Socio-cultural
The learning trajectory of the human learning experiences aims to create boundaries and create new opportunities. This experience of learning and negotiation of meaning within a community through concepts of imagination, alignment and engagement is the socio-cultural or ‘Communities of Practice‘ (Wenger, 1998). Socio-cultural theoretical framework involves the learning experiences from both past and present within the current learning environment to create new opportunities of learning. The socio-cultural perspective surrounds the social construction, the environment and cultural context.
Socio-cultural Online Course
• Ideally naturally formed working partnerships and group work, this could be very difficult to create an effective, comfortable, trusting relationship formed quickly on an online course. The other option is to encourage discussion to link up with a peer, or eventually the more formal process of educator picking partnerships is undertaken. Same for group work, but likely the facilitator may organise this very low-key to encourage engagement and feeling of control and direction of the learners. Could a visual resource such as FaceTime, Skype or Hangout be used to form more personal relationships, “name to a face” approach?
• Cooperative learning environment, social integration of the learners.
• Peer partnerships.
• Online interpersonal skills, such as writing, listening, discussing, talking online, negotiating.
• Cooperative group work and learning experiences.
• Case studies and problem solving activities.
• Creating a solution as a team.
• E-portfolio for reflective practice, especially focused on the collaborative experiences.
• Sharing information.
• Variation.
Transformation Aims
Positive interdependence, in that the collaborative approach and sharing ideas has made a positive impact on the individual and the community level. The development of interpersonal skills and soft skills.
Keywords: social learning, community of practice, situated learning, COP.
References
Ross, P. (2016) Communities of Practice (CoP) by Etienne Wenger. Nursing Education Network.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge university press. [sample here]
Wenger, E. (2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization, 7(2), 225-246.
Wenger, E. & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015) Introduction to communities of practice: A brief overview of the concept and its uses. Wenger-Trayner.com