience. A classroom can be a community too- but not in a real sense unless members of the community- all the students and the teachers -are keen to share information and resources, participate in discussions and debate, leading to learning. On the other hand, a lot of learning can occur in a virtual community (no matter how far the members are located) through a genuine exchange of ideas and resources.
Whether educational institutions want it or not, learners will seek to be a part of a networked community.
I therefore see community-network learning not in a continuum with individual learning but in coexistence with it- giving the learner a choice – sometimes going ahead as an individual, sometimes participating in a community – either to contribute or to take away some learning.
Milind, sorry for my slow response. You helped me see that how I expressed the continuum may not be very clear. Yes, I totally agree that there is a coexistence. Now I have to think about how to articulate the RANGE more clearly. Thanks!