Ethos and Practice of a Connected Learning Movement: Interpreting Virtually Connecting Through Alignment with Theory and Survey Results

Authors

  • Maha Bali American University of Cairo
  • Autumm Lee Ann Caines Capital University
  • Helen DeWaard Lakehead University
  • Rebecca Hogue University of Ottawa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v20i4.965

Keywords:

Learning Community, Synchronous, Video, Academic Conferences

Abstract

Virtually Connecting (VC) is a connected learning volunteer movement that enlivens virtual conference experiences by partnering those that are at the conference with virtual participants that cannot attend. In looking to articulate the ethos and intentions of VC, a manifesto was developed by a group of core members and presented at the Digital Learning Research Network in 2015. This paper connects the group’s ethos, as defined in this manifesto, to various learning theories including Connectivism, connected learning, and the practice of online communities. The paper reports on both quantitative and qualitative results from a survey sent to members of the community over February and March of 2016, as well as some information obtained from blogs and other forms of social media, and ties these results to the manifesto items. This alignment of theory and participant feedback shows continuity between the stated ethos of the community and the impressions of those living the volunteer experience.

Author Biographies

Maha Bali, American University of Cairo

Associate Professor of Practice at the Center for Learning & Teaching at the American University in Cairo (AUC).

Autumm Lee Ann Caines, Capital University

Associate Director of Academic Technology Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Capital University

Helen DeWaard, Lakehead University

Faculty Advisor in the Department of Undergraduate Studies in Education

Rebecca Hogue, University of Ottawa

PhD Candidate (Education) at the University of Ottawa, in Ottawa Canada, specializing in learning technology and faculty development. Associate Lecturer University of Massachusetts, Boston

References

Bali, M. & Hogue, R. (2015, May 8). Virtual, hybrid, or present: The ET4Buddy experiment. Digital Pedagogy Lab. Retrieved from http://www.digitalpedagogylab.com/hybridped/virtual-hybrid-or-present/

Cormier, D. (2015) Community Learning - Every ‘we’ makes a ‘them’. [blog] http://davecormier.com/edblog/2015/08/27/community-learning-every-we-makes-a-them/

Cormier, D. (2008, June 3). Rhizomatic education: Community as Curriculum. [blog]. http://davecormier.com/edblog/2008/06/03/rhizomatic-education-community-as-curriculum/

Ito M., Gutiérrez, K., Livingstone, S., Penuel, B., Rhodes, J., Salen, K., Schor, J., Sefton-Green, J., & Watkins, C. (2013) Connected learning: an agenda for research and design. Digital Media and Learning Research Hub, Irvine, CA. Retrieved from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/48114/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_repository_Content_Livingstone,%20S_Livingstone_Connected_learning_agenda_2010_Livingstone_Connected_learning_agenda_2013.pdf

Why Connected Learning (n.d.) [web page] http://clalliance.org/why-connected-learning/

Reigeluth, C. M. (2004, April). Chaos theory and the sciences of complexity: Foundations for transforming education. In annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.

Rheingold, H. (1993). The virtual community: Homesteading on the electronic frontier. Addison Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, PA. Retrieved from https://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/dlc/bitstream/handle/10535/18/The_Virtual_Community.pdf?sequence=1

Siemens, G. (2005, Jan). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://er.dut.ac.za/bitstream/handle/123456789/69/Siemens_2005_Connectivism_A_learning_theory_for_the_digital_age.pdf?sequence=1

Virtually Connected Manifesto. (n.d.) [website]. Retrieved from http://virtuallyconnecting.org/virtually-connecting-manifesto/

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Published

2016-12-16

Issue

Section

Section II