Abstract
Historically, much of online distance education has been plagued by issues such as a lack of participant interaction from learner-to-learner or learner-to-instructor. With the development of Web 2.0 and the recent emergence of social media sites, there are new opportunities for distance learners to practise 21st-century skills in collaboration, knowledge sharing and developing critical thinking. General interest regarding networked learning pedagogies has shifted to the use of social media tools as a replacement tool to enhance student learning in the Web 2.0 environment. The integration and use of social networking technology as a distance learning platform seems to hold promise for the distance learning mode. Many distance education institutions have traditionally employed a learning management platform (LMS), which in a broad sense does promote a certain exchange of information between learners. However, these platforms suffer from not performing in "real time" and are very much lesson-focused. In contrast, networked learning, which relies heavily on social networking media, can offer a better learning environment to students. The important feature is that it focuses on people (the learners) rather than simply the content, which, in turn, helps build a "learning community". This paper explores the pedagogical linkages between the networked learning approach and social networking media. A comprehensive technical literature review of the history of social media networking in the ODL environment and the primary role and impact on ODL are discussed and analysed. This exploratory paper provides some insight into the strategies ODL institutions could adopt to better understand the new paradigm of teaching and learning in a networked world.
Highlights
The use of open and distance learning (ODL) as a primary instructional delivery mode has become popular in the past two decades and is expanding at an unprecedented rate
The changes have come about gradually, but the development of Web 2.0 technologies that enable the support of a social presence and which can potentially improve interaction and participation among distance learners is the new trend in teaching and learning
The researchers’ offer that distance learners need to develop a sense of community, be able to collaborate among their peers, develop creativity, develop conversation to combat the sense of loneliness, and develop a sense of control during the course of their learning process
Summary
The use of open and distance learning (ODL) as a primary instructional delivery mode has become popular in the past two decades and is expanding at an unprecedented rate. The changing technology environment provides new opportunities for teaching and learning strategies focused on the use of online networked learning tools to create better, more functional learning communities. Downes (2006) outlined his views on the Theory of Connectivism and asserts that learning and knowledge are distributive, that is, not located in any given place and not “transferred”, but rather consist of the network of connections formed from experience and interactions with a knowing/knowledge community These new approaches to learning are based on conversation and interaction about sharing, creation and participation, and looking at learning not as a separate activity, but rather, as embedded in meaningful activities such as games or workflows.
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