May 2008 — News
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Social Networking: Learning Theory in Action
However, also according to Grunwald, when examining the distribution of innovative uses of the same tools--that is, students who use networking tools more collaboratively, creatively, and with actual project outcomes in mind--the uses of the tools can change according to the intentions of the user and more complex and learning-related skills can be developed, if the purposes change. Arguably, then, if instructional design intentionally maximizes this kind of skill development, learning could benefit, and students would be engaged in the process. In fact the students who were surveyed in the study demonstrated a wide range of possible uses of the same software.
Innovative Uses
According to the 2007 study, of the students surveyed, those who were titled "non-conformists" participated in all the possible uses of social networking tools. While these students only represented one in five of the regular student users, the scope of their uses was incredibly diverse, complex, and innovative. The challenge then becomes how to encourage more students to use the tools actively rather than passively--the user controlling the tool rather than the tool dictating the user's activity. That sounds much like the challenge of good teaching in general: how to encourage students to become more active and more creative in their engagement in the learning process, rather than simply following the safe paths of passivity.
Collaboration
Educators are increasingly challenged in the development of collaborative skills in learners. Given our current societal needs for making more with less, it's worth noting that learning theorists have long supported the notion that the sharing of ideas increases the outcomes of new knowledge. Work done by Scardamelia and Bareiter (1996) in computer-assisted and mediated knowledge-building learning environments consistently suggested that new technology can assist in the knowledge-building process as long as commitment to the learning process and positioning of the working contexts are relevant and applied for the learner. Many educators confuse cooperation and collaboration: the former being a passive skill that while necessary for group work and team projects does not develop the same active skill of collaboration. Collaboration requires activity on the part of all participants and results in the exchange of ideas and the working of ideas (Scardamelia, 2002) and can result in new knowledge. Social networking tools can be used to develop this skill when integrated into a project-based approach to learning--that is, when students are encouraged to start with the end in mind and bring various resources and participants into the process working towards their solution.
Creativity
Accessing prior knowledge empowers learners in their own learning process. Creativity in learning, however, develops ownership and new applications of learning for the learner. In higher education, creativity in learning is central to authenticity and facilitates critical thought. Often creativity is recognized and valued in conventional "creative" contexts, such as art and/or design; however creativity in learning should be a highly valued skill as it requires a high level of thinking and encourages the learner to make new paths for their learning. So when students manipulate software environments for uses other than their main intention, students are demonstrating a level of creativity that could be integrated into the learning environment and work for their benefit.
