基于个性化推荐思想的虚拟社区学习共同体动态构建

虚拟社区是知识创造与集体智慧传播的一种有效途径。虚拟社区成员数量巨大,兴趣各异,将专业相关、兴趣相近或学习偏好相同的社区成员聚集在一起动态构建学习共同体,必将发挥虚拟社区在构建社会认知网络中的重要作用。文章借鉴个性化推荐思想,在阐明个性化推荐基本原理的基础上,分析了虚拟社区学习共同体的动态建立过程,设计了虚拟社区学习共同体生成的基本框架,阐述了学习共同体动态建立的技术过程,并示例了个性化推荐策略的应用过程。     

Agentic perspective on fostering work-related learning

Despite the increased recognition of the role that professional agency plays in work-related learning, little is known about what supports it. Based on current theoretical notions, the first purpose of this paper is to show that professional agency is closely intertwined with work-related learning. The second purpose is to introduce some main principles that promote professional agency and describe three work-related training settings that are aimed at fostering learning by taking into account agentic perspectives. These complementary settings include an identity coaching programme, a leadership coaching programme, and a work conference. Based on the qualitative meta-synthesis, the paper further provides an empirical overview of professional agency and learning in these settings. The paper contributes to the understanding of the potential of professional agency at the heart of work-related learning. To foster learning, it is necessary to create social events for the enactment and activation of agency so that social and individual resources (e.g. experiences) are utilised. Overall, the paper emphasises that individuals and communities are active crafters of their professional identities and practices, and it provides viewpoints to support their agency in work and training settings.     

Combining peer‐assessment with negotiated learning activities on a day‐release undergraduate‐level certificate course (ECTS level 3)

Peer‐assessment was used within a negotiated curriculum in a module on training and development at ECTS level 3. The students on the programme were exclusively day‐release and all had a major responsibility for the management and delivery of work‐based training programmes. Analysis of student evaluations, supplemented by those of university assessors and the external examiner, showed that the learning on the programme was transformative in that it changed the way students perceived their own abilities and their potential to make improvements in their work both as students and trainers. Peer‐assessment encouraged critical reflection, helped develop skills of autonomous learning and provided feedback that took account of individual learning needs. Weaker students benefited from the talents of their more able peers. Students planned, monitored and assessed their learning activities in a way that significantly increased motivation and raised academic standards. The learning achieved led to a transformation of personal and professional perspective on the part of the students leading to greater personal autonomy.     

Enabling the journey from experienced practitioner to para‐professional: using reflective dialogue in action learning triads

This article explores whether using reflective dialogue in action learning sets on a foundation degree (FD) in educational support can develop the capacity for reflective practice of the students. Developing a reflective stance in relation to professional practice is a central theme of the programme, which is reinforced by the work‐based learning module providing a space for reflective dialogue and the inclusion of an employer's perspective for establishing links between university and work. By adopting a case‐study approach, this study focuses on 24 female students who work as teaching assistants or higher level teaching assistants (TAs/HLTAs) in state primary and secondary schools, and reports findings from their and their tutors' perspectives. In view of the rapidly changing educational landscape, apparent in the implementation and development of Integrated Children's Services, the Schools Remodelling Agenda and Workforce Agreement are in effect one policy. Such a programme is essential in creating appropriate opportunities for the continuing professional development of the new workforce. Given the non‐traditional background of the majority of the students and the perceived ambiguity surrounding their roles as teaching assistants within schools, such a programme poses considerable challenges to higher education institutions in terms of appropriateness of content and mode of delivery.     

Becoming cosmopolitan and other dilemmas of internationalisation: reflections from the Gulf States

Drawing on the concept of cosmopolitans and locals within competing discourses regarding the aims of higher education and international marketization, this paper suggests that cultural cosmopolitanism may be developed through intercultural dialogue. It reflects on the findings of an action research-based teacher professional education programme in Qatar, with further delivery in other Gulf States, and suggests that potential negative outcomes of uncritical ‘othering’ forms of marketization, potentially resulting in epistemological mnemocide through the exercise of cultural imperialism, may be avoided through developing dialogical communities of inquiry, where issues of values pluralism may be negotiated according to participants’ needs and capacities for knowledge creation. These ideas may be significant for negotiating appropriate criteria for judging the quality of delivery and methodological ethics of the increasing numbers of international programmes using practice-based forms of enquiry. They are essential if international development work is to encourage sustainability through independent knowledge creation.     

Providing a flexible, learner-centred programme: Challenges for educators

This paper presents a case study of the implementation of a flexible learner-centred programme of study which blends face-to-face and online learning. The programme was developed to be flexible in terms of content and study strategies, whilst remaining within more rigid organisational structures and processes. This paper outlines the programme and presents the model developed for flexible content delivery. The programme has been delivered simultaneously by five tutors to six groups of learners. Tutors drew on varying personal experiences of flexible and online learning and this paper also presents the results of an investigation to explore their experiences of facilitation. The findings provide a unique insight into the implications of such a programme for educators. Data were gathered using methods to promote and structure reflections on practice. Issues of relevance for others considering the development of flexible learner-centred programmes of study are presented.     

Towards online student-directed communities of inquiry

This paper opens by summarising the case for student-directed learning in online higher education as a means of bringing about the development and use of higher-level cognitive and interpersonal abilities such as critical and creative thinking. The writers refine their conceptualisations of student-direction, different to, but flowing from student-centred learning, by scrutinising a progressive series of face-to-face examples offering some autonomy in learning. Nine features are identified as essential in a student-directed programme. They review Garrison’s recent account of learning-centred Communities of Inquiry (CoI), identifying aspects of the teacher/instructor’s role that would need to be altered for student-directed online communities. Guidelines are suggested for creating a student-directed CoI including programme design addressing the development, and use, of generic abilities. Finally, the writers provide an example programme structure incorporating preparation of learners for the responsibilities expected of them and the changing role of the tutor in an online student-directed CoI.     

基于网络实践共同体的非正式学习研究

网络环境下的非正式学习是当前终身学习社会的战略主题,网络实践共同体是其重要载体和组织形式,它是非正式学习的典型形式。它具有高效的信息分享、知识创造、平台稳定、资源重用等学习特征。非正式学习通常经历萌芽期、发展期、成熟期和管理期四个循环发展阶段。     

Distance learning and interaction: Toward a virtual learning institution

This paper considers distance learning at all levels, learning that can occur anywhere. Most education today in schools, universities, and companies is dependent on students being at a particular location, such as a university. The major distance learning institutions today are in Europe, but the potential for this type of learning is great as we reach out to serve greater numbers of students. The following factors are critical in forming a distance learning institute today: the quality of learning provided to each student; whether courses work for very large numbers of students; and the cost per student hour, for both development and delivery. Many delivery technologies are possible today. We examine them from the standpoint of these factors. The conclusion is that highly interactive multimedia learning units, either CD ROMs or (in the near future) broadband networks, provide the best delivery system today for distance learning. The paper concludes with a brief review of strategies for developing the curriculum units needed to support distance learning.     

澳大利亚昆士兰州开放教育网络概览

澳大利亚昆士兰州开放教育网络（QOLN）在运用开放学习的方法来传递教学并支持地区性的,乡村和偏远社区的学习中发挥了得要作用,介绍了这个网络的操作,网络的产品与服务,网络的教学传递和支持系统以及该网络的未来发展计划等。     

What’s in a name: dimensions of social learning in teacher groups

Induced by a literature review, this paper presents a framework of dimensions and indicators highlighting the underpinning aspects and values of social learning within teacher groups. Notions of social networks, communities of practice and learning teams were taken as the main perspectives to influence this social learning framework. The review exercise resulted in four dimensions: (1) practice, (2) domain and value creation, (3) collective identity and (4) organization. The indicators corresponding to these dimensions serve as the foundation for understanding social learning in practice. The framework of dimensions and indicators can be of assistance for researchers as well as teacher groups that aim to assess their views on social learning and analyse whether these views fit the learning goals of the group or that adjustments are required. In this way, learning processes within groups of teachers can be improved.     

Exploring the challenges in scaling up the delivery of action learning facilitator training within a global organisation

Action learning is often used as an element of leadership development programmes. The intention is to support classroom learning with an experiential thread which runs throughout the life of the programme. Action Learning Associates (ALA) has been working with an international organisation for three years to deliver the global ‘First Line Manager Programme’ (FLMP). The action learning facilitator training (ALFT) programme is designed to enable participants to run action learning sets in their operational companies across the world. Originally created in English – the official business language – the ALFT is now also delivered in French. The focus of the paper is to explore learning, challenges and opportunities created by scaling up the delivery of ALFT to a global target audience of approximately 700 people. To date ALA has trained over 165 internal action learning facilitators from different countries, languages, cultures and professional backgrounds. The value to the participants of being skilled to run their own action learning sets, within the context of the FLMP, is explored along with the opportunities for organisational development and learning.     

Students’ strategies for learning identities as industrial workers in a Swedish upper secondary school VET programme

The aim of this article is to investigate the learning strategies vocational students use to become part of a work community, and how these strategies are related to the formation of a vocational identity at the workplace. Conducting qualitative interviews, data were collected from 44 industrial programme students from six upper secondary schools. The findings revealed five recurrent strategies used by the students for learning vocational identities as industrial workers. The students took individual responsibility for their own learning, asked questions to gain deeper vocational knowledge, searched for role models in the work community, positioned themselves as a resource to the work community, understood and used humour and jokes in order to become a member of the community. The conclusion is that the students actively develop learning strategies to adapt their behaviour to the norms and ideals of the industrial work community. In the process of develop the vocational identities as industrial workers, the students’ vocational habitus is transformed to better fit the industrial work community. The integration of the notions of agency and habitus demonstrates the dynamic nature of students’ participation in work communities; simultaneously, the students reproduce social structures that promote vocational identities.     

Enhancing project-oriented learning by joining communities of practice and opening spaces for relatedness

This article describes an extension to project-oriented learning to increase social construction of knowledge and learning. The focus is on: (a) maximising opportunities for students to share their knowledge with practitioners by joining communities of practice, and (b) increasing their intrinsic motivation by creating conditions for student's relatedness. The case study considers a last year capstone course in Mechanical Engineering. The work addresses innovative practices of active learning and beyond project-oriented learning through: (a) the development of a web-based decision support system, (b) meetings between the communities of students, maintenance engineers and academics, and (c) new off-campus group instances. The author hypothesises that this multi-modal approach increases deep learning and social impact of the educational process. Surveys to the actors support a successful achievement of the educational goals. The methodology can easily be extended to further improve the learning process.     

The compatibility of action learning with inner game coaching

Using ‘inner game’ coaching techniques in the remediation of a challenged programme at a Global Investment Bank the environment was transformed into a delivery focused culture. The techniques included group sessions that would be familiar to anyone aware of action learning and were an integral part of the strategy to ensure sustainable change was achieved, with the programme delivered to an agreed plan and under budget.     

Critically reflective dialogues in learning communities of professionals

Communities in which professionals share and create knowledge potentially support their continued learning. To realise this potential more fully, members are required to reflect critically. For learning at work such behaviour has been described as critically reflective work behaviour, consisting of six aspects: challenging groupthink, critical opinion sharing, an openness about mistakes, asking for and giving feedback, experimentation and research utilisation. We studied whether and how these aspects can be distinguished in dialogues of seven different communities of veterinary professionals (critically reflective dialogues). Our exploration of the nature of critically reflective dialogues resulted in an analytical framework. Within each aspect four different modes of communication were identified: interactive, on an individual basis, non-reflective and restricted. We assume that professionals use learning opportunities most in the interactive mode of communication. The framework was employed to study the extent to which dialogues showed these modes of critically reflective dialogues. The results demonstrate that in these communities the modes of communication within aspects were largely non-interactive (i.e., individual, non-reflective). The developed framework discriminates between communities in terms of their critically reflective dialogues. Interventions to improve the effectiveness of learning communities should focus on enhancement of members addressing each other's reasons and reflections.     

A technical writing programme implemented in a first-year engineering course at KU Leuven

Technical communication and technical writing are important skills for the daily work-life of every engineer. In the first-year engineering programme at KU Leuven, a technical writing programme is implemented within the project-based course ‘Problem Solving and Engineering Design’. This paper describes a case study for implementing a writing programme based on active learning methods and situated learning in large classes. The programme consists of subsequent cycles of instructions, learning by doing and reflection on received feedback. In addition, a peer-review assignment, together with an interactive lecture using clicking devices, is incorporated within the assignments of the second semester. A checklist of desired writing abilities makes it easier to grade the large number of papers. Furthermore, this ensures that all staff involved in the evaluation process uses the same criteria to grade and for providing feedback.     

Using the value creation framework to capture knowledge co-creation and pathways to impact in a transnational community of practice in autism education

ABSTRACT

Although theories around Communities of Practice have gained significant ground in recent years and have become an important focus for organizational development, there is a gap in studies that investigate what members gain from participation in these communities. This paper explains how the value creation framework was implemented in a transnational research and development project in autism education by examining cycles of value creation and drawing on two types of data identified by Wenger and colleagues. The value creation framework is a theoretically driven framework to assess social learning in communities. Participants involved in the learning space were co-researchers engaged in a process of investigating, sharing and reflecting on their practice. The paper discusses the methodological challenges and strengths of using the value creation framework, with a particular focus on how insights and interactions led to subsequent changes in the practice of the participants. This work has the potential to make an important contribution to methods and analysis in assessing social learning and pathways to impact in participatory research and development projects more broadly.     

Student‐teachers' evaluation on the use of different modes of problem‐based learning in teacher education

Problem‐based learning (PBL) has been widely adopted in many university programmes. Evaluations of PBL in medicine, dentistry, nursing and social work reveal positive outcomes from both tutors and learners. However, few evaluations have been published about using PBL in teacher education programmes. This paper reports how the 13 student‐teachers in the Integrated Humanities Major Method course evaluated the use of three different modes of PBL delivery, namely: the classical PBL; an alternate pattern of PBL and teacher‐led deductive workshops; and a modified PBL using problem‐based scenario inductive inquiry workshops. The learning experiences of the student‐teachers were captured via an open‐ended questionnaire to discuss the feasibility and receptivity of endorsing full or partial use of PBL in the teacher education programme. The outcome shows strong preference for the use of the modified PBL approach while the majority agreed the classical PBL style is the most challenging among the three modes.     

Investigating teachers’ professional learning in an advanced Master’s degree programme

This study examined how multiple measures can be used to study experienced teachers’ learning. The study was conducted in an advanced Master’s degree programme, aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in the United States. The programmatic features and key learning experiences found in the programme are described and connected to the multiple measures used to investigate teachers’ professional learning. Results of the study indicated that multiple measures can be used to examine a programme’s effects on teacher learning; prompted reflections can provide evidence of a programme’s influence on teacher thinking; and programme structure and content are important elements to consider when designing and assessing programmes for experienced teachers. This study also addresses how building a programme around measurable outcomes and then examining the results through multiple measures is an important link in understanding teacher learning.