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“The case for using learning communities in schools”

Christopher Grant :: Emagister.comDirector Learning Communitieshttp://digitalaltruist.com

Global Strategies Education Congress :: Madrid :: Nov 23, 2010

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Today’s Topics

•What is an Online Learning Community and why should you care?

•Why you can’t afford not to participate in others’ learning communities

•What are the advantages of adding a learning community to your center?

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What is an Online Learning Community and why should you care?

“An online learning community is a common place on the Internet that addresses the learning needs of its members through proactive and collaborative partnerships. Through social networking and computer-mediated communication, people work as a community to achieve a shared learning objective. Learning

objectives may be proposed by an instructor or may arise out of discussions between participants that reflect personal interests.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_learning_community

“Una comunidad de aprendizaje online es un lugar en Internet que responde a las necesidades de aprendizaje de sus miembros a través de asociaciones proactivas y de colaboración. A través de las redes sociales y la comunicación mediada por ordenador, la gente trabaja como una comunidad para

lograr un objetivo de aprendizaje compartido. Los objetivos de aprendizaje pueden ser propuestas por un instructor o que pueden surgir de los debates entre los participantes que reflejen los intereses personales.”

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What is an Online Learning Community and why should you care?

1.“may arise out of discussions between participants [based on] personal interests”• Self-organized• Self-run• Self-sustaining (aka viral growth)• Incarnations: distribution lists, forums, groups, …

1.“proposed by an instructor”• Initially less common• Increasing thanks to LMS, e-Learning and teacher tools sites

(Sclipo, WizIQ)

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Why you can’t afford not to participate in other’s learning communities

2004•Facebook launches

2007 •Facebook hits Spain. Advertising? What?•Emagister launches it’s online learning community in 2007

2010•Facebook social ads are a must for marketing departments•Emagister’s learning community hits 3,000,000 registered members

2012•???

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Why you can’t afford not to participate in other’s learning communities

Online learning communities are more powerful advertising tools than standard social networks:

•Behavior

•Educational Interests

•Relationships

That’s why there are so many!

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Why you can’t afford not to participate in other’s learning communities

•Online community growth will not stop

• Viral growth machines

• Digital natives1 are coming of age

• The learner is in charge, not the teacher or the center

• Thrive on networks

• Build their own learning environments

• Email and web are not inventions

• Lead them or get out of the way

1 Duane Sider, Rosseta Stonehttp://www.kirstenwinkler.com/leaving-the-stage-teaching-and-learning-in-the-digital-age/

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Why you can’t afford not to participate in other’s learning communities

•People spend 99% of their time away from your web site

•People spend 80% of their time learning informally

• Make the case for formal learning

• Find and push people towards the other 20%

• Build a formal learning brand that seeps in during informal learning

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Why you can’t afford not to participate in other’s learning communities

•Online communities are are reputation machines based on engagement and interaction

• Good or bad? Up to you?

• If Coca-cola can do it, so can you

•Natural network affinity benefits centers just like people

• Get followers

• Create a positive brand

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What are the advantages of adding a learning community to your center?

Demographics, again

•Digital natives expect 24 asynchronous learning

•They’ll network with fellow students on whatever platform is easiest

•They’ll expect accrued value from earlier generations of learners

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What are the advantages of adding a learning community to your center?

E-learning ≠ Social learning

•Online social context is more effective than offline

•Share my learning path effortlessly, share my insights

•E-learning is still a closed system; social learning means NO borders

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What are the advantages of adding a learning community to your center?

Total Information Awareness means new priorities:

•Guidance is more important than access

•Materials are as powerful as our ability to share them

•Analisis and interaction are the keys

Online Learning Communities focus on these priorities and make them a reality.

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Thank you!

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