I agree with Greenhow and Lewin’s (2016) view that social media bridges the formal and informal learning divide. Depending on the context and the objectives of the learning activity, social media platforms can support both formal and informal learning. These platforms certainly reflect the methodologies of constructivism and connectivism. Formal learning examples tend to be more structured and examples include: in YouTube, providing students with playlists aligned with objectives; and using Linkedin Learning which offers certified courses. Informal learning is freer and is driven by curiosity, interest and social interaction, examples include: providing a prompt that facilitates further investigation; and exposing learners to podcast materials that stimulates ideas and inquiry.
There was a strong focus this week on informal and formal learning for me. The beauty of social media platforms is that offer opportunities for both depending on the target audience, context, triggers for learning and the objectives of the learning activity. The functionality of social media platforms is powerful in terms of addressing a range of leaning needs; however, it also requires skills operators who can select the right platform and structure the learning content coherent (relative to the platform) in order to achieve the stated objectives.
I learnt a few new things this week relative to digital badges, crowdsourcing and tagging. I think they all have utility relative to online learning environments and they are certainly reflective of Web2.0 technologies. I think both crowdsourcing and tagging can be applied effectively to establish useful links between individuals that can then lead to deeper understanding and a broader context for the application of critical thinking skills.
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