The Collective Building of Knowledge in Collaborative Learning Environments

The intention of this chapter is to investigate how collaborative learning environments (CLEs) can be used to elicit the collective building of knowledge. This work discusses CLEs as lively cognitive systems and looks at some strategies that might contribute to the improvement of significant pedagogical practices. The study is supported by rhizome principles, whose characteristics allow us to understand the process of selecting and connecting what is relevant and meaningful for the collective building of knowledge. A brief theoretical and conceptual approach is presented and major contributions and difficulties about collaborative learning environments are discussed. New questions and future trends about the collective building of knowledge are suggested

OpenLearn and knowledge maps for language learning

This chapter presents new methodologies designed to facilitate language acquisition in open learning communities via open educational resources and knowledge mapping. It specifically focuses on the OpenLearn project developed by the Open University. This offers a virtual learning environment based on Moodle platform with free educational materials and knowledge media tools such as the instant messaging MSG, the video webconference FlashMeeting and the knowledge mapping software tool Compendium. In this work, these technologies and mapping techniques are introduced in order to promote open language learning. Ways in which teachers and students can make use of these OpenLearn tools and resources are discussed and some benefits fully described

Collaborative learning using Microworld and WebMapQuest

The intention of this paper is to show relevant issues (resulting from theoretical and empiric research) about how Microworld can be used to elicit the building of knowledge and to encourage collaborative learning. For that purpose, we have been investigating how to manage information overflow and develop incentives to collaborative learning using Microworld through WebMapQuest - projects of investigation with virtual maps. In this paper, a brief conceptual approach is discussed, major contributions difficulties and future trends are presented

Creating knowledge maps in Virtual Learning Environments

The intention of this paper is to show a reflexive study about knowledge representation through maps in virtual learning environments (VLE). The aim of this research is to investigate how maps can be used to build information networks, contribute to the collective building of knowledge, and facilitate research and pedagogical mediation in VLEs. For this purpose, the specialization post-graduation online course “Software Use in Qualitative Research” was analyzed. During this analysis, I discuss meaningful learning through maps built using the mapping software Nestor Web Cartographer, CMap tools and Compendium. I then present some important aspects about how maps can contribute to online content design, tutoring diagnostic and assessment applications

Novos paradigmas na educacão online com a aprendizagem aberta

This paper aims to discuss important concepts related to online education which bring a new educational paradigm: open learning through free learning materials and technologies. In this context, we present the OpenLearn Project – virtual environment based on the platform Moodle with educational resources developed by the Open University. The purpose of the OpenLean project is widening participation through digital inclusion and free access to higher education learning. The OpenLearn offers not only course contents, but also new technologies integrated for collective construction of knowledge such as: the software tool Compendium and the web application for video conference Flashmeeting. In the end, we highlight some important actions to facilitate interactivity and co-authorship for learning communities

Social media for enriching collaborative open learning and collective knowledge

This paper demonstrates some pedagogical strategies for enriching collaborative open learning - “co-learning” and collective knowledge through social media. The study centres on the e-book Open Educational Resources and Social Networks (oer.kmi.open.ac.uk) developed by the open research network COLEARN during 2012. Its collaborative research question focused on how academic communities could make their work more accessible and reusable as Open Educational Resources using Social Media. A hundred and thirteen participants – researchers, lecturers, supervisors, postgraduates and undergraduates –, from thirty research groups of different universities and countries co-authored thirty-three chapters that draw upon their mainstream research and redesigned the content to make it more reusable and understandable for a broader target audience. The theoretical principles which our qualitative and quantitative analysis are grounded are: participatory media, Commons-Based Peer Production, Mass collaboration. Our outcomes show that through social knowledge media, co-learners can convey their views by sharing questions, information, tools, practices, methods, productions and reflections. They can also rate, tag, review, comment and share others’ collaborations. All of these contribute to the development of new thoughts, research and innovation towards open collective knowledge

Co-authorship in the age of cyberculture: Open Educational Resources at the Open University of the United Kingdom

Locating Open Educational Resources (OER) as a phenomenon of cyberculture, this paper presents a reflection on the possibilities of co-authorship that are entailed in OER initiatives of different natures and settings within a large organisation. A selection of OER-related projects and activities carried out at the Open University of United Kingdom (UKOU) are examined from the perspective of a comparative framework proposed by Okada (2010). The framework identifies key features and differences between ‘Closed’ and ‘Open’ Education, that is, respectively, formal education, which takes place within the constraints of institutional Virtual Learning Environments, and informal education, which is gradually taking place more widely in cyberspace. The paper is introduced with a succinct discussion of the connection between cyberculture and the emergence of OER, followed by a presentation of the comparative framework adopted. The UKOU´s structure and methods are then presented, and various projects are discussed. The article concludes by proposing a brief commentary on the creative potential that is being unleashed at the very boundaries between formal and informal educational spaces that cyberculture is challenging

The role of mentoring in facilitating the process of repurposing OER

This paper presents the initial data analysis of a research that is work in progress. It discusses the role of mentoring and peer support in facilitating the process of repurposing open educational resources (OER). It also reports on the lessons so far learned from the analysis of two distinct but related case studies on working with learners to use and disseminate OER. The first case study is based on the 2009 presentation of the distance learning Masters’ course of the Institute of Educational Technology of the Open University UK (from now on OU) entitled “Technology Enhanced Learning: Practices and Debates”. In this course the registered students were guided through the repurposing of content within the OER repository of the OU, OpenLearn, as part of their course activities. The aim was to provide the students with substantial information about and knowledge of finding, using and repurposing OER. The second case study relates to the activities of the online community COLEARN, an initiative of the Knowledge Media Institute of the OU which started in 2006. COLEARN is an online community hosted within the OpenLearn platform, bringing together researchers and practitioners from Brazil, Portugal and Spain mostly. The aim of COLEARN is to offer a community-supported environment in which research and ideas about the use of collaborative technologies for learning can be shared. All the activities in COLEARN are available to the world as OER, as well as all the resources shared the by participants. Mentoring in these two cases happen in different ways. In the first case we term it ‘formal mentoring’ because the mentoring is part of the course activities of registered students in the course. The students are guided step by step on how to find OER, assess its relevance and how to make use of web 2.0 technologies to modify the content to fit specific purposes. In particular, they are prompted to use an in situ editing tool offered by OpenLearn to modify and re-publish content. The mentoring in this case is offered through the task design of the course material and through the tutoring available. In the case of COLEARN, the mentoring process happens through peer and tutor support from the community to the community. This is why we term it ‘informal mentoring’, although at a times the user performing the mentor’s role is a tutor of another learning setting (e.g. a tutor associated with a higher education institution). By means of pre-booked learning sessions (e.g. brainstorming sessions based on a web-videoconference tool such as Flashmeeting ), workshops and discussion forums the participants of this community get substantial support and guidance on how to use OER and technologies that facilitate OER repurposing. By analysing the activities of the mentors and participants in the two case studies, we aim to explore how both forms of mentoring seem to address the needs of the practitioners/students in terms of learning how to work with OER

Designing Open Educational Resources through Knowledge Maps to enhance Meaningful learning

This paper demonstrates some pedagogical strategies for developing Open Educational Resources (OERs) using the knowledge mapping tool Compendium. It also describes applications of Knowledge Maps to facilitate meaningful learning by focusing on specific OER examples. The study centres on the OpenLearn project, a large scale online environment that makes a selection of higher education learning resources freely available via the internet. OpenLearn, which is supportedby William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, was launched in October 2006 and in the two year period of its existence hasreleased over 8,100 learning hours of the OU's distance learning resources for free access and modification by learnersand educators under the Creative Commons license. OpenLearn also offers three knowledge media tools: Compendium(knowledge mapping software), MSG (instant messaging application with geolocation maps) and FM (web-based videoconferencing application). Compendium is a software tool for visual thinking, used to connect ideas, concepts, arguments, websites and documents. There are numerous examples of OERs that have been developed and delivered by institutions across the world, for example, MIT, Rice, Utah State, Core, Paris Tech, JOCW. They present a wide variety of learning materials in terms of styles as well as differing subject content. Many such offerings are based upon original lecture notes, hand-outs and other related papers used in face-to-face teaching. Openlearn OERs, however, are reconstructed from original self study distance learning materials developed at the Open University and from a vast academic catalogue of materials. Samples of these “units” comprise a variety of formats: text, images, audio and video. In this study, our findings illustratethe benefits of sharing some OER content through knowledge maps, the possibility of condensing high volumes of information,accessing resources in a more attractive way, visualising connections between diverse learning materials, connecting new ideas to familiar references, organising thinking and gaining new insights into subject specific content

Cartografia cognitiva: mapeando conhecimento e organizando rede de informação na Internet

O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir como webmaps (mapas na Internet) podem ser utilizados para propiciar a construção do conhecimento e organizar redes de informações na Internet. A intenção é trazer contribuições para organizar grandes fluxos de dados na Internet visando obter melhores estratégias para acesso de dados e sistematização de conhecimentos. Para a fundamentação teórica selecionamos a pirâmide informacional, a construção do conhecimento em rede e a interação colaborativa onde os próprios sujeitos podem tecer informações significativas. À luz desta tríade teórica, pretendemos desvelar a utilização de webmaps para organizar redes de artigos online de conferências e congressos. Neste estudo percebemos que webmaps podem ser utilizados com uma interface para compreender e orientar o percurso cognitivo do aprendiz, estruturar informações relevantes facilitando a organização de idéias e a produção de novos conhecimentos