Importance of Community in Constructivist Online Learning Environments
Introduction
In this paper, I will examine the importance of interaction in constructivist online learning environment and how the community affects online learning.
In order to show that the community and interaction are important to online learning and especially to the constructivist learning environments, this paper will first examine the definition of constructivist approach, identify relevant types of interaction and define community as it is understood in online learning environment. In addition the connection between the interaction and community building and the effects of interactions on the community will be examined. This paper will also take a look at the importance of community in the constructivist learning environment, by examining the interaction and community building, and will explain why the constructivist online learning goes beyond information or knowledge delivery.
Constructivist Learning Theory
Constructivism as a paradigm, and a foundation for some distance education theories, asserts that the knowledge is construed by learners based on their own experience and reality. According to constructivist learning theory the instructor doesn’t deliver the knowledge to the student, instead the student interprets and processes the information received, and thus creates an individualized and contextualized knowledge. Another important aspect of constructivist school of learning is the role of the learner and the instructor, where the student becomes central, and the instructor steps back into an advisory and facilitative role (Ally, 2008).
In the learner centered, constructivist learning environment, the instructor and even student role...
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This meta-synthesis research analyzed 17 primary data sets to investigate the impact of a VCoP on the professional development of online instructors. The findings unveiled an interesting discernment of the faculty experiences and how learning through social constructivism can occur within a VCoP. Based on the research findings and 10 emergent themes, five overarching dimensions were compiled to synthesize and discuss the results further. These are (1) social nature of online learning; (2) faculty participation in a VCoP; (3) acquisition of knowledge and skills; (4) enhanced teaching and learning practices; and (5) overall impact of a VCoP on FPD. These overarching dimensions specifically accentuate on my theoretical framework, independent
Any individual who has never taken an online course before can experience online learning through OpenLearn. There is a discussion board, tutoring assistant, journals, and other learning tools in each of the topic the person selects. Before any learner can access some of the contents such as the discussion board, the person must register for a login account. The authors note that one important aspect of OpenLearn is students get to learn while communicating and sharing ideas with others. This process allows them to be part of the learning communities. As Santos, McAndrew, and Godwin (2008) explains, “the idea behind the provision of a forum, attached to each unit, is to give the users the opportunity for social learning. They are able to start learning communities, if they wish,...
The concept of constructivism has roots in classical antiquity, going back to Socrates's dialogues with his followers, in which he asked directed questions that led his students to realize for themselves the weaknesses in their thinking. The Socratic dialogue is still an important tool in the way constructivist educators assess their students' learning and plan new learning experiences. Constructivism Theories assume that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. When an individual encounters something new, there is a need to reconcile it with the previous ideas and experience, maybe changing the beliefs, or maybe discarding the new information as irrelevant. In any case, an individual is an active creator of knowledge (Concept to Classroom).
To start off my essay I would like to stress on the fact that an online community is not created online communities evolve and flourish. Most of the well built online communities take time and effort to establish them. In this essay I will be covering topics like how people interact in an online community, also will be looking at how to facilitate a successful online discussion and how to evaluate the success or failure of an online community.
Constructivism is a philosophy of learning that "refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves---each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning---as he or she learns (Hein, 1991, p.1). In other words, "students construct their own knowledge based on their existing schemata and beliefs"(Airasian & Walsh, 1997, p.1) Constructivists deny the existence of one "true" body of knowledge that exists independently of the learners and espouse the idea that "there is no knowledge independent of the meaning attributed to experience (constructed) by the learner, or community of learners (Hein, 1991, p.1). Knowledge is "a personal and social construction of meaning out of the bewildering array of sensations which have no order or structure besides the explanations...which we [the learners] fabricate for them (Hein, 1991, p.1). To construct a meaning to the philosophy of constructivism, the misunderstandings of constructivism, its value in the world of teaching, and its influence in instructional technology will be discussed.
Moller, L. (1998). Designing communities of learners for asynchronous distance education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 46 (4), 115-122.
Virtual communities are a big part of informatics in today’s society. A virtual community can be described as an online space that is a social unit that involves members who can relate to one another as a group. It is a place that people can communicate to each other that bridges geographical distance. There are various online communities and social networking sites that can help people to exchange information. Connections can be made with various groups and can a solid base for information, support and services.
In this globalized epoch, constructivism is now becoming one of the dominant pedagogies used in education. Every learner learns themselves and discovers their new findings depending upon their prior knowledge. Learners and educationalist have termed this ideology as constructivism. Constructivist construct knowledge in their own mind in situated learning. This instinct senses to everyone that every student constructs knowledge in their own mind. Either teacher or textbook cannot do it for them. Teachers will provide the parts, guidance and instructions, of how to build knowledge out of these parts. But the actual construction must be done by each learner in their own mind. Giambattista Vico states, “Humans can understand only what they have
Several researches have been studied about the benefits of using internet in studying. Gatot Subroto (2004) found that school magazine is very useful for the students as a medium to learn about self expression, put their idea, and moreover they can use it for communication media with the environment and the benefit for the school, they can make a communication with their alumni, who can give suggestions for the school. Heinich (1986) identified six types of studying interaction that can be implicated: drill and practice, tutorial, games, simulation, discovery, and problem solving.
Community is an odd and rich term in the world of Internet public life. Like many key conception of the social sciences, it has specific and rigid meaning for scholars, and broader connotation when it is used in the information technology language. According to Christian Crumlish, an online community or virtual community “is a group whose members are connected by means of information technologies, typically the Internet” (Crumlish, p. 142). By this definition of the online community, the Internet is the term behind the internationally connected computers that link the people all around the world into online discussions by using the great CMC (Computer-Mediated Communications) technology. This general definition fulfills all the possible activities that can be done in an online community. Howard Rheingold in his book The Virtual Community claims that the important thing to keep in mind is that the worldwide interconnected telecommunication network that we use to make telephone calls in sharjah and Dubai can also be used to connect computers together at a distance, and you don't have to be an engineer to do it (rheingold.
Online learning is a common method since it is able to present the content of the course in a longer period of time compared to classroom environment and other methods which it allows education for seven days and twenty four hours, it reaches more number of learners and it ensures a learning environment which is independent of time and place (Dziuban, Hartman, & Moskal, 2004) particularly for students. However, online learning environments pose such disadvantages as hindrance of the socialization process of individuals, lack of s...
Similarly, technology enhances the learning process by creating an interactive medium for students and teachers to practice. For instance, when the traditional educational approach is used, the interaction between learners and educators is limited due to the time constraints during the learning sessions in the classroom. Nowadays, technology is used widely in various fields including teaching and learning. As a result, it enables both parties to establish an interaction and communicate through the virtual medium. Lever-Duffy and McDonald (2011) mentioned that the class website provides accessible resources and acts as a platform for interaction between the students and the educator. Therefore, the advancement of technology in education such as the use of online websites accelerates learning process in the education
One way to incorporate both cooperative learning and technology integration into the classroom setting is through the use of Web 2.0 technologies, such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts. “Web 2.0 technologies introduce a new dimension to education, which becomes not just learner centered but learner centered as learners are the joint generators of content”, states Bose. In today’s society student use of technology is on the rise which makes harnessing this interest for educational purposes inevitable. Web 2.0 tools are ideal for educational purposes because they support spontaneous interaction, feedback, and social networks and relationships (Bose, 2010).
Distance learning is a form of education in which the instructor and student are separated. As advances in technology rapidly progress, the interest in distance education has grown as well and has thus become more common. Technology has given this kind of learning numerous possibilities. There are various forms of distance education used alone or in combination. These technologies provide many opportunities for education, but not with out a few restrictions.
Constructivism is a learning theory that on the surface appears to be the most sensible way to teach students today in an educational atmosphere that wants our students to question, explore, and develop understanding through the learner’s applying this information to themselves. The real world, school application problem with this learning theory is the reluctance of the teacher to let go of the controls of the class in order to allow this type of learning atmosphere to take place in the classroom.