Culture, Identity and the Online Learning Community

An online learning community facilitates instruction and interactions for individual learning.  The online community may be a technologically-supported environment that takes place within a physical community and/or it may be a community that exists virtually.

Identity and culture form as a result of a shared community of common concerns, values, goals and practices.  Earmarks of a healthy online learning community include a community’s willingness to learn and share knowledge amongst its members.  Knowledge and social identity development are deepened through participation in online communities.

Though the focus of this wiki article is emergent cultural and social identities in online learning communities, it should be noted that research regarding online learning cultures could encompass the following topics:

1. An examination of the ways online learning happens through language when the medium of technology hides characteristics like accents, appearance, age, gender, etc.
2. An examination of the influence of online learning approaches of developed nations over developing nations.

Constructivism Theory of Learning and Culture, Identity and the Online Learning Community

Interwoven in the concept of culture, identity and the online learning community is the constructivist theory of learning.

According to the constructivism theory of learning, a learner acts upon his/her environment to acquire and test knowledge.  Social interaction in learning facilitates identity formation via interaction and dialogue in which community members express, share and build upon their histories, backgrounds, practices and goals.  The reciprocity of the concept of one’s sense of self as being tied to the concept of one’s sense of belonging to a community or communities is therefore not surprising.

      Social constructivism recognizes the learner’s identity as unique individuality comprised of the learner’s history, culture and background.  It is the learner’s background that helps him/her discover knowledge in the learning process (e.g.: interacting with more knowledgeable members of society, etc.).

Below is a non-exhaustive list of characteristics of the Constructivism Theory of Learning integral to Culture, Identity and the Online Learning Community:

• Learning is a social process
• Dynamic interaction between task, instructor and learner
• Collaboration amongst learners

Online Education Challenges: Bounded Communities and the Transfer of Culture

Though online learning communities can materialize instantaneously, drawn and held together by common concerns, value and goals, creating an online community within a structured educational setting can feel inorganic.  These “Bounded Communities” (Wilson, 2004) form in response to a formal educational institution and its instructors.  These communities are “bounded” by the expectations, rules and practices of the institution and its instructors.  

On a related note, colleges and universities have distinct school cultures: the school’s identity is comprised of its mission statement, slogan, motto, etc.  Additionally, values, beliefs and traditions are reflected in symbols, architecture, structural organization and/or relationships: showing that culture is not just a theoretical concept but a physical expression.

Not surprisingly, questions of execution, service delivery and fidelity arise with regards to a school’s cultural branding delivery virtually. 

Learning Management Systems role in creating an Online Learning Community

Collaboration with others and the instructor is facilitated through learning management systems, like Blackboard.  So how exactly do learning management systems work, lets find out in this video below.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges that face online learning  and educational institutions, a vibrant online learning community is comprised of the unique individuality of its members.  These members, simultaneously participating in other learning and/or social communities, bring the richness of their concurrent exchanges and interactions to the table so that a rich exchange of ideas occurs amongst the participants of a single community.

References

Goodfellow, Robin.  (2008).  “New Directions in Research into Learning Cultures in Online Education.”  [Abstract].  Retrieved from http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/past/nlc2008/abstracts/Goodfellow.htm.

Koole, Marguerite.  (2010).  “The Web of Identity: Selfhood and Belonging in Online Learning Networks.”  [Abstract].  Retrieved from http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/organisations/netlc/past/nlc2010/abstracts/PDFs/Koole.pdf.

Lemke, Jay and van Helden, Caspar.  (2007).  “New Learning Cultures: Identities, Media, and Networks.”  [Abstract].   Retrieved from http://web.me.com/portalx/CJL/LamyArticle.html.

Luppicini, Rocci.  (2007).  Online Learning Communities.  North Carolina: Information Age Publishing.

Online Learning Communities. (2007). YouTube. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VJ_D-yVjjw

What is BlackBoard. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wjy5saNAco&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Wilson, Brent G.  (2004).  “Bounded Community: Designing and Facilitating Learning Communities in Formal Courses.”  [Abstract].  Retrieved from http://carbon.ucdenver.edu/~bwilson/BLCs.html.

References: Images

Online Identity.  (2007).  [Graphic online identity].  Students for Free Culture.  Retrieved from http://www.studentsforfreeculture.eu/blog/.

Digital Identity Mapping.  (Unknown Date).  [Graphic different facets of online identity]  FredCavazza.net via Thoughts, Interests, Learning, Sharing Blog.  Retrieved from http://www.fredcavazza.net/.

Social Constructivism(JPEG Image, 578x576 pixels) - Scaled (0%). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ldesigns.edublogs.org/files/2010/04/social_media_clutter.jpg

Online Learning Community (JPEG Image, 347x347 pixels) - Scaled (0%). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://thetrc.org/trc/images/tolcring.jpg