Learning in Online Communities

The Internet is particularly effective at supporting the kinds of learning that learning sciences research is discovering to be most effective: project-based learning, constructionist learning, and Learning by Design. In project based learning, groups of students work collaboratively to solve the problem posed by a driving question. In constructionist learning, learners construct their own knowledge while working in communities of learners who share discoveries and build on each other’s ideas. In Learning by Design students share design ideas, ask for advice, constructively criticize other students’ solution procedures, and build on other students’ ideas in their own projects. Particularly successful examples of online learning communities based on learning sciences principles include The Math Forum, CoVis, SCOPE/KIE/WISE, CSILE/Knowledge Forum, One Sky Many Voices, and Quest Atlantis. While much of the richest work in online communities has been done in the domains of math and science, Scardamalia and Bereiter note that a knowledge-building community can be built around almost any domain we might wish students to understand. As in all area, technology gives us a lot of opportunity in education science but in my opinion we should clearly define the limits of it.

1)  How can we define the limits of using the technology in education?

2) How can we increase the role of teacher in online learning or do we need to do it?