Lifewide Education
  • Home
    • About
    • Community
    • 2030 Vision
    • 2021 activities
    • White Paper
  • Lifewide Learning
    • Sustainable & Regenerative Futures >
      • Healthy Futures
      • Sustainable Futures Inquiry
      • Pathways >
        • Pathways Stories
        • Motivations
        • Inspring people
      • Lifewide Magazine 25
    • Our Learning LIves
  • Magazine
  • Inquiries
    • Earth Charter Inquiry >
      • Values & Beliefs Statements
  • Books
    • Learning for a Complex World
    • Lifewide Learning, Education & Personal Development
    • Lifewide Learning & Education in Universities & Colleges
    • Professional learning
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Lifewide Development Award
  • IHB3 seminar
  • INN
  • SDU
  • Qinghai
  • OU employability
  • EXPLORING LEARNING ECOLOGIES
  • Learning Lives Conference

How can Higher Education Adapt to the Social Age of learning?

9/29/2014

43 Comments

 
Picture
Higher education cannot be immune from the profound changes that are being driven by the adoption of social media as a social global phenomenon.  Indeed HE is already beginning to adapt by introducing new pedagogic practices that are consistent with the features of learning in the Social Age. This blog describes four ways in which pedagogic practices combined with social media can assist the process of adaptation.

Socio-constructivism or constructing meaning with others 
This means creating the conditions were we can learn and work with others to construct and co-construct meaning in a social context ie to make what is learnt and the process of learning more personally meaningful and relevant. Learners, their teachers and the wider community and networks need to be involved in this process as co-learners. But all too often the dominant approach to learning in higher education is not one of collaboration and co-creation of meaning rather it is one in which teachers organise and orchestrate the learning process transmitting their knowledge and understandings via lectures and resources that they have determined and then test whether this knowledge has been transferred.

Learning in  highly organised and controlled ways within well defined topic structures and physical or intellectual spaces is safer than the less structured, meandering, self-determined and collaborative ways of learning in the Social Age but it is less useful to students who are about to step out into that world and who are not prepared for it. The challenge for higher education is to blend traditional disciplinary ways of learning with pedagogies that require student and teacher involvement in the ways we are learning in the world outside formal education which is typically informal, collaborative and personally relevant and meaningful. In fact we all participate in social groups large and small that constitute important personal networks for learning and development. But what types of pedagogies and supportive scaffolds are needed to help us maximise on such opportunities in a global community and a multitude of networks?

Social media can be seen as networked ecosystems for self-organised exploration.  We have access to these via desktop and smart or mobile pocket and bag technologies. Driven by our curiosity and the desire to discover and uncover new and exciting things about ourselves, others and the world around us, social media puts us on a journey to construct meaning and develop understanding through social connections and conversations with others.

Social media can only exist if there is sharing and reciprocity – when we are active, learners and teachers. Social media enable us to learn in the real world with and from others and therefore make learning authentic, current and less lonely. We are exposed to and immersed in a plethora of voices, resources and opportunities and constantly filter, refine these and construct our own paths.  We cooperate and collaborate and become part of social networks and communities and create our personal and collective learning ecologies.  Through this process we become social learners that take advantage of the opportunities. HE is about constructing new meanings, making new discoveries, debating and challenging what is out there. Social media present rich and authentic opportunities for engaging in all these aspects of learning.

Constructionism or learning through making
This pedagogical concept is directly related to hands-on learning through making, in the physical, digital or hybrid world that marries the two. The making of objects, artefacts and models is fundamental to the active process of learning and to discovering what works or doesn't work in a particular context. All too often higher education teachers make things for their students rather than involving them in making things for themselves or in co-creating their learning process and journey. Through making things learners make sense of concepts, ideas, materials and objects and also gain satisfaction, feel motivated and a real sense of achievement. Surely, making something for the first time is a creative act, so by enabling learners to make their own tools and artefacts we are enabling them to be creative and experience co-creativity if they are working with others: an essential experience for the Social Age of learning.

So the challenge for higher education is to create a better balance in the activity of making so that the teacher is not the only maker and provider of tools, resources and artefacts, but learners are also encouraged and enabled to make things for themselves and with others.

Social technologies and media are opening up a whole new world of making by enabling us to become digital creators, learners and teachers. As the technology has become widely available and easy to use we carry their enabling power around with us in our pockets and bags. They are ready to hand to record a thought, a feeling, event or experience which can then be incorporated into the digital artefacts we create.

Already we can see that institutional technologies are being displaced as students and teachers experiment with social media. Our personal digital technologies have enabled us to personalise our learning by empowering us to make things that are relevant and meaningful to us enabling us to find self-fulfilment in our creations. By sharing our works with others, especially we create new possibilities for conversations  with people that share our interests and passions enabling new relationships for learning. Often these people are on the other side of the globe. There is so much potential to utilise social media and engage students as makers and help them through such activities to develop valuable skills, understanding, behaviours and attitudes that will enable them to become even more expert in this social world of learning.

Experiential participatory learning
At the heart of this theory of how higher education might adapt to better prepare students for learning in the Social Age, is the idea of learning through self-determined experience, including reflecting on and drawing meaning from experience.  Out in the real world we make things up as we go along often making mistakes in the process, we struggle to overcome obstacles and we see and make use of opportunities as they emerge. Learning in everyday life is an unfolding and uncertain journey we experience with others.

But the journey our learners make in higher education is pre-designed and pre -defined by teachers - with content and process pre-determined and prescribed. Their concerns are with certainty, with conformity and with clarity and with timetabling. They are not so concerned with creating opportunities for experiment and do not take kindly to mistakes being made, especially where assessment is concerned.

There are real challenges for higher education in creating a curriculum / learning experience that is more like the real world and less like the classroom. The articles by Dylan Tweney and Lorraine Stefanie provide us with examples of how this might be achieved.

Learning is a participatory process not a product or something that just happens to us passively. We need to experience it. Social media would not survive and thrive without participation. They provide a rich experiential and experimental opportunity for learning and teaching. Participation there is multi-directional and multifaceted and can be visible or invisible and is interwoven into the fabric of other individual and collective activities, in the virtual and physical world. Luckin et al. (2010, 12) for example propose the Learner Generated Context framework ”for open, creative and participatory learning experiences.”

Open learning and open educational resources and practices in the Social Age
It has been suggested that we are moving towards a more open education system so perhaps Open Education is the most appropriate form of education for the Social Age. It promises to provide every citizen with exactly the kind of learning s/he needs, when, where and how s/he needs it. This is a fundamental shift from most of formal education today where learners generally comply with the when, where, what and how an institution chooses to provide its educational opportunities.

Purposeful 'sharing'  is at the heart of open learning as it is the Social Age and social media is a great promoter and enabler of openness with the potential to transform us into open individuals. Through social media we are able to find creative ways to share and connect, cooperate and collaborate as well as construct and experience. We create learning objects using our own devices and with a click of a button we are able to share what we have made with the whole world rather than just one teacher.

One solution to the current paradox of traditional education in a digitally enabled Social Age is to unbundle the functions and practices of a university in order to enable the learner to create the package he/she requires. Making available specific functions and support will, it is argued, enable a knowledgeable and skilful learner to design their learning pathways themselves by pooling the different (learning) resources and opportunities available, and combining them in a way that allows them to learn what, when, where and how they wanted to learn. A more radical view of the world of open learning tells us that we already have the power at our finger tips to create a course for ourselves, decide on licensing and organise social learning events and activities which we can make available to anybody who wants to join us. In this way we can all be teachers and co-learners in the Social Age.

History shows us that the significant social changes occur when we change our perspective and the open learning / open education movement, aided by social technologies and media is beginning to change attitudes and practices within higher education. Social technologies and media are enablers in this process. Students and teachers are more empowered than ever to create, collaborate and disseminate openly resources and practices and build on the creations of others. Supported by a global network of peers and like minded people, we define new personal and collective open and dynamic learning ecologies supported by cultures.

These are just a few thoughts on some of the challenge for higher education as we move into further into the Social Age of learning. Examples of how social media are being used in higher education can be found in Issue 10 of Lifewide Magazine. Lifewide Education embraces the idea of the Social Age and the idea of lifewide learning and development in the socially and technologically connected world would seem to provide an appropriate philosophy for learning in the Social Age.

We welcome your thoughts on the way higher education is adapting to the Social Age. Please share your thoughts and ideas.

NB This blog is based on an article by Chrissi Nerrantzi and others in Issue 11 of Lifewide Magazine (see below)

Information sources
Gauntlett, D. (2011) Making is connecting. The social meaning of creativity, from DIY and knitting to YouTube and Web2.0, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Jackson, N. J. (2013) The Concept of Learning Ecologies in N Jackson and G B Cooper (Eds) Lifewide Learning, Education and Personal Development E-Book. Chapter A5 available at http://www.lifewideebook.co.uk/uploads/1/0/8/4/10842717/chapter_a5.pdf
Luckin, R., Clark, W., Garnett, F., Whitworth, A., Akass, J., Cook, J., Day, P., Ecclesfield, N.,  Hamilton, T & Robertson, J. (2010) Learner Generated Contexts: a framework to support the effective use of technology to support learning, in: Lee, M. J. W. & McLoughlin, C. (eds) Web 2.0-Based E-Learning: Applying Social Informatics for Tertiary Teaching, IGI Global, pp. 70-84., available at http://knowledgeillusion.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/bookchapterluckin2009learnergeneratedcontexts.pdf
Nerrantzi, C, Jackson N J and Buckingham S (2014) Adapting higher education to the Social Age of learning: How can social media help?  Lifewide Magazine Issue 11 available online at:          
http://www.lifewidemagazine.co.uk/
Redecker C (2014) 'The Future of Learning is Lifelong, Lifewide and Open' Lifewide Magazine Issue 9 March 2014 available on-line at: http://www.lifewidemagazine.co.uk/

43 Comments
https://domyhomeworkfor.me/matlab-homework-help link
1/1/2021 03:01:04 am

As the world is digitizing more and more people can connect and learn. Students connect to https://domyhomeworkfor.me/matlab-homework-help and the teacher hosts their class there. It does not matter if you are living in another country as long as you have an internet connection.

Reply
how to make a telemedicine app link
1/20/2021 07:14:51 am

Great article! I want people to know how good this information is in your article. Your views on this subject are very similar to mine. I will visit your blog every day because I know. This can be very helpful for me.

Reply
Lhynzie link
4/8/2022 06:07:41 am

Excellent post. Quite knowledgeable and informative. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Keep up this kind of effective work. Kudos!

Reply
Master SEO link
11/9/2023 10:49:49 am

Great article! The content was insightful and well-researched, providing valuable information on the topic. I appreciate the writer's clear and engaging writing style. Keep up the excellent work!

Reply
Full Smile Makeover Turkey Cost link
11/23/2023 10:17:52 am

Although there are fluctuations in the tourism field in Turkey from time to time, it has an important place in the world. However, it is seen that historical trips are highly preferred by tourists because there are many regions where there are natural beauties. It is seen that Turkey, which embodies multiculturalism, which is a work of many years, has a very great importance in terms of tourism.

https://turkeymedicals.com

Reply
lucas
11/29/2023 12:51:29 pm

Thank you for providing such an insightful and well-researched blog post. Your expertise on the subject matter was evident, and I appreciated the practical examples you shared. To explore further, <a href="https://05d53d412j-jkohc09jdjpph8v.hop.clickbank.net" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Reply
Toni link
12/8/2023 12:44:25 am

Thanks for sharing such informative article. Looking forward to more of your works!

Reply
marcus link
12/20/2023 01:43:18 am

Learning is really unique; we must strive to innovate all the time and relearn new things. The world of learning is changing rapidly, and we need to swim with it.

Reply
Freddie Durable link
12/20/2023 07:21:40 pm

I really enjoyed reading your post and your writing style is so engaging! Keep up the great work! You may visit also my website at https://manila-casino.com/phmacao/

Reply
Rhaizen Khai link
12/20/2023 08:02:15 pm

Thanks for sharing this helpful information! I'm excited to check out some of your articles on your future posts.

You May Also Visit My Website at

https://ps88.games/

Reply
jeanny bheb link
12/20/2023 08:34:29 pm

I just read your article and I really enjoyed it. I thought you did a great job of explaining the topic in a clear and concise way.
Thanks again for a great article! I'll definitely be checking out your blog again in the future.

You may also visit my website at https://c9taya.fun/

Reply
Citie link
12/25/2023 05:44:00 pm

<a href="https://www.7xm44.app/?r=jum7641//">Click and Get 199 Bonus Now</a>

I appreciate your warm sentiments and constant support! Your support inspires me to keep writing and aiming for greatness. Keep checking back for more exciting updates, and please feel free to offer any comments or recommendations. Cheers to more thought-provoking and entertaining stuff in the future!

Reply
Chandrabhan Vishwakarma
12/29/2023 12:59:15 am

Your post provides actionable steps that readers can take to implement the advice. It's practical and valuable. For more details, <a href="https://chandrabhanonlinefreewebstore.blogspot.com" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Reply
Diana link
1/11/2024 01:10:46 am

<a href="https://bettowin.ph/phjoy-casino//">Click and Get 199 Bonus Here</a>
Fantastic post! Your insights on your article mare truly enlightening. I particularly resonateas it aligns perfectly with my own experiences. Your writing style is engaging, making complex concepts easy to grasp. Looking forward to more thought-provoking content from you in the future!

Reply
Reese Lordson link
1/11/2024 03:34:55 pm

Thanks for sharing this helpful information! I'm excited to check out some of your articles on your future posts.

You May Also Visit My Website at

<a href="https://playandearn.ph/fullhouse77/">Start Playing and Claim 888 Free Bonus</a>

Reply
jenevive link
1/24/2024 01:02:53 am

Great Job! This very informative and resourceful article. Please keep on posting.You may also visit my website
https://philwin.ph/60win/themost-popular-and-trusted-casino/

Reply
jenevive link
1/24/2024 09:52:38 pm

Great Job! This very informative and resourceful article. Please keep on posting.You may also visit my website
https://philwin.ph/60win/themost-popular-and-trusted-casino/

Reply
Kervin Sung-a link
2/1/2024 05:46:01 am

I just read your article and I really enjoyed it. I thought you did a great job of explaining the topic in a clear and concise way.
Thanks again for a great article! I'll definitely be checking out your blog again in the future.

You may also visit my website at https://wincasinoph.com/yy777

Reply
Marc Jacobs link
2/1/2024 05:46:59 pm

Wow! Such an informative article. Thank you for sharing this!

Reply
Rhaizen link
2/2/2024 07:01:14 pm

Thank you for your message, I'm excited to see what future posts hold.
https://philboss.ph/casino-plus/

Reply
jessy link
2/2/2024 07:11:55 pm

Thank you for sharing this wonderful article. I'm delighted to have
come across some of your posts.

Reply
Dua For Love Back link
2/7/2024 01:46:24 am

Dua For Love Back
In this blog post, we will discuss the significance of Dua for love back, how to perform it, and the best time to recite it.
https://www.quranicsolution.com/dua-for-love-back/

Reply
Kiera Vicente link
2/18/2024 07:16:13 pm

This site is very helpful! thank you for this information, check out my website for more!

Reply
Shan Dope link
3/4/2024 09:54:22 pm

"This is a great article! I especially found important insightful informations. Please keep on posting!

Reply
5788WIN link
3/6/2024 05:00:27 am

<a href="https://philboss.ph/5788win/">Click and Get 199 Welcome Bonus Here</a>

"Exceptional work! This article is filled with enlightening information that sparks motivation and determination. Keep up the excellent content!"

Reply
gogojili link
3/18/2024 09:59:17 pm

I appreciate your kind words regarding the article and the valuable information it provided. I'm eager to explore more insights in the future to further develop my skills and expand my knowledge base.

Reply
Kiffy Co link
3/21/2024 04:19:03 am

This is very helpful. Thank you! <a href="https://2dlottoresulttoday.com/luckystar/" title="" rel="dofollow">Read more...</a>

Reply
nnn777 link
3/22/2024 08:15:32 pm

Thank you for the wonderful article and valuable information.
I'm excited to explore further and enhance my skills,
eager to delve into the future to learn and grow even more.

Reply
9s App Online Casino link
3/26/2024 01:43:10 am

Thank you for your valuable insights! Your perspective serves as a wonderful encouragement to uphold positivity and productivity amidst life's many demands. We'd love to extend an invitation for you to explore our website further, where you can discover a wealth of additional details and inspiring ideas.

Reply
Kiffy Co link
4/11/2024 03:24:43 am

Thank you for this post. Appreciate it!

Reply
Verra link
4/26/2024 11:09:12 pm

Thanks for sharing such informative article. Looking forward to more of your works!

Reply
free bonus link
5/1/2024 12:34:10 am

I appreciate your kind words about the article. I look forward to sharing more of my future work with you!
<a href="https://freebonuscasino//">Click and Get 199 Welcome Bonus Here</a>




Reply
jemuel link
5/24/2024 01:58:19 am

Thank you for sharing such an enlightening article.
I eagerly anticipate experiencing more of your future creations!
<a href="https://legitpanalo.com/smbet/">Click and Get Welcome Bonus Here</a>

Reply
akki link
5/29/2024 04:15:46 am

Thank you for sharing. Adapting higher education to the social age of learning is crucial for meeting evolving student needs. For students in Greater Noida, exploring institutions that embrace innovative teaching methods and social learning platforms is essential. Considering options like the Best MBA College and top B.Tech colleges ensures alignment with contemporary educational trends and fosters holistic development.

Reply
akki link
5/31/2024 12:00:27 am

Thank you for sharing. Adapting higher education to the social age of learning is essential. In Greater Noida, institutions like the Best MBA College and top B.Tech colleges are already embracing this shift, offering competitive Course Fees and modern learning environments to stay ahead.

Reply
Customize Chat link
6/21/2024 01:48:16 pm

KOREACLUB 1위 야동 한국야동, 야동클럽 ,한국야동 , 일본AV ,온리팬스 ,무료야동,동양야동,중국야동, BJ야동을 고품질로 시청하세요 (https://koreaclub.cloud)

Customize Chat Bubbles & Have Fun with Google Messages



Reply
review link
8/6/2024 04:08:49 am

One benefit of homeschooling is the ability to teach children according to their learning pace and style.

Reply
Philip link
8/9/2024 01:20:06 am

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this is very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
Latvia's Top Dofollow Social Bookmarking Website link
9/14/2024 02:32:13 am

Your blog post offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of how higher education can adapt to the Social Age of learning. The discussion on integrating socio-constructivism, constructionism, and experiential participatory learning within educational frameworks highlights the transformative potential of social media in creating more meaningful and collaborative learning experiences. The emphasis on blending traditional pedagogies with modern, student-centered approaches underscores the need for educational institutions to evolve in response to the dynamic, interconnected world we live in.

To amplify the reach of these important ideas, leveraging Latvia's best dofollow social bookmarking website, A2Bookmarks Latvia, could be highly effective. Gaining high-quality dofollow backlinks in 2025 from such a platform would not only enhance the visibility of these insights but also foster broader engagement and discussion within the global educational community. This would help in disseminating the valuable perspectives you've shared on adapting higher education to the social and digital age.

Thank you for sharing such a thought-provoking and actionable analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing higher education today. Your work is instrumental in guiding educators and institutions as they navigate the complexities of the Social Age. I look forward to following your continued contributions to this critical conversation and seeing how these ideas are further developed and applied.

Reply
YAM link
11/25/2024 03:18:48 am

Thank you for your support! It means a lot, and I’m excited to explore other topics and share even more engaging content with you soon. Stay tuned!

<a href=" https://balato88.com/pandakiss77/">here are some more ideas that i found quite helpful</a>

Reply
SPIN PH link
12/20/2024 09:59:24 pm

This is such a well-written and informative post! I’ve found similar insights in my research—feel free to click https://tinyurl.com/spin-ph/ for more related content. Keep up the great work!

Reply
Extra Online Casino link
1/8/2025 10:40:05 pm

Thank you for this comprehensive and well-thought-out article on effective time management strategies. I especially appreciated your insights on breaking tasks into smaller, manageable goals, as it provided a fresh perspective I hadn't considered before. I’m curious, how do you see the role of AI tools evolving in helping people optimize their time management in the future? Looking forward to more of your expert insights and content like this!

Reply
YE7 link
4/12/2025 01:51:56 am

Thanks a lot for your kind words! Really glad the post resonated with you. Gambling should always be about enjoyment, and it’s great to hear you value the importance of responsible play. Knowing the games and setting limits truly helps keep the experience fun and stress-free. Appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts—more content coming soon!


Reply



Leave a Reply.

    AuthorS

    This blog is maintained by members of the Lifewide Education Community
    Contributors

    Tweet

    Archives

    July 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    December 2018
    June 2018
    September 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Collectives
    Discouragement
    Disruption
    Encouragement
    Imposter Syndrome
    Influencing Others
    Information Flow
    Leadership
    Learning Ecology
    Learning Flow
    Learning Zone
    Lifewide Magazine
    Making Something New Happen
    Open Education
    Panic
    Personal Learning Networks
    Resilience
    Social Age
    Social Learning
    Social Media

    RSS Feed

Picture
We advocate, encourage and support lifelong - lifewide and ecological approaches to learning, development, creativity and education for a sustainable regenerative future