Online communities are shifting our means of learning

Learning and development. This month, I refer readers to an article just published the European Lifelong Learning Magazine Magazine with thanks for the invitation to write an opinion piece. I chose to write about how may online communities represent the future of learning. Read more and access the article here : https://elmmagazine.eu/learning-and-making/online-communities-are-shifting-our-means-of-learning/ Prospering in a world of … Continue reading Online communities are shifting our means of learning →

Engagement is an emotional business

Anyone wanting to foster an online community will grapple with the idea of engagement. Engagement is the key to successful online learning though conversational activities. There is a link between the degree of engagement (in terms of quantity and quality) and the depth of reflection and co-construction that participants can reach. Many thanks to the … Continue reading Engagement is an emotional business →

My “conversation tree” or why are certain conversations better learning opportunities than others?

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Conversation is a wider concept than dialogue. Conversation, as I define it, includes both the dialogical process and the space or ecosystem in which this dialogue occurs.

When do we know that we are in the presence of a learning community?

As the increasing complexity and volatility of our world has been become obvious to all (many have rediscovered the concept of VUCA * world to refer to and make visible this global situation), we discover how micro-collectives where each member can enter conversation with others, far from noise and havoc, aid to tackle complexity, accept nuance, and engage with respect for diversity of views. In this article, I argue that ethos and democratic values**, shared purpose, vision, and repertoire, caring for the lifecycle, choosing the right technical environment(s) and tending to how meaning making will occur are inescapable features that anyone should think of when launching into the design, creation and moderation of conversational online adult learning, and professional learning communities***.

Conversation as an Ecology of Learning.

The issue of which communities we choose to learn in, and from, will shape the connections that we form with the environment, and in general the kind of learning that occurs within. This post is an invitation to join here and think about learning, communities and conversation. Below you will find a charter of communication. … Continue reading Conversation as an Ecology of Learning. →