Technologies that Promote Social Learning in Online Courses (Part 2)

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This is the second post in a series about technologies that promote social learning. The first post covered using discussion forums to encourage social learning in online courses. So to recap, what exactly is social learning? Basically, it is comprised of three situations - 

* students helping one another learn

* students inspiring and motivating each other
* students teaching each other

Research on student success in the online environment, clearly shows that students who learn socially increase their chances of success. We are the facilitators and course designers of the learning space that students find themselves in. To that end, how can we create online learning environments that encourage social learning? In this second post, I will talk about ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY for online courses that promotes social learning.

Social learning via WIKIS

Wikis go over quite well in my classes and are by far the most popular assignments. Wikis are very similar to discussion forums in that they involve students communicating with each other around a topic. Wikis have another feature that I think encourages students even more to learn socially. That is, the ability to create content with text, images and video. In Wikis, students not only reply to each other but they can actually create their own content.  I think this is a major draw and thus attracts even the shyest of students. Here are my tips (human and computer) with wikis that I think have the potential of promoting the highest levels of social learning amongst students.

Human solutions

• Create wiki assignments where students have to explain concepts in their own words.
• Create wiki assignments where students have to share their experiences in solving a problem.
• Create wiki assignments where students have to see a different perspective on a topic.

In my computer course, the most popular wiki assignments are:

* Green computing WIKI - students research and then give information/advice/tips on how to recycle old computers, cellphones and other electronics. Some students make posters and infographics and then upload them to the wiki for other students.


* Social media WIKI - students share their good and bad experiences with different social media such as Facebook and Twitter. 


* Protecting personal information and identity theft WIKI - students share their own experiences and/or give advice on how to protect personal information in daily life.


* Electronic monitoring WIKI - students give their opinion on a current case involving employees' email, text or other information being monitored in the workplace. I use FindLaw.com to find the summary of a recent case that I think students will be interested in.

Computer solutions 

LMS software gives various options for creating wikis. For instance in the Moodle LMS, there is an option to create a "collaborative wiki". This feature allows students to work together to create, modify and share information together.

Sample wiki page in Moodle

Sample creating/editing screen that students see in Moodle

Students can also comment on the pages that are in the Wiki and discuss their contents. By creating their own content students are empowered and are accountable for their own learning. My students tell me that having the chance to "put their own spin" on what they are learning motivates them to understand more deeply. Students know that other students will depend on their content to learn the subject and so pay much attention to what they submit.

 Stay tuned for Part 3...


Other Articles Related to this One

• 3 Ways to Use a Wiki in Your Course
• Technologies that Promote Social Learning (Part 1) 

Research on Student Success

• CCSSE.org, Community College Survey of Student Engagement (Key Findings)
• Gruenbaum, E., ACM Magazine (February 2010), Predictors of Success for Adult Online Learners: A Review of the Literature