TEL Communities

Helen Caldwell and Anna Cox | View as single page | Feedback/Impact
TEL Communities
About this guide
How to use this guide
Definitions: Theoretical background relevant to technology facilitated social learning
Research evidence: Systematic literature reviews on the theme of technology facilitated social learning
Research Context: A selection of key studies on the theme of technology facilitated social learning
Pedagogy: General teaching strategies and frameworks for technology facilitated social learning
Case Studies: Examples from practice of technology facilitated social learning
Definition of Communities of Practice
A Critical Review of the Use of Wenger's Community of Practice (CoP) Theoretical Framework
Interactive networks and social knowledge construction behavioural patterns in online collaborative learning activities
Implementing 21st Century skills in schools
Example 1: Digital Learning across Boundaries (DLaB) Project and MOOC
Communities of Practice and social learning
Dimensions of social learning in teacher groups
Social presence–connecting pre-service teachers as learners using a blended learning model
Situated learning in practice
Overview of the DLaB project activities
Characteristics of communities of practice
Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in higher education
Teaching in a digital age: how educators use technology to improve student learning
Role of the teacher in a COP
Fifty people make a Technology Outdoors MOOC
Online Communities of Practice
Learning to teach online: a systematic review of the literature on K-12 teacher preparation
New model of teacher learning in an online network trust
Role of the learner: technology stewards
Technology Outdoors MOOC structure
Social learning in communities of practice
The relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and technology use
Learner Generated Contexts: a framework to support the effective use of technology to support learning
Active Blended learning
The MOOC online community
Roles within online communities
An international literature review of 1: 1 computing in schools
Active Learning for Knowledge Construction in E-learning
What is a MOOC?
Example community post and commentary
Implications for teachers
Summary
Further key studies
Stages of technology integration
Transfer to practice within the MOOC
The TPACK framework
Summary
R2D2 Model
Personal blog and community combined
The SAMR model
Tips for using technology to support blended learning
Technology tools used for connecting classrooms
Pedagogy before technology
Summary
More examples of DLaB tools
Summary
Example 2: Technology supporting social learning in a school
Example 3: Teaching with Tablets (TWT) MOOC
Hybrid MOOC design
Social learning within the TWT MOOC
The Online Learning Hive
Visualisation of networks within the TWT community
Visualisations supporting analysis of interactions
Types of interactions within the TWT community
Knowledge sharing in the TWT CoP
Authentic learning within a MOOC
Example 4: Using blogs and communities for student assessment in HE
Example student posts
Student comments on blogging
Student group blogs to explore learning outside the classroom pedagogy
Interdisciplinary use of blogs and online communities in teacher education
Example 5: Using digital tools for student assessment
Example 6: Mobiles in Higher Education
Example 7: Students making a context for social learning through mobile devices
Mobile technologies as a catalyst for pedagogic innovation within teacher education
Summary and themes to take further
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strength of Evidence
Transferability
Areas for further research
Editor's Comments
Online Communities

Technology Outdoors MOOC structure

Course navigation imageThe use of the LearnDash plugin meant that the course had a clear structure with four weekly themes, each containing 7 units. The first 5 units began with an introductory video, followed by a case study, lesson plan and Padlet of examples.

A high proportion of visual content and videos introducing the MOOC units helped the authors to capture their ideas and share them with an international audience. This made the ideas more accessible and set a precedent for how to share examples from practice in the online community accompanying the online course. After browsing the content, participants moved on to units 6 and 7, which encouraged them to reflect and share in the online community.

The Teaching with Tablets MOOC was multi-modal in both the way content was shared as well as within the material produced and shared by participants. This sets it apart from the other online MOOCs currently available. The visual nature of digital artefacts both drew in and inspired other participants resulting in a community of practice developing quickly for a core group of users.

Example unit from the Art in the Environment week:
http://dlaberasmus.eu/topic/see-think-unit-3-virtual-sculptures

Technology outdoors introduction video link

Wild writing video link

There was a balance of talking and doing in the course design, with 4 weekly themes each with 7 units asking participants to browse, reflect and share. Multimodality was important given the international audience and authors, and also in the light of the theme and context. Visual examples showed technology tools in action, together with examples of digital artifacts as a prompt for transfer of ideas to practice. The structure gives our learning community a life cycle, as a cohort engages with the materials and moves through the process of talking, reflecting and doing together. Pace and mutual engagement are important in order to create a responsive and fertile online community.