Connecting Transitions and Independent Learning: an evaluation of read/write web approaches

Live blog of session

Richard Hall  and Heather Conboy from De Montfort University

Peer Mentoring pilot asking the question whether institutional or social networking tools most appropriate / effective (ie Facebook) with a focus on:

• Challenges of transition
• Impact of read/write technologies
• Expanding pedagogic borders beyond the classroom, campus and VLE

Student led project - peer mentors/ students decided what tools they wanted to use.  Most used VLE at first and within 2 months vast majority had drifted to social networking. 20% decided that they didn't want anything to do with social networking tools.

Conclusions

• Boundaries: mentors as stakeholders in an "institutional scheme impacts on participation
• Mentors have to 'push' services and expertise. There are critical moments in time - ie around assessment time.
• More structured and earlier training, including on creating and maintaining communities. Mentors reported that they knew how to use social networking tools, and support students but didn't know how to establish and maintain communities.

Rebecca Galley
10:07am 8 September 2009