Technology-Enhanced Learning Communities on a Continuum Between Spontaneous and Designed Environments

Abstract

Our approach to learning in a networked society is grounded in the assumption that “schooling” and “society” cannot be considered separate entities. Consequently, research in this area should draw on both educational and social sciences. Bringing together the theoretical and practical tools of both domains allows us to examine the types of interaction, knowledge construction, social organization, and power structures that: (a) occur spontaneously in technology-enhanced learning communities or (b) can be created by design. In this chapter, we present issues that characterize learning in a networked society, such as school-society digital disconnect, digital divides, and the purposeful or invasive permeation of ideas between communities. We discuss the complementary roles that educational and social sciences can play in studying these issues. We conclude with an overview of each of the chapters in this book, highlighting the ways in which they integrate or juxtapose disciplinary lenses to investigate different aspects of learning in a networked society.