1. The role of virtual communities in EU project development and team work eLearning & Minerva projects meeting, Helsinki, 3rd July, Workshop 2.1. Learning Communities Deborah Arnold eLearning project manager eLene-TT coordinator Vidéoscop-Université Nancy 2 France

2. 2/7 The role of virtual communities in EU project development and team work  The eLene story  eLene as a community – virtual or blended?  Characteristics of virtual communities  How the eLene experience fits these characteristics  Transferable principles to learning communities

3. 3/7 The eLene story…  2003: « Studies in the context of the eLearning initiative: Virtual models of European Universites »  8 case studies:  CANEGE (FR) - Politecnico di Milano (IT) - Bremen University (DE) Open University of Catalonia (ES) - Finnish Virtual University - (FI) Umeå University (SE) - Utrecht University (NL) – UKHEP (UK) + Polish Virtual University (PL)  Initiative - Politecnico di Milano: “let’s work together”  6 months community building: email, face to face meetings, chat…  Sense of belonging  Mutual knowledge and respect  Friendship  The 2004 eLearning call  A common goal Milan Bremen Nancy

4. 4/7 eLene-TT: eLearning network for Teacher Training Sample curricula Reports Evaluation Teacher training actions ToolsGuidelines and criteria F2Fblendedonline Improve the ability of HE teachers to make the best pedagogical use of ICT teacher training centre

5. 5/7 Characteristics of virtual communities 1 CharacteristicExplanationApplication in eLene-TT Negotiation  Purposes, intentions and protocol for interaction constructed by participants  Common decision on what communication tools to use  Register of language Intimacy  Personally gratifying levels of intimacy  Can select appropriate level for relationship with another participant  Emerging friendships on different levels (see also “The role of friendship as a driving force to develop EU projects” Matteo Uggeri) www.elearningeuropa.info Commitment  Shared values, goals, needs  Common project  Values: “Minimal, human, not boring” Engagement  Immediacy  Effervescence  Influence rather than power  Culture of replying quickly  Room for spontaneity  Co-writing of articles 1 Characteristics of Technology-Based Virtual Learning Communities, Kowsch and Schwier, 1997

6. 6/7 Transferable principles to learning communities CharacteristicLearning context Negotiation  Provide “space” for participants to construct, define, refine (objectives, style of communication,…) Intimacy  Find the right balance of one-to-one and group interaction  Provide tools to facilitate this [if not, members will find them themselves!] Commitment  “Purpose is paramount 2 ”  Common project with purposeful actions that deliver tangible results Engagement  A charismatic “leader” helps, but…  Enable members to take on different roles 2 Community of practice design guide, Cambridge, Kaplan and Suter, 2005 See also: “eLene-TT guidelines on Interaction, communication and collaboration”, forthcoming www.elene-tt.netwww.elene-tt.net

7. 7/7 European symposium: « Teacher training and the innovative use of ICT in Higher Education » Université Paris-Dauphine Thursday 23 rd November 2006 Further interaction, exchange… Deborah.Arnold@univ-nancy2.fr www.elene-tt.net www.univ-nancy2.fr/VIDEOSCOP