Social Learning Communities
Introduction to the Problem
In the current information age, the desire for knowledge is driven by the diverse emerging and contemporary technologies of the 21st century. Knowledge is known to cross all barriers, and as such, numerous communities have emerged to explore and share this knowledge using the emerging technologies (Bates, 2019). Such communities, often referred to as social learning communities, are increasingly finding ground through online platforms. Among the most common online social learning community include Khan Academy, Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU), Smarthistory, MIT’s OpenCourseWare, and Udacity among many others. These communities are gaining popularity due to their inclusivity and accommodation of all learning styles, education needs, native abilities, all skills sets and personalities. However, the growth of online social learning communities introduces various problems that might challenge learning. One of the challenges with online social learning communities is the feeling of isolation or loneliness among students. This is primarily due to the lack of physical engagements with the rest of the community during learning. Another challenge with online social learning communities is the distraction that might be experienced as students acquire knowledge. Normally, the traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms cater for such due to the presence of a physical tutor who monitors and controls the external factors that might cause the distractions.
Review of the literature
According to Major (2015), a community gives us the privilege of being close to people who have like-minded interests and through our own experiences and beliefs are validated. Apart from this, being in a community is known to bring in a sense of belonging and identity. Before the advent of technology, such communities were always ‘onsite’. According to Major (2015), ‘onsite’ communities are those that involve physical gathering. However, technology has introduced another form of gathering which is hereby referred to as online or virtual community. In virtual community, the community gathers and shares ideas, experiences, and beliefs through online platforms (Major, 2015). Major (2015) states that such communities overcome the barriers to entry and inclusivity which are common problems with physical communities. Kebritchi, Lipschuetz, and Santiague (2017) find that online social learning communities have altered how higher education is undertaken in the 21st century.
References
Bates, T. (2019, June 24). Back to the Future: open pedagogy, learning design, and ETUG’s 25th anniversary conference. Retrieved 12 August 2019, from https://www.tonybates.ca/2019/06/24/back-to-the-future-open-pedagogy-learning-design-and-etugs-25th-anniversary-conference/
Kebritchi, M., Lipschuetz, A., & Santiague, L. (2017). Issues and challenges for teaching successful online courses in higher education. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 46(1), 4-29. doi: 10.1177/0047239516661713
Major, C. H. (2015). Teaching online: A guide to theory, research, and practice. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press