My theory of learning falls somewhere between constructionist and social-cultural theories of learning. This means that I think that the process of learning is carried out when people interact in their environments (real or digital). Learning occurs as people build upon their previous experiences and knowledge, where technology or any artifact is a conduit with which people can learn by exploring and experimenting. Within this process people are also influenced by the socio-cultural environments that shape how, why, and when we interact with artifacts. Therefore the process of learning is mediated by people’s varying cultures.
Learning with and through social media has several affordances that facilitate the type of learning I have explained. For example, social network sites like Facebook can be used as instructional tools. Specifically Manca and Ranieri (2016; 2013) found that upon reviewing the literature Facebook has been used to support interactive learning, to bridge formal and informal learning environments, as a peer learning and assessment tool, to deliver learning materials, and to meet millennial and other external expectations for learning and innovation. Overall, Manca and Ranieri (2016) found that Facebook was instrumental in integrating learning resources, bridging the contexts of learning , and hybridizing expertise. I wholeheartedly see these same attributes as affordances of Facebook in the learning context. More specifically, I think that being afforded the opportunity to look at and call on community expertise with which you are connected on Facebook can show students that expertise exists outside of and is valued by learning institutions. It also shows that their “street smarts” or knowledge formed outside of school can be leveraged in the classroom as a viable way of learning and gaining expertise.
However, the authors caution the use of Facebook without considering the local cultural and educational contexts and practices. I also agree with this point. There are significant variations in to who, how, why, and when folx are able to interact with Facebook in general and specifically in an educational context. With this point in consideration the affordances mentioned above could morph into constraints when the roles of collaboration, communication, teaching and learning are changed and those changes are incommensurable in the local context.
Taken together all of this can help students create and share communal and civic value before becoming “expert.” The abilities and knowledge they have now and are shaping now is valuable, and they should be encouraged to know and walk in that assertation.
Madison— The way that you integrated constructionist and sociocultural learning theories is particularly interesting and relevant to the articles that we read this week. I found your discussion about the necessity of considering of the local context to be particularly compelling. As you acknowledge, social network sites (like Facebook) offer a space for drawing on/from the local context to leverage knowledge from the community so that learning is both socially and culturally relevant to the students from that particular context. This decentralization of knowledge allows for a more democratic form of knowledge creation wherein institutional knowledge and community knowledge are both valued and leveraged in the learning process. Your advisement and caution for using social networking sites without considering the local context and culture is also warranted. As both you and Manca and Ranieri (2016) point out, culture and context must be carefully considered in using Facebook and other social networking sites as part of the learning experience. In many ways, culture, community, and local context influence the ways and degree to which people feel comfortable with leveraging social networking sites in their learning, knowledge construction, and social interaction.
Hi Madison, Thank you for your extremely thoughtful post this week. I, like Brittney, found it compelling and provocative. Your post speaks to the complex interrelationships – synergies and tensions – between definitions of media and of learning that we touched on last week. (Thank you, Clarks and Kozma!) You make the point: “There are significant variations in to who, how, why, and when folx are able to interact with Facebook in general and specifically in an educational context. With this point in consideration the affordances mentioned above could morph into constraints when the roles of collaboration, communication, teaching and learning are changed and those changes are incommensurable in the local context.” Can you think of a concrete, visualizable example — real or hypothetical — where the affordance(s) for learning you’ve mentioned morph into constraint(s)? Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Madison! I like how you approach to the concept of learning by considering constructionist and social-cultural theories. I also think that learning cannot be considered in a one clear-cut way and it is tightly connected with our interactions with others, and it occurs within our experiences and prior knowledge. As you said, culture and context are important ingredients of our learning process. In relation to that point, I found compelling your comment about importance of considering the local cultural and educational contexts and practices in online learning environments, such as in Facebook. As we understand learning which is an experience that shapes through our culture and values, to create and share communal and civic value, we should make such learning environments culturally relevant, too. That point also align with my understanding of identity construction in such spaces. Without considering and integrating our own values, identities and culture during the learning experience, we cannot completely engage in, participate and interact with others as a whole.
Hi all,
Chris that’s a good question. I think Brittney gives a partial answer to it. She says, “In many ways, culture, community, and local context influence the ways and degree to which people feel comfortable with leveraging social networking sites in their learning, knowledge construction, and social interaction.” When I think about who, how, and why people engage with social media, I, for one example, think about the contexts in which they are engaging and how “safe” they feel about engaging and voicing their truest opinions. I, and I’m sure many other scholars, greatly police what we post on our professional and even personal social accounts. When scholars engage in social activism we have to be prepared for the scrutiny that comes with posting our thoughts and stances from an academic standpoint. I view my personal page as my personal page, where I voice my opinion and experiences in institutions, people, places, things, whatever, but there are people who have stronger ties to respectability politics than to standing for a cause and what is right no matter where they find themselves. These people often find issue with the ways we portray ourselves and our opinions on social media because of how it looks to an institution or the academy. I think this undermines peoples right to humanity and dignity. In other words choosing to ignore systemic barriers in order to make others feel comfortable even in the context of social media robs people of their basic rights, and that is a real contention that some scholars face while looking to leverage the affordances of social media.
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