The knowledge in virtual networks with social media to promote open education: habitat of collective intelligences

Abstract

This exploratory study examines how knowledge is created in virtual networks with social media in the context of resilience and adversity, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to explore social network interactions to improve informal learning. Participants were members of the COLEARN community including educators, students, researchers and professionals from Brazil interested in Open Education enhanced by technologies for Responsible Research and Innovation. This community, started in 2008 on the OpenLearn Moodle platform, became an open education network in 2012 expanded with FaceBook. It is currently focused on the open schooling approach to promote partnerships between universities, schools and society on real socio-scientific issues with the multi-network platform of the CONNECT project in Brazil and Europe. Findings suggest that informal learning can be enriched with the possibility of establishing networks of investigation, knowledge and innovation based on the understanding of how knowledge is constructed in virtual social networks and by observing the movement of collective intelligences instituted in them.
 
 Keywords: Social networks. Open schooling. Informal Learning. Collective intelligence. Responsible Research and Innovation.