Networked Learning Conference 2010

Participatory Network Design. We can explore methodological and theoretical approaches to design in social networking environments. A growing number of researchers are concerned about data collection methods in the design process of network.

I would like to explore the connection 'forgive the pun' between connectivism as a learning theory espoused by Downes and Siemens and Networked learning. Would I be right in presuming there is a lot more in common than there are differences between the two concepts. Connectivism seems to be to present a more wordly and general theory of learning than networked learning, also connectivism seems to have a more consensual approach to what it is all about as compared to networked learning that seems more divided. However both concepts revolve around the learner as being plugged into the latest technology to promote and facilitate their own learning.

Mission Statement The identification and adequate application of optimal research methods and evaluation strategies are decisive prerequisites in order to ensure the validity and reliability of research findings. A comprehensive research process should select the appropriate methods depending to the specific goals in the according phases of the research project. Furthermore, different research strategies should mostly be combined to strengthen the content, coverage and explanatory power of research findings. Although, in the domains of qualitative and quantitative methods sophisticated techniques and epistemiological frameworks exist in research practice the combination of those methods is still uncommon or occurs mostly insufficient. Partially this results from the fact that those research paradigms are taught mostly independently to students and in the literature integrative approaches are only marginally addressed. This SIG strives to foster integrative views of qualitative and quantitative research methods in theory and practice. Especially, the following questions are in the scope of our future work: * Which factors determine the appropriate application of research techniques and strategies? * Which theoretical frameworks can be adopted in order to ensure a sound application of integrative research techniques and strategies? * Which recommendations can be formulated for a selective combination of research techniques and strategies? * What are specific quality criteria which have to be respected in complex research processes? * Which general research and publication standards can be identified that encourage the application and prevalence of integrative methodological approaches?

Naturially there is a great deal of interest here in networked learning in the sense of everyone being online and perhaps distributed over time and space. What about the idea of networked learning in the connected classroom? I hope to be coming to the conference and presenting a paper on this topic -specifically collaborative reflection and the possibility of a learning community facilitated by voting systems and interactive whiteboards etc. Maybe this is an opportunity to think about where the 'network' starts or ends or reaches in a term like 'networked learning and networked learning commiunities. What about the possible intersections of such networks and what is the networked environment in such contexts anyway? What do you think?

Maybe we could tackle some of the more didactical questions like: What is a good learning conversation? What does it distinguish from a normal 'everyday' conversation? How can we facilitate students' online learning conversations? How can we analyse the quality of online learning conversations? ....? Exchanging some relevant publications might be a good start :-)

At the Ruud de Moor Centrum at the Dutch Open University we are researching and facilitating social networks to stimulate teacher professional development. In this group i hope we can share some of our projects and link them up with related initiatives

Dette forum henvender sig specifikt til medlemmer af netværk om e-læring, NoEL

A group for existing and prospective members of CPsqaure http://www.cpsqaure.org