8 Social learning

In this session, we’ll explore a subject which has changed the way we think about learning in recent years, social learning.

The use of Facebook, Twitter, Yammer and Linkedin, to name but a few, has become ubiquitous in our daily lives, often being the primary way in which we communicate with each other for our social and working lives. But can these methods of communication transfer into an open learning environment?

The actual concept of social learning is nothing new. After all, learning from others through discussion and sharing has formed the way we have learned for many years. But the rapid development of social media and the way in which it’s been adopted by people of all ages, backgrounds and learning abilities across the world has given new meaning to social learning and its application as a learning method.

In this part of the course we’ll look at what social learning is and how it can be included in an open course. We’ll also explore the benefits of using social learning methods in an open course and consider the potential problems than can come from learning in a social environment.