TLRG Seminar: Thursday 1st of July 2010

Learning is supported through social networks of exchange – of information, support, or reference materials. In networks, learning is a relation that connects people – for example, when a student learns from a teacher, or colleagues learn from each other. It can become the nature of the tie between people, such as when members of a class become a learning community. And it can also be an outcome of the combined set of interactions that tie people. For example, groups gain competence in their joint technology through joint use; communities hold among their members knowledge of their history; and societies become proficient at supporting their citizens. The principles of social network analysis provide a grounding for exploring this multi-faceted aspect of learning networks – a short-hand I use to address overlapping themes of computer networks, social networks, and online learning. With reference to social network research studies, this presentation explores how social network principles can act as a framework for addressing learning networks, including the kinds of relations that compose and sustain learning ties, and how these ties support networks of learning crowds and communities.