Notes: Social software for life-long learning

Klamma, R., Chatti, M., Duval, E., & Hummel, H. (2007). Social software for life-long learning. Educational Technology & Society (2007) vol. 10 (3) pp. 72-83

Abstract:
Life-long learning is a key issue for our knowledge society. With social software systems new heterogeneous kinds of technology enhanced informal learning are now available to the life-long learner. Learners outside of learning institutions now have access to powerful social communities of experts and peers who are together forging a new web 2.0. This paper reviews current work in pan-European initiatives that impact upon life-long learning via views of professional learning, learner competence and social networking. It seeks to provide an overview of some of the critical research questions for the interdisciplinary field of social software research.

An important theme in life-long learning… is the nature of “informal and non-formal learning”. Once you step beyond traditional institutional boundaries you can find learning which is driven by and for, “you, the learner”.

Participants can gain significant reputation in their community by “being seen” publicly creating valuable artefacts that is of use to new members of their group. The individual satisfaction and perception of effectiveness in that sense is closely related to the commitment of the individual to contribute and actively participate.¹

…effective and efficient learning need to be individualized - personalized and adapted to the learner’s preferences, acquired competences, and evolving knowledge, as well as to the current context. Adaptive learning systems keep the information about the user in the learner model and based on it they provide certain adaptation effects. Based on the information about the learner and the current context an appropriate educational method should be chosen, which uses suitable learning activities that reference proper learning materials.

Blogs are great tools for personal knowledge management. They help people organizing and exchanging their personal knowledge and the knowledge they have acquired. In the corporate context, personal business blogs helps the dissemination of knowledge through the organization and offer a platform where knowledge can be shared among employees by reading each other blogs, giving feedback and linking to other entries found in a colleague’s blog or elsewhere in other learning communities.