Finally, after several years of studying collaborative participation while applying theories on communities of practice and situated learning, I ended up as a lab rat myself.
I recently joined an online course on Open Networked Learning that, putting it mildly, challenges all conventional ways of thinking about learning. After a couple of days of reflection while taking the first steps together within the crowd of a hundred learners who had assigned to the course, now divided into smaller community entities, I found myself in a situation very similar to that of many respondents I have studied as a researcher (studying individuals sharing weather observations, and, among other research questions, their motivation to participate).
To my great surprise, I do like this new way of applying the concept of learning. Learning through collaboration… One benefit is the almost unlimited opportunities to choose freely among different things that actually interest you, both professionally, and on the most personal level, and aim for exploration of a theme of your own.
But how should things be practically organized within the groups? I am supposed to take the lead here? Or, is open networked learning entirely self-organized? I guess that trying different ways, improvising, and sharing, is the actual point with learning through “open collaboration”.
I happened to sign up to lead the first topic because of the presumed similarities with my research. That is, the “collaborative participation” part of the topic. The second part, “digital literacy”, however, seems much more complex, something I haven’t yet reflected much upon.
The next steps within the course are that the participants are asked to reflect over their digital literacy, a concept that will dominate the discussions during the first week of action on the course. I am confused. Not so much over the definition of “digital literacy”, but over my own role within the group.
By almost pure coincidence – as a part of another course – I came across a useful piece of framework described in Redecker (2017), European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators, which I intend to use during this first topic.
In short, it introduces six different stages of learning or competencies: the Newcomer, the Explorer, the Integrator, the Expert, the Leader, and the Pioneer.
The framework then applies these stages within different contexts associated with: Professional engagement, Digital resources, Teaching and learning, Assessment, Empowering learners, and Facilitating Learners’ Digital Competence.
The framework is presented in a nice overview.
I’m relieved I found something to guide me while trying to answer questions regarding my own digital skills and help assessing my digital literacy.
So, while still trying to figure out how things should work in this course, still struggling with understanding my role as a co-leader/leader on this week’s topic, and of course aiming to do my best to contribute to the group, I am sharing this piece of information with you all.
References
Redecker, C., 2017. European framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu (No. JRC107466). Joint Research Centre (Seville site).