I may come to regret posting this but here’s a link to my latest MSc submission. A work of staggering genius it is not but it did pass.
The title is [deep breath]:
“Discuss, in relation to learning environments that are enhanced via technology, and with reference to appropriate literature, the statement: ‘learning always takes place in social contexts but is inevitably an individual achievement’.”
I answered it in the context of informal learning networks with specific reference to Tom Barrett’s fantastic “Interesting Ways” series of curated resources. Big hat tip to Tom and the other educators who contributed to the series.
My main thrust was that although it’s impossible to extricate the influence of social context from learning, a person’s motivation and choice to participate ultimately an individual achievement.
There’s also a bit about “virtual ethnography” as being the best way I can see of describing what happens in informal learning networks, and that institutions and organisations who want to take advantage of these networks should do so carefully.
I’ve made it available under a by-nc-nd creative commons license and your comments are welcome.
Anyone who reads the whole thing gets a badge.
1 Comment until now
I read your essay – i like it
When do you actually need a learning environment? Are they just a gimmick – Adding features, like on-line timetables — but do they actually help?
Does being being social or motivational actually help to make students learn.
I would love to see a real study that puts old school parroting and lessons VS learning platforms and modern techniques.
I think maybe the motivation of the past was the cane. (I think i’ll have that on a t-shirt)
No fancy LP’s or multimedia, or Twitter (Mr Thomson!) and still every famous author,scientist,politician,etc managed to get where they are without the modern tools.
What was the students of the past reason to participate?
Bit of a rant – sorry! Now where is my damn badge!
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