Educational Social Software (ESS) is a relatively new subset of communication tools that have been recognized as offering aspects to the communication landscape that up until recently have not been available. This presentation by Jason Rhode at the 2008 AECT Convention shares the experiences of one institution that has leveraged the open source educational social software Elgg to extend social networking capabilities beyond the limitations of its existing learning management system.

2. objectives

4. foundations

5. interaction self-paced learning emerging communication approaches social networking educational social software personalized learning landscape

7. “Traditional” Interaction in Distance Ed. ( Anderson, 2003 )

8. ( Downes, 2006 )

9. Social Networking

10. ( Siemens, 2006 )

11. Dron’s Theory of Transactional Control Dron, J. (2006). Social software and the emergence of control, The 6th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies. Kerkrade , The Netherlands. Retrieved March 23, 2007, from http://www.cmis.brighton.ac.uk/staff/jd29/papers/icalt2006.doc

12. Types of Interactions

13. Warburton’s 3D Matrix http://warburton.typepad.com/liquidlearning/2007/11/what-is-the-bes.html

14. Warburton’s 3D Matrix http://warburton.typepad.com/liquidlearning/2007/11/what-is-the-bes.html

15. Groups vs. Networks http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/252157734/

16. Weblogs as a Learning Space http://eduspaces.net/csessums/files/-1/9894/weblogbrainstorming.jpg

17. Using Blogs in Education

18. adult online learners

19. Lifelong Learning Lifelong Learning

20. Informal Learning

21. Different Styles of Learning

22. Ubiquitous Connectivity Ubiquitous Connectivity

23. mobile learning

24. individualized... ...no “one size fits all” approach

25. Role of the individual in organizing their own learning...

26. Dispersed forms of learning...

27. vfcc model

28. professional development certificate program for children’s ministry professionals and laity

29. new cohort of learners begins a course each month

30. learners proceed through course activities at an individualized pace with only stipulation being end-of-course deadline

31. scsple

33. educational social software

35. “ Networked tools that support and encourage individuals to learn together while retaining individual control over their time, space, presence, activity, relationship, and identity” - Anderson, 2006

36. informal interactions

37. learner-driven

38. persistent

39. flexible

40. organic

41. connective

42. synergistic

43. ( Siemens, 2006 )

44. elgg

45. elgg.org

49. community.elgg.org

57. ( Tosh, 2003 )

58. (Derek Wenmoth, 2006)

59. “ the heart of the concept of the PLE is that it is a tool that allows a learner (or anyone) to engage in a distributed environment consisting of a network of people, services and resources. It is not just Web 2.0, but it is certainly Web 2.0 in the sense that it is (in the broadest sense possible) a read-write application.” - Stephen Downes, 2006

60. vfcc approach

63. Profile

65. Profile

78. implications?

79. “silos” scaled

80. interaction maximized

81. ongoing engagement

82. interaction matrix

85. “ Informally connected groups of learners characterized by an environment in which members are autonomous, divers, and able to control the frequency, substance, and duration of their participation” - Downes, 2006

87. “ The largest form of social granularity in which members participate for individual benefit, but their activities are harvested to generate the ‘wisdom of the crowds’...a kind of cyber-organism, formed from people linked algorithmically...it grows through the aggregation of individual, group, and netwoked activities. The distinctive dynamic is one of aggregation, not networking.” - Anderson & Dron, 2007

91. recommendations

92. Purposefully design informal interactions into the learning environment Provide opportunities and incentives for learners to explore the educational social software tools Consider alternative approaches where necessary to best meet learner needs

93. challenge

95. Learning is ongoing... ...provide tools to support learning

96. jasonrhodephd.com