The impact of Social Computing on Learning: Challenges and Opportunities for Europe

Transcription

1 IRIS Major Findings Workshop on: Socio-economic implications of Digital Identity and Social Computing JRC IPTS, Information Society Unit Brussels, th November 2009 The impact of Social Computing on Learning: Challenges and Opportunities for Europe Yves Punie Romina Cachia, Anusca Ferrari, Christine Redecker Joint Research Centre (JRC) Institute for Prospective Technological Studies The European Commission s Research-Based Policy Support Organisation The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the EC.

2 The European Policy Framework for E&T 2 Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in E&T, COM(2008) 865 Lifelong learning and mobility Quality & efficiency of E&T Equity & active citizenship Innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship e-skills for the 21st Century, COM(2007) 496 Fostering Competitiveness, Growth and Jobs Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, 2006/962/EC mother tongue; foreign languages; maths/science/technology; digital competence, learning to learn; social & civic competences; entrepreneurship; cultural awareness & expression SWP: The Use of ICT to support innovation and lifelong learning for all, SEC(2008) 2629

3 IPTS research on ICT and Learning 3 Four ongoing studies with DG EAC Dir A (Lifelong Learning: horizontal Lisbon policies): Learning 2.0 part 1: The impact of SC on formal E&T in EU ( ) Learning 2.0 part 2: Informal learning in online networks ( ) Innovation and creativity in EU27 learning objectives ( ) A foresight on ICT, Learning & Innovation : New ways to learn new skills for future jobs ( ) Strong links with IPTS einclusion work ICT for Second Language Learning for immigrants ICT for integration of excluded youth

4 The Four C s of Learning Content: SC providing greater access and diversity 2. Creating: SC supporting creation of educational content 3. Connecting: SC connecting different actors 4. Collaborating: SC supporting collaboration

5 5 1. Content: SC providing greater access and diversity 2. Creating: SC for the creation of educational content 3. Connecting: SC connecting different actors 4. Collaborating: SC supporting collaboration

6 1.1 Access & sharing of academic content 6 > 1500 videos from MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale

7 1.2 Access to a variety of learning contents 7 > 8348 videos, 6062 lectures, 5379 authors, 291 events

8 1.3 Access to a diversity of opinions: blogs 8 Of all active internet users 70% read blogs 46% left a comment 35% started own blogs (Universal McCann, 2009) Access to alternative sources of information & knowledge Room for personal reflections Space for debate Provision of content outside mainstream media

9 1.4 Implications: Challenging learning paradigm 9 Access to information and knowledge becomes less exclusive and hierarchical => Learning paradigm based on authority and control is challenged New possibilities for on-the-job training => Knowledge acquisition process: from know-what to know-how and know-where

10 10 1. Content: SC providing greater access and diversity 2. Creating: SC supporting creation of educational content 3. Connecting: SC connecting different actors 4. Collaborating: SC supporting collaboration

11 2.1 User-generated learning content 11 Online community for sharing instructional videos for teachers, schools, and home learners About 800,000 visitors every month; 220,000 regular users and more than 54,000 videos Most popular: teacher rapping about the math concept of perimeter (355,000 hits) Teaching each other: "things you do not learn about teaching in college" (227,000 hits).

12 2.2 : User-generated learning content (teachers) 12 > 1,6 million registered users articles in English 7,796 page edits

13 2.3 : User-generated learning content (learners)

14 2.4 Implications: User empowerment 14 Learners and teachers become content creators Engagement & motivation rises Personalized information, knowledge and experiences Community-based quality assurance (but not for all) Constructionist learning paradigm: learners become cocreators of meaning Empowerment of learners & teachers

15 15 1. Content: SC providing greater access and diversity 2. Creating: SC for the creation of educational content 3. Connecting: SC connecting different actors 4. Collaborating: SC supporting collaboration

16 3.1 Connecting informal learners 16 > 4 million members > 220 countries > 100 different languages > 1 million members > 133 countries > 115 different languages

17 3.2 Connecting learners on site 17

18 3.3 Connecting teachers and students abroad registered schools members 1704 projects 5064 schools participating

19 3.4 Implications: Learning through networking 19 Changing the role of learners and teachers Emergence of new learning networks and communities Lifelong learning opportunities for all learners New opportunities for experimentation and research Opening up the learning realm: Connecting a wider range of educational stakeholders

20 20 1. Content: SC providing greater access and diversity 2. Creating: SC for the creation of educational content 3. Connecting: SC connecting different actors 4. Collaborating: SC supporting collaboration

21 4.1 Collaborating (big scale) 21 Wikipedia > 14 million articles > 3 million in English ~269 language versions > 3 million ENGL articles 1 million contributions people contributed 5 times or more in Sept09 (Wikipedia) 53,6% of people editing entries over 45 (Hitwise 2007) Jan 2001 Jan 2008 Source: Wikipedia

22 4.2 Collaborating at work 22 IBM internal knowledge exchange: Discussion forums: 400,000 entries, 150,000 threads Blogs: 13,000 blogs; 2,000 blogs frequent entries; 60,000 active contributors Wikis: 12,000 wikis with 190,000 pages; 65,000 daily users; 2/3 of staff use wikis actively Bookmark sharing: 550,00 0 links shared by 20,000 employees Bluepages networking tool: 580,000 profiles; 3 million queries per month

23 4.3 Collaborating in class 23 Collaborative book writing project at a secondary school in Salzburg, Austria

24 4.4 Implications: Learning through collaboration 24 Interaction and collaboration in different ways and on different scales Collaborative knowledge production Challenging the instructionalist learning paradigm

25 25 So.? Source picture: students.ou.edu/k/blair.k.kelley-1/

26 5. Challenges 26 Addressing digital divides: access and basic ICT skills should be guaranteed In addition, need for digital competence* for all internet users: confident and critical use of ICT for work, leisure and communication, underpinned by basic skills in ICT: the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information Identify and learn emerging new transversal skills (New Skills for New Jobs) Ensure quality, reliability and safety of online and user-generated content Teacher training: from basic ICT skills towards critical and creative use of ICT Potential will not be realized without innovating E&T in Europe: Pedagogical and organizational change allowing these new practices to take place (E.g. assessment) * Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning OJ, L394.

27 6. Opportunities for E&T 2020 objectives 27 SC enables creativity and innovation both for individuals and institutions transversal skills such as content, creating, connecting and collaboration enables practitioners to collaborate and innovate in developing new practices SC can improve the quality and efficiency of learning Bottom-up community based quality insurance mechanisms enables engaging with relevant knowledge, skills and competences SC provide new potential for equity of learning opportunities major impact on motivation for learning SC has potential to play a key role in lifelong learning continuum blurring boundaries between formal, non-formal and informal learning enables personalization and empowerment of learner OECD New Millennium Learners conference, 21-23/09/09, BXL: 21th century skills a collective responsibility

28 28 Thank you Contact: