e-Learning Forum Asia 2011 Nanyang Technological University - - PDF document

ACMaduli (2011) 1

e-Learning Forum Asia 2011 Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Title: Understanding the Sustaining Attributes of Social Networking: Input to New Learning Paradigm By:

• DR. ANGELO C. MADULI

Head, Teaching and Educational Development Taylor’s University (Malaysia) Abstract: The higher education at this point in time is characterized by inclusiveness and

• engagement. Considering the changes happening in the entire ecology of learning, educators

are forced to find new ways of designing and delivering the learning experience they think will

• work. An example of this is the utilization of the social networking tools as extension of the

learning environment. Reflecting on the sustaining attributes of social networking as a platform

• f engagement and knowing new things, learning institutions may learn from it by creating new

ways of designing and delivering their learning services. This paper attempts to present rumination on the positive attributes of social networking and its potential contribution in shaping a new paradigm of learning. Background Case: In 2008, a new senior lecturer from a neighboring country joined the faculty

• f education of a state university in a country characterized by significant level of diversity. The

first assignment given to him was to handle a course in leadership in education to fourteen (14) students coming from different academic programs and cultural backgrounds. The course is a requirement to all students taking degrees related to teaching. The class is composed of six (6) students from the TESL program, four (4) from the science faculty, two (2) from the language department, and another two (2) from the teacher education program. During the first two meetings, the lecturer tried his best to discuss the course objectives and gave the prescribed course outline and requirements to the students. Initial readings and class activities were sent to the students through their university e-mail addresses. The lecturer expected that by doing so, the students will be attending the third meeting prepared and ready to participate. His first question for the day was thrown with so much enthusiasm. However, he received a cold response from the students, their faces painted with so much confusion. When the lecturer inquired if they received the materials through their university e-mail, the reply was a big NO. The students reluctantly mentioned that no one is using the university e-mail. The poor lecturer was left with no option but to resend the materials through the students’ personal e-mail

• addresses. The next two meetings became a burden to the lecturer. He facilitated the class

with a “testing-the-waters” scenario and a “wait-and-see” attitude. The students were in a quandary whether to continue attending the class or drop the course while they still can. The lecturer realized that there was a need to change the learning environment and the learning climate in the class. Eventually, the lecturer was able to identify the major issues in the class: not all students were comfortable with the English language as the medium of instruction and they were not used to a foreign lecturer. Therefore, the interaction and engagement were very

• limited. But not until a simple conversation that triggered the shift from less engagement to a

ACMaduli (2011) 2 more engaging session. A student mentioned that she visited the lecturer’s Facebook account and found out that he has two lovely daughters. The lecturer picked up from that conversation and asked the students whether all of them have accounts in Facebook. The lecturer declared a specific time for informal forum which served as an opportunity to clarify course-related

• concerns. It started with just one (1) hour, then later extended to three (3); almost three (3)

times a week between 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. The learning climate eventually changed. The students became more participative and motivated, taking initiatives to assume various roles in various activities. The Facebook became the non-threatening platform to engage one another, a neutral ground wherein everybody is a learner (or shall we put it in the language of the social networking tool, a “friend”). Eventually, it also served as the class bulletin board for announcements and assignments. The thread of discussions became the instrument to enhance understanding and learning. The students’ engaging participation resulted in a very encouraging student performance outcome. From the students’ feedback, it was their most engaging class ever and the first time they did not think of the grade or marks, but the learning experience they got from each learning encounter. Learning Points from the Case Based on the reflective learning experience of the lecturer, the following major learning points were posited as follows:

• Learning is a process, not an outcome
• Learners navigate their learning process
• Sensitivity and attention to students’ affective conditions are significant to learning facilitation
• Learning is happening within a social context
• The lecturer’s role is to create the opportunity and the possibility for students to learn
• Learning environment should be characterized by trust and respect

The most remarkable contribution of this experience was the ability of the lecturer to identify and attend to a challenging scenario and be able to utilize the most available, practical, but relevant tool to make the learning experience more effective. The lecturer somehow made a big leap by taking the risk of setting aside his academic status or personality in order to create a worthwhile learning climate and experience. By exploring and using the social networking platform, he knew all along that he is giving up a large portion of his control in the entire process. However, because of the element of trust and respect he was able to establish, he somehow managed to transcend the use of the tool into an extended learning space which provided them the

• pportunity to experience the true value of connectedness, interaction, and engagement.

Understanding the Learning Ecology and the Learner John Seely Brown (2000), who made extensive works in the area of human knowledge, used ecology as a metaphor to describe the environment for learning. In his article, Growing Up Digital: How the Web Changes Work, Education, and the Ways People Learn, he mentioned

ACMaduli (2011) 3 that “An ecology is basically an open, complex adaptive system comprising elements that are dynamic and interdependent. One of the things that make an ecology so powerful and adaptable to new contexts is its diversity.” Extending this concept, he further mentioned the following characteristics of learning ecology:

• a collection of overlapping communities of interest
• cross pollinating with each other
• constantly evolving
• largely self-organizing

Understanding the characteristics shared by Brown will give us a glimpse of what should we be aware of when we involve ourselves in the learning process of another individual. Creating the most conducive learning environment, which includes the learning climate, will surely set the stage for a more engaging and interesting learning process. Brown’s learning ecology calls for a diversity of learning options for the students. It is an environment characterized by openness, interaction, engagement, and interdependence. Furthermore, understanding how the learner operates within the learning ecology will provide the lecturer or the learning facilitator an upper hand to manage and guide the learning process. The facilitator’s guidance will become more significant and relevant when it provides the appropriate approaches and methods that will best support the needs, interests, and objectives

• f the learner.

In his discussion paper, An Ecology of Learning and the Role of eLearning in the Learning Environment, Arthur Richardson (2002) says, “The challenge of developing a learning ecology is to define and create an environment that balances the many resources and methods people may apply to their learning.” He shared a very interesting matrix which identifies the foundational model for holistic learning

• environment. He combines the major elements with Knud Illeris (1995) ways of how people

accomplish learning.

Figure 1. Learning Ecology

ACMaduli (2011) 4 Richardson identified the major delivery targets in the learning process, from the instructional content to instructional experience and the roles of the two agents of learning. The learner as the one who navigates the process and the facilitator as the one providing the guidance, calling it focus/navigation matrix. He further enhances his matrix by placing Illeris’ classification of instruction and activities, thereby, completing the quadrant. This learning ecology model provides a good structure and a guide on how to better facilitate a learning process. The Sustaining Attributes of Social Networking Another fascinating element of the case, which is the highlight of this paper, is the use of the Social Networking as a platform for learning facilitation. Social networking became so pervasive and popular, almost 100% of students in a given class are using either one of the most popular tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Friendster, YouTube, Wiki, LinkedIn, blogging and bulletin

• board. A research done by Youmei Liu (2010) of the University of Houston revealed that an

individual will use networking tool for social engagement, direction, communication, speed of feedback, and relationship building. These reasons are making networking tool as an indispensable item to go about a daily life. The Rice University research in 2007 identified the following core characteristics of social network, which I think are the very reason why social networking is here to stay:

• 1. User-based: Before social networks like Facebook or MySpace became the norm,

websites were based on content that was updated by one user and read by Internet

• visitors. The flow of information was in a single direction, and the direction of future

updates was determined by the webmaster, or writer. Online social networks, on the

• ther hand, are built and directed by users themselves. Without the users, the network

would be an empty space filled with empty fora, applications, and chat rooms. Users populate the network with conversations and content. The direction of that content is determined by anyone who takes part in the discussion. This is what makes social networks so much more exciting and dynamic for Internet users.

• 2. Interactive: Another characteristic of modern social networks is the fact that they are so
• interactive. This means that a social network is not just a collection of chat-rooms and

fora anymore. Websites like Facebook are filled with network-based gaming applications, where you can play poker together or challenge a friend to a chess tournament. These social networks are quickly becoming a pastime that more people are choosing over television - because it's more than just entertainment, it's a way to connect and have fun with friends.

• 3. Community-driven: Social networks were built and thrived from community concepts.

This means that just like communities, social groups around the world are founded on the fact that members hold common beliefs or hobbies; social networks are based on the

ACMaduli (2011) 5 same principle. Within most modern online social networks today, you'll find sub- communities of people who share commonalities, such as alumni of a particular high school, or an animal welfare group. Not only can you discover new friends within these interest-based communities, but you can also reconnect with old friends that you lost contact with many years ago.

• 4. Relationships: Unlike the websites of the past, social networks thrive on relationships.

The more relationships you have within the network, the more established you are toward the center of that network. Just like the concept of most pyramid schemes, the concept really works in a powerful way. When you have just 20 contacts and you publish a note or an update on that page, that content proliferates across a network of contacts and sub-contacts that's much larger than you may realize.

• 5. Emotion over content: Another unique characteristic of social networks is the

emotional factor. While websites of the past were focused primarily on providing information to a visitor, the social network actually provides users with emotional security and a sense that no matter what happens, their friends are within easy reach. Whether suffering through divorce, break-up or any other family crisis, people are finding that the ability to jump online and communicate directly with a circle of friends provides a great deal of support in an otherwise unmanageable situation. The characteristics mentioned above maybe the defining attributes which makes social networking continuously ubiquitous and universally appealing. It caters to human longings and tendencies, most especially to become part of a social group. It helps sustain human interest and feeds human desire to be connected and be engaged. It nourishes our appetite for learning new things with others. It promotes the discovery of the common grounds by helping us “develop the ability to reduce the innate tendency for animosity for those who are different.” (J.R. Johnson, 2009) George Siemens (2003) articulated in his article, Learning Ecology, Communities, and Networks: Extending the classroom, “the value of the various aspect of community to address our social needs as learners; a gathering place for diverse people to meet, a nurturing place for learning and developing, it is integrated and connected, and its symbiotic, sustaining each member.” Most importantly, social network is user-defined, meaning, access and connection are determined by the user and not by a third party administrator. It gives the user the right and the privilege to determine the kind of interaction and engagement he/she wants to experience. Towards Learning Innovation The mainstream education received many criticisms and many believed that the traditional approach to learning is no longer relevant and useful to actual work or practice, worst in real life

• situations. Most of what is taught is forgotten and most of what is remembered becomes

ACMaduli (2011) 6

• irrelevant. A viral video in 2006, entitled “Did You Know: Shift Happens”, by Karl Fisch,

presented fundamental issues that education needs to face. He puts a very profound ending statement that somehow challenges the current approach to learning. The presentation remarkably puts it: “We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that have not been invented, in order to solve problem we don’t even know are problems.” Graham Leicester, et.al (2009) noted that the current pace of change in education system worldwide is steadily slow, if not “utterly out of step”. He further mentioned that “school remains a perennial institution, maturing in Victorian times and little changed in its essence in over a century.” The following researches, reports, and initiatives are calling educational institutions to reflect, revisit, and re-learn their understanding about learning and their delivery of the learning experience:

• 1. OECD-CERI’s Project on Brain Research and Learning Science (2003)– outlines the

significant role of emotions on learning

• 2. US Spelling Commission (2006) – acknowledges the need of the US higher educational

to revisit issues on learning and innovation

• 3. McArthur Foundation Report on the Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age (2009)

– presented the “Ten (10) Principles of Learning for the Future

• 4. Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence – by revisiting their current educational system,

recognizes the significant role of education in ensuring the learners attributes, knowledge and skills are develop in ways everyone may be able to use it for life, learning, and work.

• 5. United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development – recognizes the

need to provide education that will promote and improve sustainable development in all levels and sectors of education in all countries Going through the contributions of the above materials, and many more out there, will give us an opportunity to revisit our current position and practices, as well as the needed innovation we can possibly embrace to enhance learning experience. Below is the matrix or realizations that

• ne may reflect upon:

ACMaduli (2011) 7 Creating an Innovative Learning Paradigm The appreciation and understanding of the learning ecology, the learner, and the sustaining attributes of the social networking may provide us new ingredients in order to create a new learning paradigm. A new learning paradigm that is sensitive and responsive to the major elements of an authentic learning experience. The new paradigm should serve as a new lens that will provide learning institutions and educators the new perspective and motivation to redesign our current delivery of the learning experience.

Figure 2. New learning paradigm

ACMaduli (2011) 8 The framework provides new dimensions that learning facilitators may design and deliver the learning experience; from providing informational documents, learning aids, presentation, lectures and drills to collaborative activities, modeling, exercises, and authentic practice. It also reminds us of the significance and relevance of the human attributes and tendencies which drives meaningful learning and knowledge acquisition. Conclusion Confronted with new tools and new experiences, one should not be scared from taking risks. In the realm of learning facilitation, learning facilitators needs to cultivate the innate ability to discern the most appropriate intervention, given the new circumstances. And this innate abilities lies in our human desire to share and make other people become better. By combining different lenses and various perspectives, one may arrive at a better understanding of an issue, challenge or problem. In this paper, the integration of the learning ecology and the attributes of the social networking, the rumination provided us the dimensions to realize the learning that works; a learning experience characterized by inclusiveness, engagement and interdependence. The use of the social networking platform to extend the learning spaces became successful not because of the technology per se, but the understanding of the underlying principles on how it effectively

• perates.

References: Brown, J.S. (2000). Growing up digital: How the web changes work, education, and the ways people learn. Change Magazine, March/April, pp. 11-20. Davidson, C. and Goldberg, DT. (2005). The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age. McArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning. Johnson R.G. (2009). http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/learning_communities.htm. Accessed 29/3/2011. Leicester, G. et.al. (2009). Transformative Innovation in Education: a playbook for pragmatic visionaries. International Futures Forum. Triarchy Press. Liu, Y. (2010). Social Media Tools as a Learning Resource. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 3(1), 101-114. University of Houston. OECD-CERI Report on Brain Research and Learning Science. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/54/39/35562310.pdf Rice University Research (2007). http://socialnetworking.lovetoknow.com/Characteristics_of_Social_Networks. Accessed 29/32011 Richardson, A. (2002). An Ecology of Learning and Role of eLearning in the Learning Environment. Global Summit 2002. Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/whatiscurriculumforexcellence/index.asp UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001416/141629e.pdf US Spelling Commission Report. http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/reports/final-report.pdf