RSA#4

RSA#4

Module 7’s reading focuses on a few key topics that will create success in an online learning community.  The first chapter focuses on the promotion of collaborative learning.  In this chapter, readers learn about the importance of learning interdependence through collaboration in the online learning community.  Although this is only effective if the students participate in the collaboration, it is also the instructors responsibility to monitor collaboration and build opportunities for this to take place.  One the instructor has created collaboration opportunities, it is the students’ responsibility to become a transformative learner.  The final chapter in this module focuses on the transformative learning process.  This is something that will occur regardless of whether or not the instructor promotes it; however, chances of student success within this process can be greatly aided by the assistance of promotion on the part of the instructor. “When students are empowered to become experts at their own learning, they cannot help but he transformed people” (Palloff & Pratt, p. 202, 2007).  Essentially, a student becomes a transformative learning by taking the reigns of the highest potential of their education and advocating for him or herself.

“Social Networks and Performance in Distributed Learning Communities” discusses an experiment based on 3 hypotheses to test the correlation between social networks and student performance.  Two online learning communities were monitored and data was collected to see if the hypotheses were indeed correct.  They note that it is clear that high learning comes from collaboration and essentially, the researchers wanted to see the impact that social networks had.  Their results showed that “Social networks play an essential role in learning environments as a key channel for knowledge and sharing and as a source of social support” (Cadima, Ojeda, & Monguet, p. 296, 2012).  Their results showed a significant correlation.

I chose this article because one of the main topics was collaboration and the importance in a learning community to have collaboration.  I wanted to find an article that had specific research to support this theory.  The results have shown that this hypothesis is correct.  Although I felt confident in my own experience with social networks within a learning community, research-based data proves for a more effective argument when supporting the importance of social interaction and collaborations within a learning community. 

Cadima, R., Ojeda, J., & Monguet, J. M. (2012). Social Networks and Performance in Distributed Learning Communities. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 15(4), 296-304. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED505959.pdf

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K.  (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0-7879-8825-8, pages 157-204.