Designing for Learning: Online Social Networks as a

Classroom Environment

Gail Casey and Terry Evans 2011

Research parameters:

∗“Authors appreciate learning is a dynamic and shared experience that extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom, where the unpredictable is considered a treasured learning experience” p2

Introduction: Design for learning: Why use social

network?

∗“Research exploring the impact that new information and communication technologies (ICT’s) are having on teaching and the ways students learn, particularly the role of one to one laptops in the classroom, continues to be a priority for many educational policy makers. And due to young people’s attraction to them, social networks are emerging as an important tool in today’s schools.” (p:2)

∗ “Worldwide acceptance of social networking in the workplace is paving the way for education to take advantage of this type of learning.” (p2)

Introduction

∗“This new reality has the potential to significantly impact how we design learning experiences of opportunities for connectivity” (p3)

∗For this purpose of this research, authors used Nuthall’s social constructivist theory to underpin study: “Nuthall makes it clear that students learn a great deal from their peers. In fact their motivations, interests, attention and involvement may all strongly be affected by relationships with their peers” (p3)

Introduction cont’d

∗“Used Ning as a base camp to communicate, publish and link to other online environments” (p4)

∗Refer to next slide to see the authors research considerations, the paper focuses on the student strand.

Research Design

Additional

∗Authors used Armstong and Moore’s framework for action research which provided flexibility to explore non traditional modes of curriculum delivery.

∗“ Move away from “instructional order” of the traditional classroom.” p5

Research Design: Additional considerations cont’d

Emergent Learning: Chaos and Complexity

∗ Study sensitive to emergent learning which meant open to ideas of complexity and chaos theory.

Chaos Theory

∗ “Students were able to be explorers, designers, and publishers …to support their peers, self-reflect, and provide both peer-assessment and self-assessment.” p.6

∗ “…the Ning social network emphasised connectivism, where interactions that were generated by their connections, whether informal or formal, allowed students to behave in different ways and learn from one another rather than just from the teacher. As a result, opportunities to present new and emergent knowledge continued to develop which helped to enhance the teaching and learning process.” p 8

Designing Learning Experiences

Emergence: Social Media as a Classroom Environment

∗ Results indicated that students online interactions varied from some students ‘lurking’ to others actively participating.

∗ 3 patterns of behaviour emerged from the data on how the students used social learning platform:

1. Students formed group outside the parameters of the learning2. Number of groups increased3. Students ‘My Page’ used a way to express personal feelings Reinforced that “Ning was not a linear learning environment” (p14)

Emergence: Social Media as a Classroom Environment

∗ “The chaotic Ning activity did calm down by itself.” p.11 and “the water droplets connected and became the active drivers of their environment.”

∗ “This paradigm of disorder offers the possibility of escaping from … structures of order that are increasingly perceived as coercive” p.13

∗The Social Learning Platform demonstrated how students used Ning to give feedback to improve multimedia product... “ This process of interaction was used only for major projects initially, but it gained momentum and students started to incorporate it without being asked; it appeared that students valued one another’s feedback, and many enjoyed providing it.” (p16)

∗Because students published their learning to a wider audience on the Ning platform, it gave them the students “... a reason to produce higher quality work.” (p17)

Analysis: Formal and Informal Learning

Analysis: Formal and Informal Learning

In addition authors observed:

Positives Negatives

1. “students worked in different ways than when they did in a traditional classroom” (p19)- Students could “access the classroom anytime they wish” (p20)- Parents appreciative of online resources and support for students (p 20)- Author did not have to repeat explanations (p 20)

- Increase teacher time to monitor and participate on

the social network. - Extra time needed to observe latest activity,

update resources. (Flip side less time for

editing as students did this which led to an “...effective triangulation of assessment

data” p:20)

∗“…learning occurs in nonlinear patterns: emergent, divergent and convergent.” p21

∗“…their online connections served a purpose. “p21

∗Teachers cannot take on this approach in fear of chaos and disorder; they must find innovative ways to construct disorder and flow with chaos and build resilience to the traditional training that instinctively drives them to take control…we must begin where we are.” p22

Conclusion: Connecting the dots

Therefore in conclusion:

This study suggests that the impact of Social Networks in the classroom is such that:

∗Students Perspective: “Participants were able to take control of many aspects of learning, including supporting and assessing their peers. Their online connections served a purpose, diversifying their networks and uncovering new possibilities for learning.” p21

∗Implications for Us: “Has the teacher, intentionally or otherwise, caused enough chaos to motivate her students to reorganise? Too much chaos will lead to disruption, while too little chaos will produce no reorganisation.” p22

In a nutshell…

What did you say?

Let’s talk

∗Group 1: Cinzia. Daina, Rose, Yox

∗Group 2: Andrew, Bron, Tara, Taresa

∗Group 3: Riccardo, Jan, David, Kate

∗Group 4: Jessica, Brendan, Karen, Catherine

Shared Google doc link:

∗ SOCIAL MEDIA: As a group, brainstorm the range of social media you have used in the classroom. On the PMI below, evaluate the impact. (1 person from the group record)

∗ TEACHING: Casey suggests that when using social networks (like Ning) it should be underpinned by curriculum design theories, such as Nuthall’s criteria for effective teaching. As a group, outline Nuthall’s four key premises on page 8 and 9. Then, using this understanding, reflect on  your own practice and discuss how you use digital tools to link with these criteria.

(each group member record their thoughts)

Let’s talk:

∗As a group: 1. Briefly synthesise your understanding of emergent learning, with reference to social network sites. 2. What are the implications for us as curriculum designers? 3. How would this type of curriculum design link to our St John’s SOARING pedagogy? (1 person record group thinking)

∗LEARNING: Describe how a Social Learning platform (like Ning) links to the 21C General Capabilities? Draw on your own experience or use examples from the article.

(1 person record group thinking)

Let’s talk:

∗What did you think?

Feedback

∗The research did not compare students learning results with previous years. Is this approach really

value adding?

∗What is the Curriculum Design balance?

Is the Jury still out?

∗Implications for Us: “Has the teacher, intentionally or otherwise, caused enough chaos to motivate her students to reorganise? Too much chaos will lead to disruption, while too little chaos will produce no reorganisation.” p22

Regardless