Social connectedness in online and blended-learning communities

Increasing flexibilisation and personalisation of education creates challenges in terms of students’ social connectedness with each other, with the programme and with lecturers. For this reason, a team of researchers and professors from four universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands carried out research into how a sense of community can be created in learning communities. On the basis of a literature review and design-oriented research, we conducted experiments aimed at fostering social connectedness in eight learning communities. These learning communities were in the domains of Nursing, Healthcare and Welfare Teacher Training, Management in Care, Teacher Training, and Nutrition and Dietetics (part-time, full-time and dual programme variants). The above research resulted in this Social connectedness in Online and Blended Learning Communities guide, which consists of two parts. Part one outlines the seven design principles (focused on content, attitude and preconditions) which lecturers can work with in their role as facilitator. The lecturer can apply these design principles to promote social connectedness in online and blended learning communities, including when flexible student paths are involved. These design principles are supported by practical IT tools and working methods and are widely applicable. The design principles involved are: A. Getting to know each other B. Trust and cooperation C. Shared and common goals D. Willingness to participate E. Programme and instruction strategies F. Sharing information and knowledge G. Resources and preconditions. Part 2 consists of a methodological justification and substantiation of the research underpinning the guide as well as a description of the results and ends with a conclusion, discussion and recommendations for further research. The experiments showed that learning communities that were newly established or had changed in composition after some time mainly opted for design principles A. Getting to know each other and B. Trust and cooperation. Learning communities that had been active for a longer period chose mainly C. Shared and common goals. Further longitudinal and other research is needed to determine to what extent the design principles and the role of the facilitators can be applied in other domains (such as technology, economics, etc.)

Social connectedness in online and blended learning communities

Increasing flexibilisation and personalisation of education creates challenges in terms of students’ social connectedness with each other, with the programme and with lecturers. For this reason, a team of researchers and professors from four universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands carried out research into how a sense of community can be created in learning communities. On the basis of a literature review and design-oriented research, we conducted experiments aimed at fostering social connectedness in eight learning communities. These learning communities were in the domains of Nursing, Healthcare and Welfare Teacher Training, Management in Care, Teacher Training, and Nutrition and Dietetics (part-time, full-time and dual programme variants). The above research resulted in this Social connectedness in Online and Blended Learning Communities guide, which consists of two parts. Part one outlines the seven design principles (focused on content, attitude and preconditions) which lecturers can work with in their role as facilitator. The lecturer can apply these design principles to promote social connectedness in online and blended learning communities, including when flexible student paths are involved. These design principles are supported by practical IT tools and working methods and are widely applicable. The design principles involved are: A. Getting to know each other B. Trust and cooperation C. Shared and common goals D. Willingness to participate E. Programme and instruction strategies F. Sharing information and knowledge G. Resources and preconditions. Part 2 consists of a methodological justification and substantiation of the research underpinning the guide as well as a description of the results and ends with a conclusion, discussion and recommendations for further research. The experiments showed that learning communities that were newly established or had changed in composition after some time mainly opted for design principles A. Getting to know each other and B. Trust and cooperation. Learning communities that had been active for a longer period chose mainly C. Shared and common goals. Further longitudinal and other research is needed to determine to what extent the design principles and the role of the facilitators can be applied in other domains (such as technology, economics, etc.)

Sociale binding in online en blended leergemeenschappen

De toename van flexibel en gepersonaliseerd onderwijs zorgt voor uitdagingen op het gebied van sociale binding van studenten met elkaar, met de opleiding en met docenten. Een onderzoeksteam van onderzoekers en lectoren van vier hogescholen in Nederland is daarom nagegaan hoe gevoel van verbondenheid in leergemeenschappen bevorderd kan worden. Aan de hand van literatuur- en ontwerpgericht onderzoek is in acht leergemeenschappen geëxperimenteerd met het bevorderen van sociale binding. Deze leergemeenschappen bevonden zich in de domeinen Verpleegkunde, Lerarenopleiding Gezondheidszorg en Welzijn, Management in de Zorg, Pabo en Voeding en Diëtetiek, zowel duaal, deeltijd als voltijd. Het onderzoek heeft de handreiking Sociale binding in online en blended leergemeenschappen opgeleverd, welke voor u ligt. De handreiking bestaat uit twee delen. In het eerste deel worden de zeven ontwerpprincipes (gericht op inhouds-, houdings- en randvoorwaardelijke aspecten) waar de docent als facilitator mee aan de slag kan, toegelicht. De docent kan deze ontwerpprincipes toepassen om sociale binding in online en blended leergemeenschappen te bevorderen onder andere als er sprake is van flexibele studieroutes. Deze ontwerpprincipes zijn voorzien van praktische (ICT)tools en werkvormen. De ontwerpprincipes zijn breed inzetbaar. Het gaat om de volgende ontwerpprincipes: A. Elkaar leren kennen B. Vertrouwen en samenwerken C. Gedeelde en gezamenlijke doelen D. Bereidheid om mee te doen E. Programma en instructiestrategieën F. Delen van informatie en kennis G. Hulpbronnen en randvoorwaarden Deel 2 bestaat uit een methodische verantwoording en onderbouwing van het uitgevoerde onderzoek waarop de handreiking is gebaseerd, een beschrijving van de resultaten en afsluiting met een conclusie, discussie en aanbevelingen voor verder onderzoek. Uit de experimenten bleek dat leergemeenschappen die nieuw opgestart werden of na een periode wisselden van samenstelling vooral kozen voor de ontwerpprincipes A. Elkaar leren kennen en B. Vertrouwen en samenwerken. Leergemeenschappen die langer actief waren kozen vooral voor C. Gedeelde en gezamenlijke doelen. Verder (longitudinaal) onderzoek is nodig om na te gaan in hoeverre de ontwerpprincipes en de rol van de facilitators toepasbaar zijn in andere domeinen (zoals techniek, economie)

Social connectedness in online and blended learning communities

Presentation "Social connectedness in online and blended learning communities

Sense of community

The purpose of the dataset was to measure the sense of community in blended and online learning communities. A survey was used to measure the sense of community amongst students before and after an experiment focused on improving social commitment. Furthermore, group interviews were organised to elaborate on the questions of the survey

Handreiking sociale binding in online en blended leergemeenschappen

Steeds meer onderwijs is flexibel en gepersonaliseerd. Dat zorgt voor uitdagingen rondom sociale binding van studenten onderling, met de opleiding en met docenten. Daarnaast wordt steeds meer onderwijs online en blended vormgegeven. Dit draagt bij aan de vraag: Hoe zorg je bij online en blended onderwijs dat mensen elkaar nog weten te vinden en te bereiken? De zone Flexibilisering van het onderwijs deed er onderzoek naar. Daar is een praatplaat en handreiking Sociale binding in online en blended leergemeenschappen uitgekomen. Hierin worden concrete ontwerpprincipes – voorzien van voorbeelden, werkvormen en (ICT-)tools – gepresenteerd