Technology for Communication and Organisation (20 credits at level HE4)
20 credits at level HE4
DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE OF MODULE
During the module, you will consider models and theories of learning and knowledge management to support professional learning.
You will learn how to confidently participate in online conversations with others and gain a basic understanding of how people interact to support each other’s learning.
You will learn how to create and publish material using available and emerging tools.
You will develop ICT capability that can enhance your lifelong learning and transferable employment skills.
You will enhance your capacity to contribute to practitioner knowledge and understanding through participation in online learning communities.
INDICATIVE SYLLABUS CONTENT
Content will be largely determined by the student researcher when relating their focus for inquiry in the work-context to the intended learning outcomes for the module. It is expected that this content will be inter-disciplinary in nature and draw on academic and professional sources including work-colleagues and online community experience and know-how. In addition, specific topics common to the professional theme of the course and other topics relating to the knowledge about action inquiry will be identified and supported by experts participating in hot-seat discussions, where student researchers ask questions and experts respond.
All resources required for the delivery of the module will be available online. In addition, learners will identify resources in the workplace, in libraries, and online that is relevant to their own inquiry.
Topics that may be encountered include:
Community of Practice, Network Learning, Connectivism, Knowledge Management, Reflective Practice, Multimedia, Internet protocols, Web services
LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
Learning will be supported through an online community of inquiry where student researchers, course staff and invited ‘experts’ will engage in discussions, debates and group activities to explore key concepts, ideas, relevant topics and offer moral support.
Student researchers are expected to develop study habits which enable learning and contribute to assessment through:
- personal reflection in a learning log;
- regular participation in the online community and
- creative reporting to form a 'patchwork' for assessment.
Student researchers will:
- identify a focus for their inquiry around issues or opportunities to take action for improvement that they have identified in their work practice;
- plan an inquiry with learning activities that address each of the intended learning outcomes of the module;
- undertake their inquiry and share selected parts with student researchers for critical feedback;
- for each learning activity, create a product for assessment in the student researcher' choice of genre and media;
- evaluate the inquiry;
Learning facilitators will:
- promote community discussion on potential focii for inquiry;
- privately agree student researcher commitment to inquiry proposals;
- draw out issues arising in inquiries for community discussion;
- model critical feedback in the online community;
- make summative assessment of student researchers' work, noting strong points and points to consider with targets for improvement.
Assessment will be through an e-portfolio of work which will address each of the learning outcomes. It will include a summative commentary identifying the individual student researchers learning in relation to the intended learning outcomes for the module in a coherent account of their learning journey.
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
| Learning Outcomes when you have successfully completed this module you will: | Assessment Criteria to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcome you will: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Identify different communication and organisation technologies with reference to the work-place | List main technologies used in the work-place, identify key features of use and comment on effectiveness |
| 2. | Describe how online community of inquiry supported by technology can make an effective context for professional learning | Identify different models and theories that are used to explain how we share knowledge and comment on their relevance to personal experience through reference to your learning journal |
| 3. | Support fellow learners through the use of Internet technologies | Produce a reflective account with examples of where you have supported others and they have supported you, referring to your participation in the online community |
| 4. | Contribute appropriately to the body of practitioner knowledge using the internet | Create and upload media to the internet and defend your choice of method and destination |
ASSESSMENT
Your achievement of the learning outcomes for this module will be tested as follows:
Patchwork media: an assessment e-portfolio of learning activities with a summative commentary identifying learning achieved related to intended learning outcomes.
INDICATIVE READING
- Wenger, E (1998). Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
- Lave, J & Wenger, E (1991). Situated learning, Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
- Whitlock, Q. (2001). Towards an androgogy for living in an information society. In: Stephenson, J Teaching & learning online : new pedagogies for new technologies. London: Kogan. 188
- Salmon, G (2004). E-Moderating, The Key to Teaching and Learning OnLine. (2nd Edition) London: Taylor and Francis
The following website resources are recommended:
- Smith, M. K. (2003) 'Communities of practice', the encyclopedia of informal education [Online], www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm. [Accessed April 2008]
- Wenger, E. (1998) 'Communities of Practice. Learning as a social system', Systems Thinker [Online], http://www.co-i-l.com/coil/knowledge-garden/cop/lss.shtml. [Accessed April 2008]
- Boetcher, S; Duggan, H and White, N. (2002). What is a virtual community anyway and why would you ever want one? [Online], http://www.fullcirc.com/community/communitywhatwhy.htm. [Accessed April 2008]
- Wenger, E. (unknown). Communities of practice, a brief introduction [Online], http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm. [Accessed April 2008]
- Siemens, G. Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age [Online], http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm [Accessed April 2008]