Reti sociali e promozione della costruzione di conoscenza in contesti e-learning

This European project falls within the Socrates-Minerva Action. The general aim of the Minerva action is support the European cooperation in the field of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Information and Communication Technologies in Education and promote a better understanding by teachers, learners, decision-makers and the public at large of the implications of ODL and ICT for education. The project: “Reti sociali e promozione della costruzione di conoscenza in contesti e-learning” (Social networks and promotion of knowledge construction through e-learning), is co-financed by the European Commission (“Minerva-Action”) and stars from October 2006 up to the end of September 2008, The partnership is composed by the following partners: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Department Psychologie-Institut für Pädagogische Psychologie, Munich (DE), University of Turku (FI), CEMIC-GRESIC-Université de Bordeaux 3 (FR), DEIS- UniBo, CeL-Université de Neuchatel (CH), ecomunicare.ch (CH). The theoretical background emerges from social and educational psychology, particularly concerning the role of peer-interaction in e-learning processes. The aim of the project is to apply results drawn from experimental research to the design of effective e-learning experiences (“knowledge-transfer” purpose). We intend to identify and disseminate “good practices” in the design and delivery of e-learning courses, i.e., activities that teachers/tutors may use in order to foster the emergence of social dynamics that allow participants to engage in deep scrutiny of information, divergent thinking, and advancement in knowledge construction. In fact, experimental studies on social influence, argumentation, and reasoning suggest that these advanced cognitive outcomes are more likely to appear when participants are engaged in specific interaction situations (peer-to-peer interaction, minority influence, active cliques in virtual social networks, etc.), whereas other and more diffused social dynamics (teacher-centered networks, etc.) are more likely to promote superficial information scrutiny and passive reproduction of delivered knowledge. Accordingly to the principles of action-research, the project will be implemented in four subsequent phases: 1) an exploratory study on a sample of noteworthy e-learning experiences (on the European scale), for identifying the existing “good practices” intended to foster knowledge construction through social interaction; 2) design and delivery of e-learning experimental courses – in academic and vocational training domains – based on emerging “good practices;” 3) process and outcome evaluation of e-learning experimental courses; 4) dissemination activities (international meeting, web-diffusion). In the first phase of the project, an in-depth inquiry will analyse a sample of significant European e-learning experiences, with the aim of collecting information concerning: a) the specific artefacts (activities and tools) implemented in order to foster participants’ interactions, and b) the social dynamics emerged among participants and/or between participants and tutors/teachers. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses will be performed in order to detect which artefacts (“good practices”) foster the emergence of effective social dynamics in already existing experiences. For more info see: http:\minerva.ing2.unibo.it