Publications

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This document is a synthesis of the full research report of prelimary findings of the DOT Web2.0 research project. This project enabled a deeper exploration of the assumptions often made about youth and technology. Specifically, this project provided a forum for young adults in the global south to articulate their experiences with, and perceptions of, their interactions with new web technologies.

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The survey instrument created for the Web2.0: Mapping Perceptions and Practices research project. We invite other researchers to use and adapt this survey.

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Terrie Lynn  Thompson, DOT's Researcher-in-Residence presented this paper -- Digital inclusion in those "other" learning spaces: Mapping Web2.0 practices -- at the Open, Distance, and eLearning conference in Cambridge, UK. It reports on results from the 2010 DOT Web2.0 survey research project and more specifically, on three contradictions that emerged in the data related to digital inclusion and knowledge generation through work and workspaces globally.

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This paper--Innovating fluid learning spaces: Choices, designs, technology, and data--was presented at the 2011 eLearning Africa conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It reports on selected results from the 2010 DOT Web2.0 survey research project and how this data is informing the redesign of DOT's learning curriculum, with a case study of the new Intern learning experience recently implemented in Rwanda.

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A DOT white paper on the importance of exploring new models of teacher professional development. It weaves together insights gained from on-the-ground experiences with the current research-informed debate on the integration of technology with teaching and learning practices. Case study information from DOT TeachUp! programs in the USA and China is presented.

Springboards

Start with a blank piece of paper. Think about what happens when you need to learn something or solve a problem. Make a list of the different applications, web services, tools, and devices you use for your own work-related or personal learning.

You've just started to map your learning ecology, sometimes referred to as a personal learning environment (PLE) -- a concept capturing the attention of researchers and practitioners. Think of the learning ecology as a way to help you visualize the learning aspects of your technology use. In so doing, you get a sense of the well-worn paths (even the ruts) as well as the gaps in your approach.

Learning ecologies (or PLEs) are distributed environments of people, services, resources, and artefacts. They are our knowledge generating spaces that we construct with a mix of:

• different technologies
• individual and collective interactions
• formal and informal learning spaces
• F2F and online media.

The pedagogy of the learning ecology is that learners explore and create according to their own interests. The learner determines the technology as well as how, what and with whom they learn.

So what could a learning ecology look like? Scott Leslie, an educational technologist, has created a great wiki (http://edtechpost.wikispaces.com/PLE+Diagrams) that gathers examples of PLE (learning ecology) diagrams and links to discussions. Clicking your way through these, you can see how the focus is on using technologies and digital artefacts to connect with others and with different kinds of knowledge ... ultimately building a network where learning and knowing are outcomes.  

Author: Terrie Lynn Thompson (2010)