The Impact of Network Learning on Self-Directed Learning Strategies

1. The Impact of Network Learning on Self-Directed Learning Strategies International Self-Directed Learning Society Cocoa Beach, Florida February 8-10, 2011

2. Self-Directed Learning Online • “Self-directed learning episodes increasingly are online experiences” (Butcher and Sumner, in press) • “Learners rely upon web materials as their primary-and often sole- source of information for learning” (Butcher and Sumner, in press)

3. Concepts of a Changing Reality • Cyber-Learning • Individualized Network Learning • Computer Supported Collaborative Learning • Community Based Learning • Collaborative Knowledge Building • Collaborative Telelearning • Technology enhanced Learning • Dyadic Learning on Network • Personal Learning Environment Based on Web 2.0 • Synchronous Interacting • Knowledge Society • Knowledge Workforce • Knowledge Economy

4. Research Questions • What are the types of learning and knowledge people seek through social networks ? • What are the strategies they use to learn from these networks? • What are the advantages and limits of learning through digital resources and social networks?

5. Relationship with Learning • Internet changed our relationship with knowledge and learning by making it available on a large scale on the Web • Networks and Social media are changing our relationship with learning making it less dependant on traditional ways • The learner is becoming more independent, more self-directed • Extended access to Learning resources and opportunities of Management of one’s own Learning • Promotion of the Lifelong Learning Society • Intrinsic motivation, instant rewards • But this change is not choice, but has been imposed

6. Network CommunitiesProximity vs Interests • Traditional learning communities bound by physical proximity, shared geography • Network communities bound by shared interests • Learning process supported by interaction via computer network

7. Important Factors that Influence Learning in CommunitiesSusilo, A. (2008). 1-Interactivity 2-Opportunity for Collaboration 3-Meaningful and motivating context 4-Continuously available learning environment

8. Types of Uses of Digital Media 1-Sharing 2-Socializing 3-Communicating 4-Interacting (Kavoori, 2010)

9. Personhood : Connectivity and Affiliation • Success of Facebook, Myspace and other social networks : not an individual-centered medium but a community centred one • Online identity and self-representation

10. Network Society • Network society is a social structure based on networks operated by information and communication technologies (ICTs) that generate, process and distribute information on the basis of the knowledge accumulated in the nodes of the networks (Castells, 2006, p.7)

11. The Network Society • In Network Society almost everyone is connected to everyone else • The arrival of Network society via New technologies has changed human condition • « Human condition refers to the tension that exists between who we are and who we could become , the ongoing struggle between human needs and human aspirations » (Albert, Flournoy and lebrasseur, 2009).

12. Network Society • Network Society has almost erased the barriers of time and space • Connectivity made it easy to create virtual relationships and communities and multiple and diverse memberships • It has unleashed great creative and innovative potential and possibilities of control

13. Knowledge Workforce • Knowledge Workforce are technology-savvy individuals who have training to understand and apply telecommunications and electronic media at work, home and in the community (Albert, Flournoy and Lebrasseur, 2009). • They are critical to networked communities because of their skills and potential contributions to innovation and productivity (Albert, Flournoy and Lebrasseur, 2009).

14. Web 2.0 • Second generation of Web development and design that aims to • Facilitate communication • Secure information sharing • Secure collaboration • Development of Web based communities • Development of applications and hosted services ( social networking sites, videosharing sites, wikis, blogs, etc.)

15. Superusers and Networked Communities • Superusers work smarter using high-speed telecommunications infrastructure and intelligent software to network with friends, colleagues and other people around the world. • They make Networked communities, interconnected electronically and socially. • They make alliances and partnerships to extract new economic and social value from these networks (Albert et al.),

16. Universal Access, Virtual Communities, Digital Economy • Networks : availability of ready sources of information, sharing, socialisation, entertainment • Shared telecommunication networks • Meaningful civic education and engagement • Same conceptual and contractual agreements that occur in the physical world occur in the virual world (Albert et al.) • Collaborative opportunities for improving education and productivity and enhancing the quality of life

17. Uses of Social Networks • Seeking advice • Problem Solving • Learning more about subjects of interest • Learning about other cultures, people, places • Make learning easy • Use for intimacy and privacy • Use for self-expression and creativity

18. RSS reader • Accessible, instant information—the ability to constantly stay abreast of new information by simply logging into your email. • However, the presentation of continual streams of data in the Google reader seems very cluttered to me • it looks like a wall of unread emails which provokes feelings of anxiety in me rather than wonderment in the new information.

19. Google Blogger • Google Blogger and the RSS feeds on the right-hand column of my blog. This way I could decide when I wanted to visit the sites and also had an account to write down my thoughts regarding certain articles read. • I could also befriend current or new friends based on our similar interests. I like the idea of a more interactive community rather than just a stream of data.

20. Googledocs The principle is mind-blowing: no more attaching documents to my emails or dragging them to USB keys—just upload and go!

21. Delicious • An incredible functionality is being able to click on the right-hand side and see how many people have ALSO bookmarked the same item as you! You can literally hop, skip and jump about the bookmarks of other people, gathering new resources as you go along. • I easily spent 1 hour just surfing around people’s interests and clicking on various links during my initial account set up. For every 1 link I add from my own diligent internet-detective work, I add about 5 more supplementary links from other like-minded folk. • And when I’m surfing outside of home, I always have a way of saving the places I want to re-visit rather than emailing myself the link.

22. Tags • Every time someone uses a tag for example “French Grammar”, you get an exhaustive list of all bookmarks associated with this. You can also organize your tags into “Bundles”—a big fan of this—and have your links appear several times in different folders.

23. Critique of Network Learning • Problem of validation/Quality of Knowledge • Highly time consuming • Productivity • Virtual interaction vs real interaction • Privacy Paradox • If the people who are in the industry are feeling overwhelmed by the constant demands of technology, one can only imagine how novices must feel. • It’s great to be connected but it’s almost impossible to de-connect. • In all, my feeling is that Internet is too useful for study, for anything, but too vast to manage. Commanding several software is necessary to improve efficiency and more, improve life quality.

24. References • Albert, Flournoy and Lebrasseur, (2009). • Butcher, K.R., Sumner, T.; Maull, K. and Okoye, I. (2010). Conceptual Personalization Technology : Promoting Effective Self-directed, Online Learning. • Butcher, K.R.; Sumner, T. (In press). Self-directed learning and the sensemaking paradox. Human Computer Interaction. • Castells, M. (2006, p.7) • Susilo, A. (2008). Use of Facebook for academic Network Learning in Universitas Terbika-Indonesia. AAOU Journal, 3, 2, 99-114. • Kavoori, A. (2010). Digital Media Criticism. New York : Peter Lang. • http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/perry.positions.html • Middleton, C.; Veenhof, B. et Leith, J. (2010). Intensité de l’utilisation d’Internet au Canada : comprendre les différents types d’utilisateurs. Ottawa : Statistique Canada.

25. Learning Society • Internet users form a group with own languages, customs and cultures (Wallace, 1999) • Learning Society est comprise au-delà des progrès technologiques (société de l’information), car elle repose sur des dimensions éthiques, sociales • et politiques qui visent la création de « nouveaux sens », tout en promouvant la diversité • culturelle et linguistique, le développement durable, l’éducation, la créativité, l’innovation et • l’esprit critique.

26. Knowledge Society • La notion de « société du savoir » a pour objectif ultime que toute personne, sans distinction, se trouve en mesure • de créer, de recevoir, de partager et d’utiliser • de l’information et des connaissances qui serviront à son développement, au plan économique, • social, culturel et politique (UNESCO, 2003).

27. Self-Directed Learning Using Digital Ressorces • Self-Directed Learning in a Network Society • Perspectives and Challenges

28. Types of Learning • Learning about people outside of one’s immediate network, about their jobs • Learning about one’s work from other

29. Limits of Network Learning

30. Superuser Interview Blanc • Training in New Technologies • Start-up • Blogs, etc. • Book on Social media • Specific Networks (professional, social) sharing • Counselling organisation about social network, enhance their visibility on the web • Among the first user of the Web

31. Blanc • Each Network has its particularities • Open profile on Twitter, Linkedin, Myspace, Youtube • Facebook (fermé) • Followers : Suivi du monde (pertinence, fortuité, tactiques…) • Créer de la vélocité • Medias traditionnels • Media sociaux (moyens et longs terme)

32. Blanc • Architecture qui permet à Google de faire sa job • Contenu textuel • How to write to be optimised by links • Hyperlinks that direct people to your link and enhance particpation and • Content exchange with other portals • Share one’s epertise

33. Blanc • No recette to become followed Timing, market • Facebook, Myspace, etc. may change conditions of use • Popularity of blogs, portals • Faiseurs de tendance • Twitter, very influencial (real time Web) • Blogs Mario Assellin, Hoffenton, Steven Dows,Georges Simens, Vincent Gautrel UdeM (droit et techno de l’information).

34. White • Open Media, • Second Life • Social Media policy • Second Life • Everything is on the web, everything is possible,, but you have to take the oportunity, there has to be integration • Teachers are challenged by the students who go on the web and find information to contradict the professors. Some expert passionate professors will find this a positive challeng, orther will stick to their traditional old knowledg. Not un détenteur de savoir, mais un incitateur à la curiosité. Learning/teaching have been changed by media. Incitateur à la curiosité, un validateur de savoir, help students to acquire a critical sense.

35. Reflexions on Software Used • For me, it is not only software, it is a kind of lifestyle; we use it to communicate, to study and to entertainment.

36. iGoogle • Zamzar • Keepvid

37. Taking risks

38. On-line photo album + VideoPhotobucket

39. ICT change the when, where, why and how we learn • New learning strategies adapted for the Internet and social networks are emerging to cope with the changes • Connectivity : increased empowerment as learners (less constraints of space, time, source) • Availability of resources : learning becomes omnipresent