4.1 Social Media LandscapesSocial media landscapes encompass a variety of community structures - “community of inquiry”, “community of practice” and “affinity spaces”. Each form of social networking will shape your understanding of your place within the variety of contexts and communities.
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Communities of Practice:
This concept comes from research done by Etienne Wenger and Jean Lave. It determines that learning occurs in a context of engagement with others. “Communities of practice are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavour” and “Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly” (Wenger, 2007) Memberships and relationships in these communities varies from a central role to a peripheral member. (retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm)
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When we look at membership in a community of practice within social media environments related to education an example would be TeachOntario supported by TVO. Another is the Teacher 2.0 and Classroom 2.0 communities. These communities have central, core members who share and engage in conversation about teaching and learning topics relevant to them, while drawing in others who may engage from the periphery.
Community of Inquiry:
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The concept of communities of inquiry (CoI) originated with Garrison & Anderson’s work on learning in computer mediated environments, but can be extended to all forms of educational practices. A community of inquiry involves the learner, content and instructor in the educational venture. The impacting factors include conversations (discourse), setting and the selection of learning materials/subject matter. It is further defined on this EduWiki site with a graphic that examines the interrelation of each component of the community in the inquiry.
Where have you experienced a Community of Inquiry in social media spaces? |
In social networks, CoI develop around a topic or learning focus. These can develop serendipitously - @CLMOOC and the CLMOOC Make Bank are examples. They can evolve around a passion - the MineCraftEdu Wiki and GamingEdus are examples.
Sometimes CoI centre on a conversation - Global Read Aloud, Code Club and Maple Syrup EDU Canada are examples.
Although not necessarily a community of inquiry, OSAPAC nonetheless sparks conversations with the repository of information on Digital Citizenship that can be accessed and used by Ontario educators.
Sometimes CoI centre on a conversation - Global Read Aloud, Code Club and Maple Syrup EDU Canada are examples.
Although not necessarily a community of inquiry, OSAPAC nonetheless sparks conversations with the repository of information on Digital Citizenship that can be accessed and used by Ontario educators.
Affinity Spaces:
This term comes from James Paul Gee stemming from his work on the application of learning to video and gaming spaces. Since the confines of the definition of ‘community’ do no apply in these contexts, he describes an ‘affinity space’ where individuals gather together for a time, enter and leave as they will, and leave a range of contributions to the space. We'll dip deeper into affinity space in Week Nine, but since many social media spaces are unstructured, unbounded and openly participatory, it's important to see the potential of how affinities can be applied to educational social media applications. A Kids Guide to Canada is a growing affinity space focused on celebrating Canada's 150th Anniversary through education and raising cultural awareness. CUBE for Teachers is an affinity space focused on collecting, organizing and curating resources for educators to support curriculum delivery.
Affinity spaces are frequently the location where online gamers meet, share, and collaborate. These spaces, for educators, can include using SLACK or Google Apps for Education (GAFE) as mechanisms to stay connected and work on things together.
Affinity spaces are evident within Twitter through the use of #hashtags and Twitter chats. Learn more about hashtags with Alice Keeler’s guide 10 Things to Know about Twitter Hashtags. Then check out this listing of education focused Twitter chats for local, provincial and global spaces.
Affinity spaces are frequently the location where online gamers meet, share, and collaborate. These spaces, for educators, can include using SLACK or Google Apps for Education (GAFE) as mechanisms to stay connected and work on things together.
Affinity spaces are evident within Twitter through the use of #hashtags and Twitter chats. Learn more about hashtags with Alice Keeler’s guide 10 Things to Know about Twitter Hashtags. Then check out this listing of education focused Twitter chats for local, provincial and global spaces.
As you explore Social Media spaces further, use this collaborative Google document space created to capture and collate information. Follow the instructions on the first page of the document to create your own working space to collect ideas, concepts, definitions or thoughts.
Think of the WHAT, SO WHAT, NOW WHAT framework to help you focus your understanding. |
References and Resources
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