Abstract
The experiences of Chinese learners on two e-learning programmes in China wereinvestigated, focusing particularly on the formation of learning communities. Datawere collected using a range of instruments to access the learners’ perspectives indepth and detail. Archer’s account of reflexivity as the mediating power betweenstructure and agency is applied to understanding how learners succeeded in oneprogramme in forming a learning community, through their negotiated responsesto the existing structural and cultural conditions, whereas little evidence was foundof the emergence of learning community in the other case. Further understandingemerges from reappraisal of Confucian philosophy of learning and socialrelationships, how these influenced the participants’ prior learning experiencesand how they play a part in their responses to the e-learning experience.10.1080/09687769.2010.548505
Highlights
The focus of learning theorisation has moved in recent years from individual behaviour and psychology to social interaction and practice, recognising in doing so the significant role of context in the learning process
Attention has been drawn to pedagogical innovations such as computer-supported collaborative learning that reflect the contemporary dominance of socio-constructivist learning approaches. e-Learning design has increasingly focused on the capacity of digital networks to support collaborative knowledge-building and a learning environment to facilitate learners’ collaboration, online communication and reflection, to promote the formation of a learning community
Learners were expected to finish all the learning materials within a certain time, but the form of assessment was not made clear from the outset, since it was not considered to be a necessary part of the piloting process
Summary
The experiences of Chinese learners on two e-learning programmes in China were investigated, focusing on the formation of learning communities. Data were collected using a range of instruments to access the learners’ perspectives in depth and detail. Archer’s account of reflexivity as the mediating power between structure and agency is applied to understanding how learners succeeded in one programme in forming a learning community, through their negotiated responses to the existing structural and cultural conditions, whereas little evidence was found of the emergence of learning community in the other case. Further understanding emerges from reappraisal of Confucian philosophy of learning and social relationships, how these influenced the participants’ prior learning experiences and how they play a part in their responses to the e-learning experience
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