1. © =mcminstitute Virtual Learning Communities NLII Meeting in San Diego, 29th of January, 2002 Dr. Sabine Seufert

2. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 2 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert AGENDA: Virtual Learning Communities Introduction Methodical Issues Technological Issues Reference Model

3. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 3 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Communities Communities are alliances of members: - (emotional) relationship with matching morality and aims - interaction between them on the basis of an implemented organisation (roles, protocols) in a common semantic space (common value system, common language) Dyson 1997 Virtual Learning Communities Learning Community A Learning Community is a community in which people are joined together by mutual interest to intensively examine a particular theme, and are able to learn together, exchange existing knowledge and work on aspects of problem solving together. Paloff/Pralatt 2000

4. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 4 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Virtual Communities have four Dimensions Clearly defined group: Clear limitation of the community Reference to real communities Entry rules Primary authorization necessary Rules of treatment Punishment measures for misconduct Common place: Archive Analysis of the participants Possibility to work as voluntary moderator Rituals in handling Role of the community members Interaction: Chats/forums Possibility for own postings Possibility to build own sub-communities Active organization of the community Community events Regard to recent events Bonding: Privacy protection Matching contributions Individualizing User Friendliness Moderator possible to identify and to contact Identification of members

5. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 5 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert AGENDA: Virtual Learning Communities Introduction Methodical Issues Technological Issues Reference Model

6. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 6 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Learning ParadigmOnline Community Community Members/Agents and their roles Community Rules, Guidelines Community Platform: Communication and interaction channels Virtual Learning Communities No artificial gap between learning and working Process-oriented and collaborative Learning Concept of Meta-Cognition: Reflection and self-guidance of one‘s own learning progress, Context of Learning: interdisciplinary, exchange of experiences and knowledge among the community members Seufert, S.; Lechner, U.; Stanoevska, K. (2000) A Reference Model for Learning Communities. Virtual Learning Communities

7. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 7 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert General Goals of Virtual Learning Communities to achieve a deeper understanding of learning content, to exchange experience, to support the socialization process among the members of the group through community activities, to promote the development of formal and informal learning groups, to provide opportunities for informal discourse, to achieve higher student motivation, to minimize the dropout rate

8. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 8 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Examples of Virtual Learning Communities Virtual Learning Communities Alumni Communities ongoing relationship with alumni Freshman Communities Freshman acculturation and support Informal Learning Blended Learning Programs Integration into curriculum, services and support, distributed learning teams support Distance Learning Programs Bonding, Relationship of community members, student support, mean against dropout rate Formal Learning Peer to Peer Self-organized communities by students, clubs, shared interest Motivation Curricular, decontextualized Communities Situated, contextualized Communities

9. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 9 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert AGENDA: Learning Communities Introduction Methodical Issues Technological Issues Reference Model

10. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 10 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Community Platforms Virtual Learning Communities Informal Learning Formal Learning Curricular, decontextualized Communities Non-Curricular, contextualized Communities E-Learning Spaces Website Community Tools Discussion Groups WebCT Top Class Learning Space Centra... Ars Digita InterCommunity eGroups Webfair...

11. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 11 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert  Mailing lists, chat, discussion forums, buddy lists  Audio and video conferences,  E-Polls for the collection of opinion polls,  Web blackboards,  Visualization of sub-groups,  Community chronicle,  Expert index: who’s who, yellow pages,  Document management, exchange of documents, etc.  Photo album, member guestbook,  Audio and video conferences, chat and discussion forums, buddy lists  Team workspaces, group calendar, work-flow based task administration  Feedback mechanism: rating functionalities, scoring models for the grading of content, discussion contributions, combined with incentive mechanisms (e.g.. Top lists, point allocation), .... Examples of Community Services

12. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 12 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert The Converging Market Communities of Practice Knowledge worker‘s desktop Project Spaces Ongoing integration of knowledge and work Social Structures Work Conversation Fleeting interactions Instructions Knowledge Exchange Documents Knowledge Bases Access to Expertise E-Learning Spaces Synchronous Interactions Discussion Groups Website Communities NetMeeting SameTime Centra Interwise LearningSpace Blackboard WebCT TopClass PlaceWare Caucus Cassiopeia WebFair eGroup ArsDigita InterCommunity iTeamroom QuickPlace eRoom Livelink K-Station Autonomy Verity Documentum Sharenet AskMe Organik Communispace Instructions E. Wenger: Supporting of Communities, a survey of community-oriented technologies, 2001. Tapped In

13. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 13 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert AGENDA: Learning Communities Introduction Methodical Issues Technological Issues Reference Model

14. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 14 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Kim, A. J., Community Building on the Web, Peachpit 2000. Over Time Influence & Contributions Facilitator, Staff Members, Students Growth of the Community the „Secret Garden“ Community Building on the Web

15. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 15 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Communities are alliances of members: - (emotional) relationship with matching morality and aims - interaction between them on the basis of an implemented organisation (roles, protocols) in a common semantic space (common value system, common language) Dyson 1997 Design of Virtual Learning Communities

16. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 16 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Implementation View Interaction Design: Communication and Collaboration Processes, Learning Scenarios Service View Channel Design: Information Services, Discovery Services, Communication Services, Collaboration Services Community View Organizational Design: Community Interest, Actors, Roles, Protocols/Guidelines, Language Infrastructure View Technological Design: ICT and Learning Technologies Platform Architecture, Software Components Reference Model for Online Learning Communities

17. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 17 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Implementation View Interaction Design: Communication and Collaboration Processes, Learning Scenarios Service View Channel Design: Information Services, Discovery Services, Communication Services, Collaboration Services Community View Organizational Design: Community Interest, Actors, Roles, Protocols/Guidelines, Language Infrastructure View Technological Design: ICT and Learning Technologies Platform Architecture, Software Components Reference Model for Online Learning Communities Learning Communities: e.g. MBA Community Community Interest: A degree, certificate, expertise, Roles, e.g. Faculty member, student, team member, alumni, mentor, coach,.. Community Mission and Statements,values-based protocols, shared moral system, e.g. Code of Ethics Application Process, Information Processes, Activitiy/Event Planning, Processes for Learning Scenarios: eg. Thesis Processes, Collaboration Processes for Mentoring, Student Projects (MediaVenture), Self-Studying Processes,... ICT and Learning Technologies, Database Architecture: Campus and Classroom Components, (e.g. Lotus Notes Databases combined with Oracle Components (for empowered searching)) Web Interface Design, NetGuide, Member/Expert Directories, Library (Research and Teaching/Case Repository), Glossary, Discussion Forum „Open Space“, Team Spaces,...

18. NLII Meeting Learning Communities Page 18 © =mcminstitute Dr. Sabine Seufert Thank you very much for your Attention! Resources Kim, A. J. (2000): Community Building Secret for Successful Online Communities, Berkeley: Peachpit. Paloff, R. M.; Pratt, K. (1999): Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace. Cambridge: Jossey Bass Preece, J. (2000): Online Communities. Designing Usabilitz, Supporting Sociabilitz, New York: John Wiley. Scardamalia, M.; Bereiter, C. (1996): Computer Support for Knowledge Building Communities, in: Koschmann, T. (Ed.) CSCL: Theory and Practice of an Emerging Paradigm, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. Seufert, S. (2000): The NetAcademy as a Medium for Learning Communities: Educational Technology & Society, 3 (2000) 3, Special Issue “Online Collaborative Learning Environments”. Wenger, E. (1999): Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity, Cambridge: Cambridge University.