Collaborative learning using social tools for enquiry, reflection and sharing

Funded by Practice Based Professional Learning, Centre of Excellence for Teaching & Learning

Non ScantleburyThe Open University Library & Learning CentreLibrary Seminar Series 8th October 2008

Project durationJune- November 2007

Participants7 Associate Lecturers, Regional and Academic Staff11 LibrariansAimsTo investigate the potential of social networking tools tofacilitate collaborative practice-based learning

CLUSTERS project

Undertake “hands on” investigation of social tools andevaluate• The relevance of the concept of “user generated

content” for practitioners developing and sharing knowledge

• How practitioners can work collaboratively to advance practice knowledge using freely available social networking tools

• An ‘empty box’ model of learning in which participants negotiate a topic of interest and build their own collaborative learning

CLUSTERS objectives

Discover something new

Librarians wanted to investigate…..“the application of interactive, collaborative and multi-media based technologies to web-based library services and collections” (Maness, 2006)

Associate lecturers wanted to investigate……“how tutors could seek to review and improve how they tutor, through formal and informal feedback and also through engaging in discussion with colleagues to exchange tips, share best practice, discuss issues.”

Maness, J.M. (2006) Library 2.0 theory:Web 2.0 and its implications for libraries. Available from http://www.webology.ir/2006/v3n2/a25.html

– PB Wiki http://pbwiki.com/education.wiki– Flashmeeting http://flashmeeting.open.ac.uk

– Del.icio.us http://del.icio.us/– Ning http://www.ning.com/– Facebook http://www.facebook.com/– fOUndit http://foundit.open.ac.uk/Pligg/

CLUSTERS toolkit

Qualitative data:

• Wiki contributions• Del.icio.us library• Flashmeeting dialogue/transcriptions• Comments within Facebook and Ning• Questionnaires

CLUSTERS evaluation

The CLUSTERS constellation!

• Knowledge Management (self selection, critical evaluation)

• Identity Management (need for guidance)• Technological Limitations (need good support)

• Enthusiasm and open to online group work (strong and weak links)

• Balancing physical and virtual presence• Broadening reflective practice (expert, generalist

and the grasshopper!)

Key issues which emerged

• New collaborative publishing opportunities • Seeding enthusiasm in use of tools for sharing

good professional practice (tagging, sharing and rating)

• Experimentation of blogging with students• Engagement with Library 2.0 initiatives –raised

the Library’s profile• Funding for further practice based research (Social Networking for Practice Based Learning)

Project outcomes

Collect, Organise and Share

Project manager: P.J.Greaney@open.ac.uk

Follow on project..Social Networking for Practice Learning

Issues with using social tools?

• Are you using any social tools currently to support you in your work or professional development?

• If so how? • What are the key challenges to us adopting these tools

in a work related context?• Can we realistically continue to segregate our

work/personal/professional lives in the Web 2.0/Web 3.0 worlds?

Issues for librarians and others• finding help for effective Information and Knowledge

Management in ‘social networking contexts’• being “snappy” for the ‘lazy web user”• moderation, mediation or organic?• changing practice in instructional design (how interactive is

your learning?)• effective IPR in social learning spaces• technological determinism v user benefits (eg.Twitter-

extending sphere of influence or ‘white noise’?))• needing to be where the users are• Broader information infrastructural needs for distance

online learning -not everything needing to be ‘miscellaneous’!

http://library20.ning.com/

Next steps??

• Collaborative vision for SociaLearn• The Open University’s Broadcast Strategy Review• Project Bamboo

• Library websites and personalisation• More cross domain working!

Thank you for listening!