The STIN in the Tale: A Socio-technical Interaction Perspective on Networked Learning

In this paper, we go beyond what have been described as 'mechanistic' accounts of e-learning to explore the complexity of relationships between people and technology as encountered in cases of networked learning. We introduce from the social informatics literature the concept of sociotechnical interaction networks which focus on the interplay between participants, technology, learning artefacts and practices. We apply this concept to case material drawn from transnational trade union education to identify and to analyse three aspects of networked learning: the local sociotechnical networks of learners; the construction of an overarching, global sociotechnical network for learning; and the evolution of such networks over time. Finally we identify issues for further research highlighted by these models

Innovating pedagogy 2022 : exploring new forms of teaching, learning and assessment, to guide educators and policy makers

Comprend des références bibliographiques et webographiquesOpen University Innovation Report 10"We are proud to present our 10th anniversary report in our annual series exploring new forms of teaching, learning and assessment! The reports are intended for teachers, trainers, policy makers, education consultants, academics, students, researchers, instructional designers, educational software developers and all who are interested in pedagogical innovation and future learning scenarios.This tenth report, produced by researchers in the Open University’s Institute of Educational Technology in collaboration with colleagues from the Open University of Catalonia, looks back on the past 10 years and proposes another set of promising innovations that have not yet had a significant influence on education but deserve attention."-- provided by Agnes Kukulska-Hulm

COVID, clay, and the digital: the role of digital media in pottery skill development during the COVID-19 pandemic in Britain

The COVID-19 lockdowns in Britain during 2020 and 2021 deprived people of access to studios and workshops in which we typically understand the learning and practising of skilled crafts to occur through working amongst others with materials. Recent literature on skill and craft has argued that it develops through social, participatory, and embodied processes in shared situated contexts. I argue that attention to the role of digital media within these ecologies is key to understanding how people continued to learn new craft skills during the pandemic. Drawing on Material Engagement Theory and the concept of digital materiality from digital sensory anthropology, I develop a case study around people practising pottery in Britain during the pandemic. I demonstrate how engagements with digital media are central to skill development, highlighting how the ‘digital’ and ‘terrestrial’ cannot be disentangled, and thus emphasising the importance of attending to the total hybrid learning ecology

Re-envisioning L2 hybrid and online courses as digital open learning and teaching environments: Responding to a changing world

This article begins with a summary of the research literature that has been carried out over the last ten years regarding second language (L2) learning and teaching issues in college-level hybrid and online course environments. Next, I explore the open education movement and highlight characteristics that are shared between open educational resources and practices as well as open access scholarship and the interactions, activities, materials, and digital tools that are commonly used in L2 hybrid and online courses. As such, the primary focus of this article examines how L2 hybrid and online course environments can be conceptualized as—and are increasingly becoming—digital open learning and teaching ecologies (van Lier, 2004). Re-envisioning L2 hybrid and online courses as digital open learning and teaching environments presents both opportunities and challenges for L2 learners and teachers and the language education field as a whole. I therefore conclude with an overview of future empirical, pedagogical, and curricular issues and questions that will need to be addressed related to L2 digital open efforts as they continue to expand

AI-Driven Dynamics: ChatGPT Transforming ELT Teacher-Student Interactions

In the rapidly evolving educational domain, where artificial intelligence (AI) is pivotal, English Language Teaching (ELT) witnesses profound transformations. This study, focusing on integrating ChatGPT, an AI-driven language model, illuminates its substantial impact on the dynamics between teachers and students within ELT. Pertinent to this research is the inquiry into how ChatGPT reshapes teacher roles, responsibilities, and pedagogical practices, an area previously overlooked in the realm of AI in education. Employing a theoretical lens, the study scrutinises active learning models, technology integration theories, and paradigms of teacher professional development. Such analysis is crucial in comprehending teachers' shift from traditional methodologies to more facilitative and supportive roles, emphasising the urgency of this investigation for active learning's progression. Utilising diverse analytical approaches, ChatGPT propels pedagogies encouraging active learning, notably blended, collaborative, and project-based learning, while accentuating the necessity of professional development and institutional support for teachers' successful transition to these novel roles. These findings offer pivotal insights for the higher education sector, underlining the imperative of embracing AI's transformative potential, particularly tools like ChatGPT. By delving into ChatGPT's influence on teacher-student interaction and pedagogical methods, the study carves a significant path for future exploration and application in technology-enhanced ELT

Developing understanding of student-teacher agency: implications for programme development

Developing student teachers to become confident and effective professionals is a central aim of teacher education programmes. Developing understanding of student-teacher agency - the ways in which student teachers actively participate in their learning - has the potential to inform programme development. Working in the context of a blended learning Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme, the research presented here aimed to develop understanding of student-teacher agency, with the purpose of informing programme development. Deepening our understanding of the student teacher experience enabled critical reflection on the design and delivery of the programme, informing our developments. Taking a narrative stance, data were generated from fifty-three student teachers, during a discussion activity in which they reflected on their experiences during the PGDE year. Analysis utilised Priestley, Biesta and Robinson’ (2015) framework for Teacher Agency. Findings suggested that student teachers’ peripheral positioning, to the community of professional teachers, influences their approach to their own learning during the PGDE year. Findings directly informed the development of programme structures. Deeper understanding of student-teacher agency has informed our practice in a blended learning environment: Understanding these aspects of the student-teacher experience has the potential to inform the development of programmes utilising different methods of delivery

Open in the Evening: Openings and Closures in an Ecology of Practices

Recently a critical turn has emerged in the open education literature. In addition to voices which have critiqued open education as under-theorised (Bayne, Knox & Ross, 2015; Edwards, 2015; Gourlay, 2015; Knox, 2013; Oliver, 2015; Veletsianos & Kimmons, 2012), another strand has called upon scholars and practitioners to refocus their attention on open educational practices (OEP). From this perspective, open forms of education (like education in general) are framed as a range of processes undertaken by human beings, rather than consisting specifically in the resources they create or amend. This framing appears to offer the possibility of deeper insights into actual practices, but whereas the forms of openness afforded by OER or MOOCs are well understood, it is less obvious what exactly makes a practice open. However, this inherent ambiguity might be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness of OEP: while much of the literature discussing OEP has framed the concept in relation to OER, there is a more expansive concept of OEP which recognises other forms of openness and ways of opening (Havemann, 2016; Cronin, 2017; Cronin & MacLaren, 2018; Roberts et al, 2018). Taking its cue from this line of enquiry, this chapter considers the question of what is open about (or opened by) open education, and how the concept of OEP can potentially aid this investigation. It focuses on a case study of practice at Birkbeck, University of London, which is an institution of higher education that itself grew out of a particular instance of opening almost 200 years ago. The case study will illustrate the senses in which Birkbeck, along with the particular case of practice under study, is characterised by an interplay of openings and closures

Online learning design in higher education: a holistic investigation of people, processes and pedagogy

The design and provision of online learning by universities has gained traction globally as a strategic move towards flexible education maximising students’ learning opportunities. A promising approach for designing high-quality online learning is collaborative design where educators work with interdisciplinary digital learning professionals. However, to date, studies that have taken a holistic approach to examine the nature and outcomes of the design work between these key university actors in a single project are lacking. This thesis addresses this gap by investigating the decision-making processes of educators and digital learning professionals during online learning design, the factors influencing their decisions, and the rationale behind their pedagogic choices. Cultural-historical activity theory was adopted as the theoretical framework to enable a thorough investigation of educators’ and digital learning professionals’ online learning design work within their broader sociocultural context. A multiple case study was employed as the overarching methodology with data collected from seven design teams (‘cases’) across six UK-based universities involved in ongoing online learning design cycles. One-to-one interviews in two stages (before and after the design of online modules) and non-participant observation of design meetings were conducted to capture participants’ insights. Relevant documents were also analysed as secondary evidence sources. Findings revealed participants’ decisions were made through framing, sharing insider knowledge and expertise, forward-looking, and breadth-first design processes. Their decisions were influenced by four levels of interacting and interdependent factors: individual, team, community and network, and institutional. The pedagogic rationale behind participants’ decisions indicates their practice re-culturation and has been conceptualised in this research as holistic, multivoiced, and connected. Collaborative design also proved to support educators’ professional development in (co-)design, pedagogy, and learning technology. These findings contribute to a multifaceted and contemporary understanding of online learning design and highlight practical implications for educators, digital learning professionals, university leadership, industry partners, and researchers.Open Acces

Towards a Digital Pedagogy of Inclusive Active Distance Learning

This chapter focuses upon the concept of Active Distance Learning  [ADL] as a pedagogical approach to designing and teaching in a remote learning setting. This concept has been developed at the University of Northampton to complement their pedagogical approach of Active Blended Learning. ADL combines sense-making activities with focused and engaging interactions in synchronous and asynchronous online settings.  It engages students in knowledge construction, reflection and critique, the development of learner autonomy and the achievement of learning outcomes. The chapter also draws upon the Universal Design for Learning Framework for making ADL inclusive. This approach enables learning to be designed or modified for the greatest diversity of learners possible. This chapter is aligned with contemporary social constructivist, constructionist and connectivist learning theories that emphasise the social situatedness of learning in communities of practice where learners feel empowered to co-create knowledge. Key pedagogical approaches are mapped with the affordances of a range of digital tools  to exemplify inclusive ADL practice. A set of vignettes from practice demonstrates digital pedagogies and tools in action, showing how they can add pace, collaboration and engagement to synchronous and asynchronous online learning