*** Welcome to piglix ***

Social Web Academy


Social Web Academy is a web-based learning system which combines formal e-learning methods with informal learning, in an approach which centres on specific target groups. Social web academies initiate learning communities using formal learning processes, which at the same time encourage web-based learning. The difference between this and networking platforms, such as XING, is that this approach takes advantage of formal learning methods in order to foster competence building online.

Social web academies rely on the notion of connectivism, which assumes that learning processes are increasingly taking place on the Internet (see also G. Siemens, 2006). The only facility to store knowledge in such a way that it can be constantly updated and modified according to arising problems is a network which has been developed according to the individuals' intellectual needs. For this reason, learners in a connectivist system require an open learning environment which offers the opportunity to interact efficiently with fellow network users. Learners also need to have the ability to identify, evaluate and describe knowledge which is relevant for the learning process, and to further develop it in collaboration with their learning partners.

Social web academies aim to enable online competence development by combining knowledge transfer and classical e-learning with communication tools related to Web 1.0, as well as blending competence-focussed e-learning with Web 2.0 tools (social software).

Competence development as the ability to organise oneself (see also John Erpenbeck; Lutz von Rosenstiel, 2008) requires a high level of qualification. Highly competent individuals are usually also highly qualified. Qualification alone, however, does not suffice to build genuine competence. This can only take place in a self-organised manner by coping with real-life challenges.

Based on this prerequisite, a social web academy has to incorporate the following elements:

A social web academy is usually structured as a blended learning system. Under certain circumstances, however, competence development can also be achieved in learning systems which are mainly or purely Internet-based. For example, if learning partners from different countries and cultures collaborate in an intercultural training course, the exchange with the partner is in itself a practical challenge resulting in competence building through the handling of an intercultural encounter. A blended learning system systematically utilises online communities to aid this self-organised acquisition of competence, and this requires learning objectives to be clearly defined and progress to be measured using appropriate tools.


...
Wikipedia

...