EME 6414 - MJW

  This has been a good subject to explore Web 2.0 Technologies in terms of what they are and their implications for education.

  EME 6414 has created a PLNs through the following methods:   ·            Personalised learning. Students have had the opportunity to choose readings relative to their interests and the opportunity to engage with discussion topics that they relate to. Students have also had the opportunity to engage with assignments in manner that suits them relative to the level of exploration relating to social media platforms and concepts. ·            Collaboration. The EME 6414 methodology has driven collaboration through the following methods; weekly discussions, weekly blogging and the opportunity to reflect on one’s weekly engagement through the submission of a weekly Participation Log. ·            Flexibility. The subject has provided a high degree of flexibility that has also encouraged informal learning ...

  As a result of Web 2.0 Technologies, PLNs have evolved and now represent a transformative shift in the manner in which individuals engage in knowledge development and learning. The technology has empowered individuals to take control of their own learning journey and traditional forms of education have to redefine their scope in the light of the current evolution of technology. Technology will continue to evolve and society will continue to evolve accordingly, it is clear that the power is shifting increasingly from the institution to the individual.

  This week I didn’t participate in the Week 11 discussion and focussed on the readings, blogging and Produsage assignment. Key takeaways for me this week are as follows: ·            The global digital divide is narrowing , though disparities within countries remain pronounced. ·            With Social Media platforms growth has largely plateaued in developed countries due to already high adoption rates, the focus in these areas tends to be on content sharing, news consumption, and networking. ·            Increased smartphone access and expanding internet coverage are driving significant levels of adoption in developing countries.

  Through me research this week it is clear that Social Media use differs significantly around the world based on factors such as internet access, cultural norms, economic development, and government regulations. With developed economies/societies, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) are widely used, but growth has largely plateaued due to already high adoption rates, the focus in these areas tends to be on content sharing, news consumption, and networking. Developing countries are experiencing rapid growth in social media use, driven by increased smartphone access and expanding internet coverage and relatively inexpensive hardware. Platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok serve as primary tools for communication, news, and even commerce in these areas. There are also cultural differences that influence platform use and popularity. For example, WeChat dominates in China, while VK is popular in Russia. In Latin America and parts of ...

  I found this article interesting and particularly the discussion relative to how social Media use is plateauing in developed countries. Key takeaways relative to this article for me were as follows: ·            Developing/emerging countries are experiencing rapid gains in connectivity and social media use. ·            Advanced economies have reached saturation in internet and social media adoption—little further growth. ·            The global digital divide is narrowing , though disparities within countries remain pronounced. ·            Once they have access, users in developing countries often engage in social media at equal or greater rates than counterparts in advanced nations.

  This week I focused on the 5 articles that were identified for this week’s readings, my Week 9 Blog Posts focused on the 2 articles that peaked my interest. A few things stood out for me as follows: how traditional design requirements and instructional methodologies (i.e., scaffolding) still apply to effective online environments; and how professional communication forums need to change to reflect contemporary technologies and contexts (i.e., use of social media platforms to facilitate PD and the production of content).

This post relates to the article by Ouyang, F., & Scharber, C. (2017) relative to how experienced instructors support the development of online communities. The article highlighted that experienced instructors carefully coordinate how discussions are initiated, they guide the discussion during the initial stages and then they step away. They also use prompts to ensure the purpose of the community is aligned while still being student driven. It is clear from the article that adaptive facilitation skills are critical for supporting these online communities. I research more and more about these concepts relative to online communities how the traditional approaches and methodologies don’t change in order to achieve the learning outcomes.

  This post relates to the article by Prestridge , S. (2019) relative to how it is becoming apparent that teachers are using social media for self-generated professional development as opposed to traditional scheduled and formalized PD. The articles investigates how teachers are doing this. The article identifies how teachers are creating self-sustaining models of content development, with a focus on agency, interaction and generational coalesce. While I was reading this article the term produsage came to mind as this context highlighted not just consumption but also the contribution of content to facilitate development, connection relative to contemporary contexts.

  This week there was a deep focus on how social media platforms can and do influence teaching and instruction. It was good to have a set of articles the centred around a specific topic to facilitate deeper understanding. There is no doubt about the transformative capability of social media relative to educational practices. They facilitate a learner-centered focus and support instruction professional development. The tick is what to use and how relative to the context, especially given the broad range of functionality offered by these platforms. I am increasingly forming the view that design needs to provide options for the student to select platforms that work for them relative to the context (i.e., design that supports choice), I acknowledge that it isn’t as straight forward as this as platforms have boundaries and CoPs for example need to meet and interact in a defined space. The how, when and why is something I would like to learn about relative to the applic...

  This article provided an opportunity to dig deeper into the world of SMLAs and their associated considerations, specifically: how to integrate SMLAs into curriculum; types of SMLAs; design considerations; the supported cognitive processes; and types of knowledge engagement. I was interested to learn that the design of SMLAs often reflects traditional LMSs and how the social media aspects are of underutilized, I think this aspect requires a high degree of understanding of these technologies and the context in order to apply them effectively. I agreed with the point about the integration of multiple social media sources within an activity, I think that design should allow for flexibility to allow the student to select the most appropriate platform for the context/activity. It is clear that the integration of multiple forms of social media into activities is beneficial; however, the complexity relates to how this is done to effect.    Source:  Zgheib...

  I took a particular interest in this week’s reading as I am interested in how these technologies (i.e., X/Twitter, Facebook) can be used in a more structured educational context, particularly with regard to their shaping of instruction. The article addressed a number of key topics relative to utilizing interests, how pedagogical change can be facilitated, how inquiry can be promoted and supporting sustainable change. A couple of areas stood out for me in terms of instructor development, such as, support for the development of CoP where the community reflects the contemporary learning environment and the technologies being ulilized and how the platforms can challenge instructors to develop their existing understanding and work together to develop it further. It is clear that social media can be a valuable tool to support professional learning and instruction; however, as always the rubber hits the road when we need to define what that looks it.   Source: Goodyear, V. A., ...

  It is clear that networked knowledge activities are critical to support learning in today’s contemporary learning environment. They offer the following benefits: collaboration promotion; attempt to encourage active learning & engagement; support self-directed learning; develop skills relative to the online context we all have to operate within; broaden the context of learning and platforms across formal & informal contexts; and enhance integration across communities around the globe.   As with any benefits, there are also additional ramifications that need to be considered, some of these include: the level of access individuals have to these platforms, services and technologies; the ability to analyse information and discern fact from fiction; privacy issues; and the largely unregulated nature in which the networks are established, monitored and maintained.

  This week I focused primarily on the two key readings relative to the following: networked knowledge activities (intro to the framework, the types of activities & how they can inform the design of social media learning tasks); & using networked knowledge activities to examine learning on social network sites (the characteristics of engagement such as preference for passive forums, the domination of certain platforms, how the networks are limited by the participants scope of engagement).   I found learning more about networked knowledge activities valuable as the articles defined the framework and the component parts well. It was also good to get an understanding of how participants perceive online environments and how they miss opportunities to engage actively & build networked knowledge skills.

  This is an interesting space, especially given the nature of individualism and the way its shapes of individuals interact with online communities. The individual in my view needs to be responsible for managing their own ethics relative to online community engagement through the following: through their effective management of privacy settings (i.e., security measures to protect an individual’s information); use of the platform to voice their ethical position; and through their autonomy and the choice to continue to engage.

  I thought the article by Caswell, Henson, Jensen, and Wiley was useful as it detailed how OERs can facilitate equitable access to education on a global scale. Open courseware has the potential to make information currently available to the haves and make it available to have nots which is a very powerful concept. The technology exists to connect people with information to that they can improve themselves and their communities.

  I learnt a lot this week about the nature and behaviours associated with online communities. Working on the assignment (concept version) while addressing the week’s readings and activities certainly amplified a few concepts for me. I was interested to consider the intersection between what functionality online platforms offer and the way they shape interaction through their functionality. It was also interesting to consider how individuals respond and engagement with these communication forums online. What is increasingly apparent is the focus on individualism and how much autonomy and power the individual has to direct their own path. I think this goes both ways, the individual should also accept a higher degree of responsibility for how they comprehend and engage with the environment, participants and context.

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.

This week I reviewed the article by Randall & West (2020) relative to the significance of open badges. I was interesting to read about how this concept is perceived by school leaders. A point of note for myself is to investigate the difference between microcredentials and digital badges (perhaps the contexts in which they can be accessed is a point of difference). It is clear that they can clearly signal achievement and capability which is of value. It was no surprise that endorsements from professional organisations supported credibility. I think the point raise about the excessive data was a valid one and has the potential to cloud the decision making process relative to individuals. I think they definitely reflect web2.0 technologies as they are flexible, portable and evidence based.

This week I reviewed the article by Wilson (2018) relative to crowdsourcing and self-instruction. I hadn’t previously considered crowdsourcing from the perspective outlined in the article, the perspective that sees the students as co-creators of learning resources and content (similar to produsage). This approach certainly supports active and self-directed learning methodologies as the students develop materials and integrate them into the curriculum. Crowdsourcing also supports peer-to-peer learning and collaboration between students, particularly relative to the creation of content. I also quite like distributed learning environments as they facilitate deeper research with a focus on the endstate (i.e., content creation that aligns with the learning objectives). The approaches outlined in this article align well constructivism and connectivism. I think these approaches develop critical thinking and research skills which are an imperative in today’s society.