Brouns, Francis

Hsiao, Y.P.

English

Learning Networks are particularly suitable for lifelong learners as Learning Networks are online social networks designed to support non-formal learning. Lifelong learners want to learn what they need, when they need it and at a place and pace that suits them. Combined with the heterogeneous background of the learners, it is very hard to meet these needs with traditional curriculum based formal education. Instead the learner needs to be put central. Moreover, learners in a LN need to rely on learning through and with others, by sharing knowledge. That this is a feasible option is shown by the positive effects of collaborative learning and peer tutoring in formal education, as well as the interest in social learning in the digital era. However, a Learning Network needs to provide learner support services to tackle obstacles that arise due to the lack of interaction structures and organisational structures that come naturally with a formal educational setting. A peer support service that assists learners in finding the most suitable peer for their request is one of the required learner support services. In this paper we argue why social learning and peer support are relevant to learners in a Learning Network. We describe our peer support model based on the notion of ad hoc transient groups and present findings of five empirical studies that used prototypical implementations of this model. In the first prototypes peer selection criteria focused on content knowledge, proximity or eligibility and past workload. As collaboration tools, a wiki, discussion forums or instant messaging were used. In three studies, both formal education and in Learning Network conditions, the peer support systems were successful in that selected peers provided decent answers. However in two other studies we encountered problems. In one study learners failed to use the peer support systems to ask questions. In another study, sufficient participants were recruited beforehand, but many never responded when the experiment started. As a consequence, peers who were paired with learners never showed up and learners got frustrated. This shows how important it is that learner support services not only provide the means to interact with others but also provide the affordances that stimulate and motivate the learners to engage in meaningful interactions

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Open Universiteit www.ou.nl Social learning in Learning Networks through peersupport: research findings and pitfallsCitation for published version (APA):Brouns, F., & Hsiao, Y. P. (2012). Social learning in Learning Networks through peer support: research findingsand pitfalls. 18-25. Paper presented at 8th International Conference on Networked Learning, Maastricht,Netherlands.Document status and date:Published: 11/04/2012Document Version:Peer reviewed versionPlease check the document version of this publication:• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences betweenthe submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for thefinal version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website.• The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review.• The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.Link to publicationGeneral rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain• You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal.If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, pleasefollow below link for the End User Agreement:https://www.ou.nl/taverne-agreementTake down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at:pure-support@ou.nlproviding details and we will investigate your claim.Downloaded from https://research.ou.nl/ on date: 08 Sep. 2023Social learning in Learning Networks through peer supportResearch findings and pitfallsFrancis Brouns, Amy Hsiao, CELSTECNetworked Learning Conference, 2-4 April 2012Introduction• Introduction– Who are we?• What are learning networks?• Why peer support?• Some results• Your feedbackWho are we?• CELSTEC: Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies• Learning Networks Research and Development programme• Report on studies by Peter van Rosmalen, Gijs de Bakker, SibrenFetter, Amy Hsiao, many othersLearning Networks• Online networks• Social networks of people• People connected through network and interactions• Learn from and with each otherSocial learning through peer support• People learn from and with each other: knowledge sharing and construction• Requires social interactions• Need to provide support to enable and maintain successful interactionsAd hoc transient groups• Ad hoc transient groups• Learner support• Network supportPeer support modelAnswer is storedPost-condition1.Anne poses a question.2.The system determines– Learning progress.– Most suitable peers.3.System sets up a collaboration area with question and guidelines.4.Selected peers get an invitation to assist.5.Anne and the peers discuss and formulate an answer6.Anne closes the question and rates the answerMain stepsA Learning Network with learning material, and a set of users with profilesPre-conditionPeer matching criteria• Context• Type of question• Objective• Available user profile dataTwo examples learner support• ASA: A tutor locator– Non-formal learning network– Content related questions• SAPS: Synchronous Allocated Peer Support– Higher education and non-formallearning network– Course related questionsExample sense of community• TeLLNet: Ask a question– International community of teachers– Questions related to TeLLNet, projectsand subjectsResults• Positive results• ASA and SAPS– Questions satisfactorily answered– More questions in shorter time span when selecting based on criteria• TeLLNet– Helped teachers to get into contactwith each otherCognitive load• Mental effort and processing involved in performing task• Reduce inefficient aspects to optimise performance• Learning network without social support induces too much unwanted cognitive loadTwo studies• Non-formal learning network• Peer tutoring• Psychology curriculum• Working in pairsResults• Large drop out• Few usable data cognitive load• Very few questions askedSummary• Peer support in Learning Network required for knowledge sharing and construction.• Ad hoc transient group likely peer support model.• How to select peers depends on context.• Better results when selecting on criteria than random.• Difficult to run experiments in Learning Networks context: no controlled situation; can’t single out aspects.• Difficult to apply theories and approaches from established instructional design and learning domain.• Holistic approach necessary.Further information• francis.brouns@ou.nl• ASA: Peter van Rosmalen• SAPS: Gijs de bakker• TeLLNet: Sibren Fetter• Cognitive load: Amy Hsiao• For publications, check our repository at http://dspace.ou.nl• More information about CELSTEC at http://celstec.org• More information about Learning in LearningNetworks at http://openu.nl/web/topic-leren-in-netwerken

Social learning in Learning Networks through peer support: research findings and pitfalls

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Social learning in Learning Networks through peer support: research findings and pitfalls

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