Blending Formal and Informal Learning Networks for Online Learning

Abstract

With the emergence of social software and the advance of web-based technologies, online learning networks provide invaluable opportunities for learning, whether formal or informal. Unlike top-down, instructor-centered, and carefully planned formal learning settings, informal learning networks offer more bottom-up, student-centered participatory but somewhat disorganized learning opportunities for students. This paper presents a research study where graduate students are surveyed in their use of informal and formal learning networks in online courses to understand the interaction between the two and how they impact each other. The findings showed that students and professors use both environments often, to optimize learning but online course design is usually not designed to consider informal experiences of the students. The results and illustrated course design framework may contribute to the discussion of blending informal and formal learning for online learning.

Boundary interaction: Towards developing a mobile technology‐enabled science curriculum to integrate learning in the informal spaces

“…While it may be impractical to define precisely what formal or informal learning is, instructors are now more than ever trying to understand the affordances of each to create effective learning designs (Czerkawski, ). Our intention is not to distinguish them or to endorse one of them, but to utilize and synergize them for supporting more powerful students' learning.…”

Lifelong learning ecologies in online higher education: Students' engagement in the continuum between formal and informal learning

“…Although research on formal and informal learning is not new, it is relatively new in the context of online HE (Czerkawski, ). Recently, Adams Becker et al .…”

“…Although research on formal and informal learning is not new, it is relatively new in the context of online HE (Czerkawski, 2016). Recently, Adams Becker et al (2017) have articulated that integrating formal and informal learning is a significant yet solvable challenge in the context of technology integration in HE.…”

How Should We Blend? The Impact of Blending Social Networks on High School Students’ Achievement and Social Networking Behaviors

“…Bu anlamda sosyal ağlar, informal öğrenme ağları oluşturarak öğrencilere farklı alanlarda güncel, gerçekçi bilgi ve becerileri sunarken aynı zamanda özdüzenlemeli, otonom ve öğrenciyi kendisine bağlayacak öğrenme fırsatları da sağlamaktadır (Czerkawski, 2016). Junco (2012) öğrencilerin derse bağlanmaları açısından sosyal ağları kullanmanın önemine işaret etmekte, sosyal ağlarda geçirilen zaman ile derse bağlanma arasında pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğunu belirtmektedir.…”

“…Bu bulgu; öğretmenlerin sosyal ağları dersle tam olarak bütünleştirici faaliyetlerden; yoğun iş temposu, yüksek öğrenci mevcutları ile etkileşimde bulunma ve yoğun iş yükü gibi nedenleri öne sürerek kaçınmaları halinde en azından ortamı hazırlamaları ve öğrencileri bu ortamda bulunmaya davet etmeleri yönünde bilgilendirilmeleri ve teşvik edilmeleri gereğini ortaya koymaktadır. Her durumda öğretmenin sosyal ağı kullanma ile ilgili çabasının olmaması bir eksiklik anlamında düşünülebilir (Czerkawski, 2016).…”