Network theory tells us that a network with 10 nodes has 90 connections while a network with 15 nodes has 210. A 50% increase in nodes represents a 233% increase in connections! That is the power of a network. How does this apply to the classroom (real or virtual)? Using some simple and readily available technologies, we can create such networks (learning communities) among our students. More important, if we implement specific teaching strategies designed to construct and strengthen the connections in that network, the students can have a richer, broader-based learning experience. This presentation develops the concept of the network, its implementation in social networking and Social Constructivism, and offer some suggestions as to how to implement a small-scale learning community network among your students using freely available techniques and interactive technologies, including RSS feeds, blogs, wikis, and forums.
These techniques are useful both in face-to-face and online courses, as they serve to bring students closer to each other, establish stronger connections between them, and offer greater variety of learning style and content sourcing.
The sections of this site are best examined in order. The essence of each section is:
Learning Communities - This section examines the concept of social networks and their application to the educational environment
RSS - This section provides an overview of RSS technologies, their purpose, and how they work. The remaining sections deal with some of the specific technologies that may be implemented in a learning community. The use of RSS feeds in the classroom is also discussed.
Blogs - This section discusses the development of class blogs, some ideas for implementing them in the classroom (virtual or real), and how they can enhance the learning community and strengthen network connections.
Forums - Forums can be a good place for students to ask questions that can be answered by other students (or the instructor). This section discusses forums, how they can be set up, and what they can be used for in a class setting.
Wikis - Wikis are great tools for knowledge management. They can be effectively used in the classroom in many different ways, including knowledge repositories, collaborative team sites, and as a place to store and disseminate anciallary course materials.
FAQs - Over the course of a number of conference presentations, workshops, and articles revolving around these topics, many questions have been asked about implementing some of these ideas. This section addresses the most commonly-asked questions.
Links - Each section contains links that relate to that section. These are additional links that might be of interest.